diff --git a/planet/clients/data.py b/planet/clients/data.py
index 2e80dd06..6a5536cc 100644
--- a/planet/clients/data.py
+++ b/planet/clients/data.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from ..constants import PLANET_BASE_URL
 from ..http import Session
 from ..models import Paged, StreamingBody
+from ..specs import validate_item_type
 
 BASE_URL = f'{PLANET_BASE_URL}/data/v1/'
 SEARCHES_PATH = '/searches'
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ async def search(self,
 
         search_filter = search_filter or empty_filter()
 
-        # TODO: validate item_types
+        item_types = [validate_item_type(item) for item in item_types]
         request_json = {'filter': search_filter, 'item_types': item_types}
         if name:
             request_json['name'] = name
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ async def create_search(self,
         """
         url = self._searches_url()
 
-        # TODO: validate item_types
+        item_types = [validate_item_type(item) for item in item_types]
         request = {
             'name': name,
             'filter': search_filter,
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ async def update_search(self,
         """
         url = f'{self._searches_url()}/{search_id}'
 
+        item_types = [validate_item_type(item) for item in item_types]
         request = {
             'name': name,
             'filter': search_filter,
@@ -394,6 +396,7 @@ async def get_stats(self,
 
         url = f'{self._base_url}{STATS_PATH}'
 
+        item_types = [validate_item_type(item) for item in item_types]
         request = {
             'interval': interval,
             'filter': search_filter,