Get insider trading data with Python

Retrieve purchases without losing source precision.

This example uses Python’s standard library. Set SEC_API_KEY in your environment, then request the imported 2026 Q3 archive. It reads at most ten pages and fails explicitly when that budget is exhausted, so partial output cannot quietly masquerade as the complete population.

import json
import os
from urllib.parse import urlencode
from urllib.request import Request, urlopen

key = os.environ["SEC_API_KEY"]
params = {"period": "2026q3", "transactionCode": "P",
          "form": "4", "limit": 100, "offset": 0}

# Bounded example: at most 10 pages / 1,000 rows.
for _ in range(10):
    request = Request(
        "https://sec-api.dev/api/v1/insider-transactions?" + urlencode(params),
        headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + key})
    with urlopen(request, timeout=60) as response:
        payload = json.load(response)
    for row in payload["data"]:
        # Keep original strings, source URLs, and footnotes intact.
        print(json.dumps(row))
    next_offset = payload["pagination"].get("nextOffset")
    if next_offset is None:
        break
    params["offset"] = next_offset
    params["snapshot"] = payload["meta"]["snapshotId"]
else:
    raise RuntimeError("Page budget reached; output is intentionally partial")

The code prints source rows as JSON. Do not cast monetary strings to binary floating point just to export them. Use Decimal only when you have checked units, missing values and the instrument represented by each source field.

Keep pagination tied to one import.

Follow pagination.nextOffset, then send meta.snapshotId back as snapshot. If the server returns snapshot_changed, restart the traversal rather than combining pages from different archive versions. Handle 429 with its Retry-After response and retry transient failures with a bounded backoff. Do not automatically retry authentication or invalid-filter errors.

transactionCode=P and form=4 select one exact code and form. This does not include P/K composite codes or Form 4/A amendments. Query those explicitly when your research requires them; preserve their identities instead of deduplicating by date and price.

Build a reproducible export.

1. Record quarter, filters, snapshot ID and source archive hash.
2. Retain every source accession and row identity with its footnotes.
3. Write a separate import log with the page budget and completion status.
4. Validate empty results before concluding that no transactions occurred.

Read one ownership XML filing with JavaScript ↗ · Response fields and errors ↗

RESEARCH CHECKLIST

From source row to usable evidence.

Before you ship a screener

1. Test an empty result and an invalid filter separately; they represent different outcomes.
2. Store the query, snapshot and completion status next to your export.
3. Inspect representative source footnotes before assigning investment meanings to codes.
4. Separate filings, transaction rows, reporting owners and unique securities in every count.

Sources, coverage and next steps

SEC insider transaction archive catalog ↗ · Official Form 4 instructions ↗ · Our data-quality limits ↗

Corporate insider ownership reports do not by themselves establish illegal trading. Do not conflate this API with congressional financial disclosures.