How to Search SEC EDGAR Filings by Keyword (Full-Text Search API)

Most people know SEC EDGAR for looking up filings by company. Fewer know about EDGAR’s full-text search: the ability to search the body text of every filing ever submitted. This unlocks cross-company research that is impossible with the standard EDGAR API.

What EDGAR full-text search covers

The EDGAR Full-Text Search System (EFTS) indexes the body text of all filings submitted since 1996. That includes:

• 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports
• 8-K current reports (earnings, mergers, executive changes)
• DEF 14A proxy statements
• S-1 registration statements
• 13F institutional holdings reports
• 200+ other form types

The EFTS endpoint

The base URL is https://efts.sec.gov/LATEST/search-index?q="your+query". The API requires no authentication and returns JSON.

import requests

params = {
    "q": '"supply chain disruption"',  # use quotes for exact phrase
    "dateRange": "custom",
    "startdt": "2024-01-01",
    "enddt": "2024-12-31",
    "forms": "10-K",
}

r = requests.get("https://efts.sec.gov/LATEST/search-index", params=params)
hits = r.json()['hits']['hits']

for hit in hits:
    src = hit['_source']
    print(src['file_date'], src['entity_name'], src['form_type'])
    print(src['file_num'])

Pagination

EFTS returns 10 results per page by default. Use from= to paginate:

all_results = []
offset = 0

while True:
    params['from'] = offset
    r = requests.get("https://efts.sec.gov/LATEST/search-index", params=params)
    data = r.json()
    hits = data['hits']['hits']
    if not hits:
        break
    all_results.extend(hits)
    offset += len(hits)
    if offset >= data['hits']['total']['value']:
        break

Using the Apify actor

The SEC EDGAR Full-Text Search scraper wraps EFTS with automatic pagination, rate-limit handling, and structured output:

import apify_client

client = apify_client.ApifyClient('YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN')

run_input = {
    "query": "material weakness internal controls",
    "formTypes": ["10-K", "10-Q"],
    "startDate": "2024-01-01",
    "endDate": "2024-12-31",
    "maxResults": 200,
}

run = client.actor('themineworks/sec-edgar-fulltext-search').call(run_input=run_input)

for item in client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).iterate_items():
    print(item['company'], item['form_type'], item['filing_date'])
    print(item['filing_url'])

High-value search queries

Risk research: "going concern" — companies auditors flagged as at risk of bankruptcy.

M&A research: "definitive agreement to acquire" — all announced acquisitions across all filers.

Executive changes: "appointed as Chief Executive Officer" in 8-K filings.

Climate risk: "physical risks of climate change" across all 10-K filings in a sector.

Litigation: "class action lawsuit" to track filings disclosing active litigation.

Pricing

First 25 results free. Pay per filing returned. Zero charge on empty searches.