FAQ

Is there a local version that uses Stdio transport?

No. Currently, MCP for ArcGIS Location Services (beta) is only available via a hosted URL using the Streamable HTTP transport protocol.

Is OAuth supported for authentication?

Yes, you can use either user authentication User authentication is a type of authentication that allows users with an ArcGIS account to sign into an application and allow it to access ArcGIS content, services, and resources on their behalf. The typical authorization protocol used is OAuth2.0. Learn more or app authentication App authentication is a type of authentication that grants a short-lived access token based on an OAuth 2.0 client ID and client secret, authorizing an application to access ArcGIS services and items. Learn more with OAuth if your MCP client supports it.

How does pricing work?

You will be charged according to the standard pricing model for requests to the underlying ArcGIS Location Services ArcGIS Location Services, also referred to as Location Services, are services hosted by Esri that provide geospatial functionality for developing mapping applications. They include the ArcGIS Basemap Styles service, ArcGIS Static Basemap Tiles service, ArcGIS Places service, ArcGIS Geocoding service, ArcGIS Routing service, ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service, and ArcGIS Elevation service. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account is required to use the services. Learn more . There is no additional charge for accessing these services via the MCP protocol.

Why can’t I see my map images?

The Static Map tools return map images in .png format. Be aware that some clients, such as Microsoft Copilot, do not support rendering images in agent responses by default. See the Microsoft documentation to see how an administrator can enable this capability.

What are the limitations of MCP for ArcGIS Location Services (beta)?

Some current known limitations of the beta version of MCP for ArcGIS Location Services include:

• When generating a static map, the image only renders in PNG format. Some clients also may not support rendering images in agent responses by default, which can lead to images not displaying properly.
• Advanced routing capabilities such as fleet routing and location-allocation solving are not currently available.

How do I troubleshoot issues with the MCP?

Problem	Solution
Authentication errors (401 / 403)	Ensure the token is valid, not expired, and correctly formatted as Bearer <token>. Also confirm your API key has all the necessary privileges to access the service(s).
Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'bind')	This is a Visual Studio Code specific error. Check for updates and restart Visual Studio Code.
MCP server will not load	Update your MCP client to the latest version, then restart the application. Older versions of Visual Studio Code may not support the MCP tool schema.
Connection failed or timed out	Check your internet connection and confirm the MCP server URL is correct and reachable from your network.
Tool not found error	Verify that you are connected to the correct MCP instance and that the access token is prefixed with Bearer .
Geocoding results seem inaccurate	Clean and standardize input addresses before sending requests. Ambiguous formatting or heavy typos can reduce geocoding accuracy.
MCP shows disconnected in the client	Reconnect the MCP server and verify that authentication settings were saved correctly in the client configuration. The connection may also drop when restarting or closing the MCP client.
MCP error -32602: failed to deserialize parameters: invalid type: map, expected a string	This error can occur when the client sends a request body that does not match the expected schema. Check the request payload for formatting issues or missing required fields. For example, the payload may need to be JSON-stringified.
I am getting prompted to sign in with OAuth2.0 credentials	This usually indicates an issue with your API key configuration. Ensure the API key is valid, unexpired, and prefixed with Bearer in your client configuration.