# PennyAPI Regulatory Watch – x402 Preflight Check

> PennyAPI Regulatory Watch – x402 Preflight Check is a paid API for AI agents from pennyregwatch.com, paid per call via x402, $0.001/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-14).

Checks whether a specific x402-protected endpoint requires payment before calling it, returning payment terms and a GO/NO-GO decision without spending any funds.

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://pennyregwatch.com/v1/x402/preflight
- Price: $0.001/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-14
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/pennyapi-regulatory-watch-x402-preflight-check-066f8271
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_1YoefZqa3Oq5ku3y2CD1N

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability pennyapi-regulatory-watch-x402-preflight-check-066f8271
```

Example prompt: Before I pay, check what the x402 payment terms are for this endpoint — do a preflight probe on https://pennyregwatch.com/v1/texas-childcare/monitor using a GET request and tell me the amount, network, and pay-to address.

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need to inspect x402 payment requirements for any protected URL before committing funds — it is the only safe, zero-cost way to retrieve pay-to address, amount, network, and challenge details without triggering an actual payment. Prefer it over blind payment attempts, especially when integrating multiple x402 endpoints into an automated workflow.

## Known failure modes

- Target URL is not x402-protected — returns non-402 response or unexpected status
- Invalid or unreachable target URL — connection timeout or DNS failure
- Malformed queryParams.url — validation error returned
- Target endpoint returns an unexpected x402 version — partial or missing fields in response
- Rate limiting on the preflight endpoint itself — 429 response

## How this service works

Monitor Texas childcare regulatory records and receive email alerts when important HHSC information changes.

## Output

Returns a JSON object with: ok status, x402 payment details (pay_to address, scheme, network, version, amount in atomic units, accepts count, challenge presence), source metadata indicating no payment was sent, the target URL, a GO/NO-GO decision, and the HTTP 402 status confirmation.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "required": [
  "input"
 ],
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type",
    "method"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string",
     "const": "http"
    },
    "method": {
     "enum": [
      "GET",
      "HEAD",
      "DELETE"
     ],
     "type": "string"
    },
    "queryParams": {
     "type": "object",
     "required": [
      "url"
     ],
     "properties": {
      "url": {
       "type": "string",
       "description": "Exact public x402 endpoint URL to check before paying"
      }
     }
    }
   },
   "additionalProperties": false
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string"
    },
    "example": {
     "type": "object"
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "ok": true,
  "x402": {
   "pay_to": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001",
   "scheme": "exact",
   "network": "eip155:8453",
   "x402_version": 2,
   "accepts_count": 1,
   "amount_atomic": "1000",
   "challenge_present": true
  },
  "source": {
   "type": "live_unpaid_probe",
   "payment_sent": false
  },
  "target": "https://example.com/paid-endpoint",
  "decision": "GO",
  "http_status": 402
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/pennyapi-regulatory-watch-x402-preflight-check-066f8271/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from pennyregwatch.com](https://www.zero.xyz/host/pennyregwatch.com/llms.txt)