Update an entity
/entities/{entity_uuid}
Update an existing entity using PATCH semantics: only the fields you supply are changed,
everything else is left as-is. Pass null to clear an optional field.
Notes:
* entity_type cannot be changed after creation. It is silently ignored if supplied.
* birth_date is silently ignored if the entity is locked because it has been used in an
identification check.
Example Request
PATCHRequest Schema
entity_uuid
The entity UUID
reference_number
first_name
middle_name
last_name
birth_date
business_name
business_number
business_number_type
vessel_name
property_name
address_line1
address_line2
address_suburb
address_state
address_postcode
address_country
phone1
phone2
phone3
phone4
email1
email2
email3
email4
flags
risk_level
Available Response Data
13 Data Pointsuuid uuid
The entity's UUID
entity_number string (A short obfuscated public identifier for the entity (e.g. "E-A1-B2C-3D4"))
reference_number string
An optional customer-supplied reference number, unique within the program
entity_type enum
The type of entity: individual, business, vessel, property
entity_name string
The display name of the entity, computed from the relevant type-specific fields
first_name string (First name (individuals only))
middle_name string (Middle name (individuals only))
last_name string (Last name (individuals only))
birth_date string (Date of birth in YYYY-MM-DD format (individuals only))
business_name string (Business name (businesses only))
business_number string (Business identifier (businesses only); format depends on business_number_type)
business_number_type enum
The type of business_number: au_abn, au_acn, uk_crn, other
api_reference uuid
unique request identifier for log tracing and audit
API Data Scale & Coverage tag
Unmatched data depth to power your compliance and verification workflows.
Sandbox Environment
Build and test against a sandbox account. Sandbox is a separate account with its own UUID and its own API keys, and the environment is fixed at the account level, so you cannot switch an existing key between live and sandbox with a parameter or header. Both share the same base URL, so the account behind your key is what determines which environment you are in. GET /v1/account returns an environment field of live or sandbox, and that is the authoritative answer.
Calls on a sandbox key are not billed. Every endpoint, response shape, error envelope, idempotency and rate-limit behaviour mirrors live, so the only change when you move to production should be the credentials. Sandbox accounts are provisioned by your Global Data account manager.
Technical Use Cases tag
Propagating changes from your system of record
Push corrections and changes of circumstance into WatchEye as they happen, so screening runs against current details, not the details captured at onboarding.
Status and lifecycle management
Change status fields as a matter progresses. A status change is not a deletion, so the record stays fully visible through the API.
Keeping the audit trail intact
Every update is written to the account audit log, so the change history is available without you maintaining a parallel record of it.
Compliance & Security tag
Enterprise-grade infrastructure audited against the standards your regulators require.
Common Questions tag
Everything you need to know about implementation details and compliance infrastructure.
help_center General
Is this call billed?
add
Is this call billed?
Yes. This is a chargeable endpoint, and the fee is billed to your account at the time of the request. Your rates are set per account and confirmed by your Global Data account manager.
If your balance reaches zero or an agreed call limit is reached, further chargeable requests return 402 Payment Required until the account is topped up. Calls made with a key on a sandbox account are never charged.
rocket_launch Implementation
What are the rate limits?
add
What are the rate limits?
600 requests per minute by default, enforced with a 60-second fixed window. Every response carries X-RateLimit-Limit and X-RateLimit-Remaining.
Exceeding the limit returns 429 Too Many Requests with a Retry-After header giving the number of seconds to wait, and X-RateLimit-Reset giving the reset timestamp. Schedule retries from Retry-After instead of a fixed sleep, and slow down before you hit zero, not after.
Higher limits can be arranged case by case through WatchEye support.
Ready to integrate Update an entity?
Talk to our team about credentials, sandbox access and the right combination of endpoints for your workflow.