diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v2/maps_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v2/maps_controller.rb
index 0bcd9bee..e8aa3f05 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v2/maps_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v2/maps_controller.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ module Api
       def searchable_columns
         [:name, :desc]
       end
+
+      def apply_filters(collection)
+        collection = collection.where(user_id: params[:user_id]) if params[:user_id]
+        collection
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v2/restful_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v2/restful_controller.rb
index 00325ba4..08177ad7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v2/restful_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v2/restful_controller.rb
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ module Api
         collection = accessible_records
         collection = yield collection if block_given?
         collection = search_by_q(collection) if params[:q]
+        collection = apply_filters(collection)
         collection = order_by_sort(collection) if params[:sort]
         collection = collection.page(params[:page]).per(params[:per])
         self.collection = collection
@@ -167,6 +168,11 @@ module Api
         collection.where(condition)
       end
 
+      def apply_filters(collection)
+        # override this function for specific filters
+        collection
+      end
+
       def order_by_sort(collection)
         builder = collection
         sorts = params[:sort].split(',')
diff --git a/doc/api/apis/maps.raml b/doc/api/apis/maps.raml
index 03c4db2b..ad1666dd 100644
--- a/doc/api/apis/maps.raml
+++ b/doc/api/apis/maps.raml
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 get:
   is: [ searchable: { searchFields: "name, desc" }, embeddable: { embedFields: "user,topics,synapses,mappings,contributors,collaborators" }, orderable, pageable ]
   securedBy: [ null, token, oauth_2_0, cookie ]
+  queryParameters:
+    user_id:
+      description: |
+        Pass a user_id to only return maps created by that user. For example, `/api/v2/maps?user_id=1` would return maps created by the Metamaps user with id 1.
+      required: false
+      type: number
   responses:
     200:
       body: