English Français العربية

LexAPI

Official registry Search and web

Search EUR-Lex, fetch parsed EU legislation and case law, explore the citation graph.

Source code Website Documentation

Install

Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).

NPM package @lexapi/mcp
Claude Code 
claude mcp add lexapi -e 'LEXAPI_API_KEY=<your lexapi_api_key>' -e 'LEXAPI_BASE_URL=<LEXAPI_BASE_URL>' -- npx -y @lexapi/mcp@0.1.3
JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code) 
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "lexapi": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@lexapi/mcp@0.1.3"
            ],
            "env": {
                "LEXAPI_API_KEY": "<your lexapi_api_key>",
                "LEXAPI_BASE_URL": "<LEXAPI_BASE_URL>"
            }
        }
    }
}

Environment variables

  • LEXAPI_API_KEY required secret LexAPI API key. Get one at https://lex-api.com/dashboard (FREE tier available; semantic tools require a paid plan).
  • LEXAPI_BASE_URL Override the LexAPI base URL. Defaults to https://lex-api.com/api/v1.

Documentation

From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.

Contents
  1. LexAPI MCP
  2. Install
  3. Tools
  4. Configuration
  5. Troubleshooting
  6. Local development
  7. License

LexAPI MCP

Model Context Protocol server for LexAPI — query EUR-Lex, EU case law, and the citation graph from Claude, Cursor, and other MCP-enabled clients.

Install once, get an API key, and ask your AI assistant: "summarize Article 17 of the GDPR" or "which regulations amend Directive 95/46/EC?" — the model calls LexAPI directly.

Install

You'll need a LexAPI API key. Create one for free at lex-api.com/dashboard (500 credits/month on the FREE tier, no card required).

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json (location: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lexapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@lexapi/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "LEXAPI_API_KEY": "lex_..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop.

Claude Code
claude mcp add lexapi --env LEXAPI_API_KEY=lex_... -- npx -y @lexapi/mcp
Cursor / other MCP clients

Any client that supports stdio MCP servers can run this. The command is npx -y @lexapi/mcp with LEXAPI_API_KEY in the environment.

Tools

ToolWhat it does
lex_searchStructured EUR-Lex search (text, dates, document type, author, language).
lex_get_documentFull parsed document by CELEX — metadata + articles, sections, tables, annexes.
lex_get_metadataMetadata only (faster than full content).
lex_get_document_by_urlFetch by EUR-Lex URL (pasted from a browser).
lex_recent_documentsRecent Official Journal publications (default 7 days).
lex_cited_byDocuments citing this CELEX (inbound, typed edges).
lex_citesDocuments this CELEX cites (outbound, typed edges).
lex_citation_networkBoth directions in one call.
lex_semantic_case_lawEmbedding search over EU case law (paid plans).
lex_semantic_legislationEmbedding search over EU legislation (paid plans).

Configuration

Env varDefaultPurpose
LEXAPI_API_KEY(required)Your API key. Get one at lex-api.com/dashboard.
LEXAPI_BASE_URLhttps://lex-api.com/api/v1Override for self-hosted or staging.

Troubleshooting

LEXAPI_API_KEY is not set — the env var isn't reaching the spawned process. Double-check the env block in your MCP client config.

LexAPI error (401 invalid_api_key) — the key is wrong or revoked. Generate a new one at the dashboard.

LexAPI error (429 …) — you hit your daily quota or per-minute rate limit. The server retries once automatically; if you see this in tool output, you're over quota. Upgrade your plan or wait for reset.

LexAPI error (403 …) on semantic tools — semantic search requires a paid plan. FREE tier returns 403 for those endpoints.

Local development

git clone https://github.com/Lex-API/lexapi-mcp.git
cd lexapi-mcp
npm install
npm run build

LEXAPI_API_KEY=lex_xxx node dist/index.js

License

MIT

Frequently asked questions

What is LexAPI?

Search EUR-Lex, fetch parsed EU legislation and case law, explore the citation graph.

How do I install LexAPI?

It runs on your machine. In Claude Code: claude mcp add lexapi -e 'LEXAPI_API_KEY=<your lexapi_api_key>' -e 'LEXAPI_BASE_URL=<LEXAPI_BASE_URL>' -- npx -y @lexapi/mcp@0.1.3. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.

Does LexAPI need an API key?

Yes. It expects LEXAPI_API_KEY, which you set in its configuration.

Is LexAPI open source?

Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the MIT license.

Who maintains LexAPI?

It is published by Lex-API. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.

From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.