Nhtsa MCP Server

Vehicle safety data from NHTSA — recalls, complaints, crash ratings, investigations, VIN decoding.

Remote serverstreamable-http

What is the Nhtsa MCP Server?

Vehicle safety data from NHTSA — recalls, complaints, crash ratings, investigations, VIN decoding.

The short version

  • Declarative tool definitions — single file per tool, framework handles registration and validation
  • Unified error handling across all tools
  • Pluggable auth (none, jwt, oauth)
  • Swappable storage backends: in-memory, filesystem, Supabase, Cloudflare KV/R2/D1
  • Structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing
  • Runs locally (stdio/HTTP) from the same codebase

What it needs from you

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Maintainer setup documentation.

Recorded tools

Check the linked publisher documentation and your connected client's tool list. Names and availability can vary with the server version and account permissions.

ToolWhat it does
nhtsa_get_vehicle_safetyComprehensive safety profile combining crash test ratings, recalls, and complaint summary with per-section availability status.
nhtsa_search_recallsSearch recall campaigns by vehicle or campaign number with optional date filtering.
nhtsa_search_complaintsConsumer safety complaints with component breakdown and severity stats.
nhtsa_get_safety_ratingsNCAP crash test ratings and ADAS feature availability.
nhtsa_decode_vinDecode VINs for make, model, year, engine, safety equipment (single or batch up to 50).
nhtsa_search_investigationsSearch NHTSA defect investigations (PE, EA, DP, RQ, AQ, and more) with cached index.
nhtsa_lookup_vehiclesLook up valid makes, models, vehicle types, and manufacturer details from VPIC.

How to install the Nhtsa MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://nhtsa.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
MCP_LOG_LEVELConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
MCP_HTTP_HOSTEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Optional
MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATHFilesystem location the server is allowed to use.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • “Use Nhtsa to nhtsa get vehicle safety.”
  • “Use Nhtsa to nhtsa search recalls.”
  • “Use Nhtsa to nhtsa search complaints.”

Frequently asked questions

Vehicle safety data from NHTSA — recalls, complaints, crash ratings, investigations, VIN decoding. Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.