Install US Public Records (permits, grants, OSHA/EPA, recalls) in Codex

What you need first

• Codex, installed.
• Nothing else: the server runs on its publisher's machines and Codex connects to it.
• Your own value for YOUR_AUTHORIZATION.

Steps

1. Open ~/.codex/config.toml, or create it. The Codex CLI, its IDE extension and the ChatGPT desktop app share this file.
2. Add this table at the end of the file.

[mcp_servers.us-public-records]
url = "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=owlabee/building-permits-scraper,owlabee/accela-energov-permit-scraper,owlabee/grants-gov-api,owlabee/grant-matching,owlabee/osha-epa-inspections,owlabee/product-recall-feed,owlabee/license-verification-api,owlabee/federal-court-docket-monitor"
http_headers = { "Authorization" = "YOUR_AUTHORIZATION" }

3. Replace YOUR_AUTHORIZATION with your own value.
4. Start Codex again and type /mcp: the server is listed.

Check it worked

Ask Codex: List the tools of us-public-records.

If it does not start

401 Unauthorized

The endpoint wants a sign-in or a key. Sign in when Codex asks, or check the value in place of the placeholder.

The server starts, but its tools fail

A YOUR_… placeholder is still in the config, or its value is wrong.

Nothing changes after a restart

The file has the same table twice. Keep one [mcp_servers.us-public-records] table.