# Get a customer > The customers.get operation: GET /api/v1/customers/{id} in the REST API and the customers_get tool in the MCP server. Returns a customer of the brand in the mode of the request: profile, inferred and declared type, billing address, tax IDs with their latest check and earlier checks, the locked tax country (set at the first successful payment, spec §9.3), processor references and risk. Deleted customers are returned too, with `deletedAt`. The customer's location evidence is listed by `customers.evidence_sets.list`. ## At a glance - **REST:** `GET /api/v1/customers/{id}` - **MCP tool:** `customers_get` - **Operation ID:** `customers.get` - **Scope:** Brand - **Permission:** `customers:read` - **Risk tier:** `read` - **Dry run:** Not supported - **Idempotency:** Not needed (read only) - **Modes:** Test and live - **Authentication:** API key with the `customers:read` scope - **Since:** M4 ## Request ### Path parameters | Field | Type | Description | | ----- | ---------- | ---------------------------- | | `id` | `cus_…` ID | The customer's ID (`cus_…`). | ### Query parameters This operation takes no query parameters. ## Response `200 OK` with a JSON object: | Field | Type | Description | | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `id` | `cus_…` ID | | | `object` | `"customer"` | | | `livemode` | boolean | | | `entityId` | `ent_…` ID | | | `brandId` | `brd_…` ID | | | `email` | string | | | `name` | string or null | | | `businessName` | string or null | | | `locale` | string or null | | | `type` | one of `individual`, `business`, `unknown` | Inferred (spec §13.1): `business` with a tax ID that isn't rejected, or with a business name when declared a business. Tax is decided per sale: only a `valid` tax ID makes a sale business-to-business. | | `declaredType` | one of `individual`, `business`, `unknown` | What you declared. | | `billingAddress` | object or null | | | `taxIds` | array of object | | | `taxIds[].id` | string | Identifies the tax ID on the customer: its canonical number, e.g. `ATU12345678`. | | `taxIds[].type` | string | `eu_vat`, `gb_vat`, `ch_uid`/`ch_vat`, `no_org`/`no_vat`, `us_ein`, or another type (unverified). | | `taxIds[].value` | string | The number as given. | | `taxIds[].country` | string | | | `taxIds[].number` | string or null | The canonical number (null for types Ownrecord can't check). | | `taxIds[].verification` | object | The latest check (spec §9.4). | | `taxIds[].verification.status` | one of `valid`, `invalid`, `unavailable`, `format_only`, `unverified` | `valid`, `invalid`, `unavailable` (the register couldn't answer), `format_only` (no register: format and checksum) or `unverified` (a type Ownrecord can't check). | | `taxIds[].verification.source` | string | Who decided: VIES, HMRC, CH_UID, FORMAT (format and checksum only) or NONE. | | `taxIds[].verification.reason` | string or null | Why, e.g. `not_registered` or `service_unavailable`. | | `taxIds[].verification.checkedAt` | date-time | | | `taxIds[].verification.consultationNumber` | string or null | The register's proof of the check (VIES request identifier, HMRC consultation number). | | `taxIds[].verification.simulated` | boolean | A fixture answer (development and test environments), not a register's. | | `taxIds[].history` | array of object | Earlier checks, newest first (at most 10). | | `taxIds[].history[].status` | one of `valid`, `invalid`, `unavailable`, `format_only`, `unverified` | `valid`, `invalid`, `unavailable` (the register couldn't answer), `format_only` (no register: format and checksum) or `unverified` (a type Ownrecord can't check). | | `taxIds[].history[].source` | string | Who decided: VIES, HMRC, CH_UID, FORMAT (format and checksum only) or NONE. | | `taxIds[].history[].reason` | string or null | Why, e.g. `not_registered` or `service_unavailable`. | | `taxIds[].history[].checkedAt` | date-time | | | `taxIds[].history[].consultationNumber` | string or null | The register's proof of the check (VIES request identifier, HMRC consultation number). | | `taxIds[].history[].simulated` | boolean | A fixture answer (development and test environments), not a register's. | | `taxIds[].addedAt` | date-time | | | `taxCountryLocked` | object or null | Where the customer's purchases are taxed (spec §9.3): set at the first successful payment, moved only when a top-up's evidence resolves to another country. | | `taxExempt` | object or null | Tax exemption (spec §9.5). Not applied yet: exemption certificates come in a later release. | | `processorRefs` | array of object | The customer at each payment processor used (set by checkout). | | `processorRefs[].processorConnectionId` | `pcon_…` ID | | | `processorRefs[].customerRef` | string | | | `risk` | object | | | `risk.level` | one of `normal`, `elevated`, `blocked` | | | `risk.reasons` | array of string | | | `risk.firstPaymentAt` | date-time or null | | | `risk.totalPaid` | money | | | `portalLastLoginAt` | date-time or null | | | `testClockId` | `clk_…` ID or null | Test mode: the test clock the customer was created on (spec §16.13). | | `metadata` | object | | | `createdAt` | date-time | | | `updatedAt` | date-time | | | `deletedAt` | date-time or null | When the customer was deleted (soft delete); null while active. | ## Examples ### A business customer ```http GET /api/v1/customers/cus_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0aa Authorization: Bearer or_test_… ``` Response (`200`): ```json { "id": "cus_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0aa", "object": "customer", "livemode": false, "entityId": "ent_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47x2", "brandId": "brd_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47x4", "email": "billing@alpenapps.example", "name": "Lena Huber", "businessName": "Alpen Apps GmbH", "locale": "de-AT", "type": "business", "declaredType": "business", "billingAddress": { "line1": "Mariahilfer Straße 1", "line2": null, "city": "Wien", "postalCode": "1060", "region": null, "country": "AT" }, "taxIds": [ { "id": "ATU00000000", "type": "eu_vat", "value": "ATU 0000 0000", "country": "AT", "number": "ATU00000000", "verification": { "status": "valid", "source": "VIES", "reason": null, "checkedAt": "2026-10-14T09:00:00.000Z", "consultationNumber": "WAPIAAAAZ1x2y3", "simulated": false }, "history": [], "addedAt": "2026-10-14T09:00:00.000Z" } ], "taxCountryLocked": null, "taxExempt": null, "processorRefs": [], "risk": { "level": "normal", "reasons": [], "firstPaymentAt": null, "totalPaid": { "amount": "0", "currency": "EUR" } }, "portalLastLoginAt": null, "testClockId": null, "metadata": { "userId": "u_4821" }, "createdAt": "2026-10-14T09:00:00.000Z", "updatedAt": "2026-10-14T09:00:00.000Z", "deletedAt": null } ``` ### A consumer after the first payment The first payment locked the tax country to Germany. ```http GET /api/v1/customers/cus_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0ab Authorization: Bearer or_test_… ``` Response (`200`): ```json { "id": "cus_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0ab", "object": "customer", "livemode": false, "entityId": "ent_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47x2", "brandId": "brd_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47x4", "email": "ana@example.com", "name": "Ana Schmidt", "businessName": null, "locale": "de", "type": "individual", "declaredType": "individual", "billingAddress": { "line1": null, "line2": null, "city": null, "postalCode": null, "region": null, "country": "DE" }, "taxIds": [], "taxCountryLocked": { "country": "DE", "subdivision": null, "lockedAt": "2026-10-14T09:30:00.000Z", "evidenceSetId": "evs_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0ac" }, "taxExempt": null, "processorRefs": [ { "processorConnectionId": "pcon_01m4ty3c2b5qx7mhd9k8w6s0af", "customerRef": "cus_QxY12AbC" } ], "risk": { "level": "normal", "reasons": [], "firstPaymentAt": "2026-10-14T09:30:00.000Z", "totalPaid": { "amount": "119000000", "currency": "EUR" } }, "portalLastLoginAt": null, "testClockId": null, "metadata": {}, "createdAt": "2026-10-14T09:00:00.000Z", "updatedAt": "2026-10-14T09:30:00.000Z", "deletedAt": null } ``` ## Errors | Code | HTTP status | When | What to do | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [`validation_failed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#validation_failed) | 400 | `id` isn't a customer ID (`cus_…`). | Fix the fields listed in `details.issues` and send the request again. | | [`resource_not_found`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#resource_not_found) | 404 | This brand has no such customer in this mode (customers belong to one brand and one mode). | Check the ID and that your credentials are scoped to the right organization, entity, brand and mode. | | [`scope_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#scope_required) | 400 | The request names no brand (an org or entity key without `Ownrecord-Brand`). | Call the operation with credentials or a target at its level: an organization, a legal entity, a brand or the platform (`details.required_scope`). | | [`livemode_not_allowed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#livemode_not_allowed) | 403 | You have no live-mode access, so you can't act on live customers. | Use test mode, or credentials for the target's mode. Developers need live access granted by an organization owner or admin. | | [`permission_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#permission_denied) | 403 | You can't read this brand's customers (`customers:read`). | Ask an organization owner or admin for a role or scope that allows this action. | It can also return these [common errors](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference.md#common-errors): [`api_version_unsupported`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_version_unsupported), [`authentication_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#authentication_required), [`api_key_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_key_invalid), [`dry_run_not_supported`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#dry_run_not_supported), [`rate_limited`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#rate_limited), [`internal_error`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#internal_error).