diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/spree/orders/address_states.js b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/spree/orders/address_states.js
index 5542e5656a..845c501f7f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/spree/orders/address_states.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/spree/orders/address_states.js
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ var update_state = function(region) {
   var state_select   = $('span#' + region + 'state select.select2');
   var state_input    = $('span#' + region + 'state input.state_name');
 
-  $.get(Spree.routes.states_search + "?country_id=" + country, function(data) {
-    var states = data["states"]
+  $.get(Spree.routes.states_search + "?country_id=" + country, function(states) {
     if (states.length > 0) {
       state_select.html('');
       var states_with_blank = [{name: '', id: ''}].concat(states);
diff --git a/app/controllers/api/states_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/states_controller.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..708e40d277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/controllers/api/states_controller.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+module Api
+  class StatesController < Api::BaseController
+    respond_to :json
+
+    skip_authorization_check
+
+    def index
+      @states = scope.ransack(params[:q]).result.
+                  includes(:country).order('name ASC')
+
+      if params[:page] || params[:per_page]
+        @states = @states.page(params[:page]).per(params[:per_page])
+      end
+
+      render json: @states, each_serializer: Api::StateSerializer, status: :ok
+    end
+
+    def show
+      @state = scope.find(params[:id])
+      render json: @state, serializer: Api::StateSerializer, status: :ok
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def scope
+      if params[:country_id]
+        @country = Spree::Country.find(params[:country_id])
+        @country.states
+      else
+        Spree::State.all
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/serializers/api/state_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/api/state_serializer.rb
index 38ad444701..2862c24468 100644
--- a/app/serializers/api/state_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/api/state_serializer.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 class Api::StateSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
-  attributes :id, :name, :abbr
+  attributes :id, :name, :abbr, :country_id
 end
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/shared/_routes.html.erb b/app/views/spree/admin/shared/_routes.html.erb
index ba3bbda3fe..15d562e4ef 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/shared/_routes.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/shared/_routes.html.erb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   Spree.routes = <%== {
     :variants_search       => spree.admin_search_variants_path(:format => 'json'),
     :taxons_search         => main_app.api_taxons_path(:format => 'json'),
-    :orders_api            => main_app.api_orders_path
+    :orders_api            => main_app.api_orders_path,
+    :states_search         => main_app.api_states_path(:format => 'json')
   }.to_json %>;
 </script>
diff --git a/config/routes/api.rb b/config/routes/api.rb
index 1147076112..f50a9c4763 100644
--- a/config/routes/api.rb
+++ b/config/routes/api.rb
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ Openfoodnetwork::Application.routes.draw do
 
     post '/product_images/:product_id', to: 'product_images#update_product_image'
 
+    resources :states, :only => [:index, :show]
+
     resources :taxons, :only => [:index]
 
     resources :taxonomies do
diff --git a/spec/controllers/api/states_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/api/states_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3badf4a518
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/api/states_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+module Api
+  describe StatesController do
+    render_views
+
+    let!(:state) { create(:state, :name => "Victoria") }
+    let(:attributes) { [:id, :name, :abbr, :country_id] }
+    let(:current_user) { create(:user) }
+
+    before do
+      allow(controller).to receive(:spree_current_user) { current_user }
+    end
+
+    it "gets all states" do
+      api_get :index
+      expect(json_response.first.symbolize_keys.keys).to include(*attributes)
+      expect(json_response.map { |state| state[:name] }).to include(state.name)
+    end
+
+    context "pagination" do
+      before do
+        Spree::State.should_receive(:all).and_return(@scope = double)
+        @scope.stub_chain(:ransack, :result, :includes, :order).and_return(@scope)
+      end
+
+      it "does not paginate states results when asked not to do so" do
+        @scope.should_not_receive(:page)
+        @scope.should_not_receive(:per)
+        api_get :index
+      end
+
+      it "paginates when page parameter is passed through" do
+        @scope.should_receive(:page).with(1).and_return(@scope)
+        @scope.should_receive(:per).with(nil)
+        api_get :index, :page => 1
+      end
+
+      it "paginates when per_page parameter is passed through" do
+        @scope.should_receive(:page).with(nil).and_return(@scope)
+        @scope.should_receive(:per).with(25)
+        api_get :index, :per_page => 25
+      end
+    end
+
+
+    context "with two states" do
+      before { create(:state, :name => "New South Wales") }
+
+      it "gets all states for a country" do
+        country = create(:country, :states_required => true)
+        state.country = country 
+        state.save
+
+        api_get :index, :country_id => country.id
+        expect(json_response.first.symbolize_keys.keys).to include(*attributes)
+        expect(json_response.count).to eq 1
+      end
+
+      it "can view all states" do
+        api_get :index
+        expect(json_response.first.symbolize_keys.keys).to include(*attributes)
+      end
+
+      it 'can query the results through a paramter' do
+        api_get :index, :q => { :name_cont => 'Vic' }
+        expect(json_response.first['name']).to eq("Victoria")
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "can view a state" do
+      api_get :show, :id => state.id
+      expect(json_response.symbolize_keys.keys).to include(*attributes)
+    end
+  end
+end