diff --git a/src/neigh_request.cpp b/src/neigh_request.cpp
index 96ec568469..cab07b656d 100644
--- a/src/neigh_request.cpp
+++ b/src/neigh_request.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-// clang-format off
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    LAMMPS - Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator
    https://www.lammps.org/, Sandia National Laboratories
@@ -13,14 +12,17 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "neigh_request.h"
+
 #include "atom.h"
 #include "memory.h"
+#include "neighbor.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
+using namespace NeighConst;
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-NeighRequest::NeighRequest(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
+NeighRequest::NeighRequest(LAMMPS *_lmp) : Pointers(_lmp)
 {
   // default ID = 0
 
@@ -96,9 +98,27 @@ NeighRequest::NeighRequest(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+NeighRequest::NeighRequest(LAMMPS *_lmp, int idx, void *ptr, int num)
+  : NeighRequest(_lmp)
+{
+  index = idx;
+  requestor = ptr;
+  requestor_instance = num;
+}
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+NeighRequest::NeighRequest(NeighRequest *old)
+  : NeighRequest(old->lmp)
+{
+  copy_request(old,1);
+}
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
 NeighRequest::~NeighRequest()
 {
-  delete [] iskip;
+  delete[] iskip;
   memory->destroy(ijskip);
 }
 
@@ -165,15 +185,13 @@ int NeighRequest::identical(NeighRequest *other)
 
 int NeighRequest::same_skip(NeighRequest *other)
 {
-  int i,j;
-
-  int ntypes = atom->ntypes;
+  const int ntypes = atom->ntypes;
   int same = 1;
 
-  for (i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
+  for (int i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
     if (iskip[i] != other->iskip[i]) same = 0;
-  for (i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
-    for (j = 1; j <= ntypes; j++)
+  for (int i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
+    for (int j = 1; j <= ntypes; j++)
       if (ijskip[i][j] != other->ijskip[i][j]) same = 0;
 
   return same;
@@ -206,7 +224,7 @@ void NeighRequest::copy_request(NeighRequest *other, int skipflag)
   size = other->size;
   history = other->history;
   granonesided = other->granonesided;
-  respainner =  other->respainner;
+  respainner = other->respainner;
   respamiddle = other->respamiddle;
   respaouter = other->respaouter;
   bond = other->bond;
@@ -223,22 +241,47 @@ void NeighRequest::copy_request(NeighRequest *other, int skipflag)
 
   if (!skipflag) return;
 
-  int i,j;
+  int i, j;
   int ntypes = atom->ntypes;
 
   skip = other->skip;
 
   if (other->iskip) {
-    iskip = new int[ntypes+1];
-    for (i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
-      iskip[i] = other->iskip[i];
+    iskip = new int[ntypes + 1];
+    for (i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++) iskip[i] = other->iskip[i];
   }
 
   if (other->ijskip) {
-    memory->create(ijskip,ntypes+1,ntypes+1,"neigh_request:ijskip");
+    memory->create(ijskip, ntypes + 1, ntypes + 1, "neigh_request:ijskip");
     for (i = 1; i <= ntypes; i++)
-      for (j = 1; j <= ntypes; j++)
-        ijskip[i][j] = other->ijskip[i][j];
+      for (j = 1; j <= ntypes; j++) ijskip[i][j] = other->ijskip[i][j];
   }
 }
 
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+void NeighRequest::apply_flags(int flags)
+{
+  if (flags & REQ_FULL) {
+    half = 0;
+    full = 1;
+  }
+  if (flags & REQ_GHOST) { ghost = 1; }
+  if (flags & REQ_SIZE) { size = 1; }
+  if (flags & REQ_HISTORY) { history = 1; }
+  if (flags & REQ_OCCASIONAL) { occasional = 1; }
+  if (flags & REQ_RESPA_INOUT) { respainner = respaouter = 1; }
+  if (flags & REQ_RESPA_ALL) { respainner = respamiddle = respaouter = 1; }
+}
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+void NeighRequest::set_id(int _id) {
+  id = _id;
+}
+
+void NeighRequest::set_cutoff(double _cutoff)
+{
+  cut = 1;
+  cutoff = _cutoff;
+}
diff --git a/src/neigh_request.h b/src/neigh_request.h
index ff86cfa7fe..0bb0f1c822 100644
--- a/src/neigh_request.h
+++ b/src/neigh_request.h
@@ -112,11 +112,18 @@ class NeighRequest : protected Pointers {
   // methods
 
   NeighRequest(class LAMMPS *);
+  NeighRequest(class LAMMPS *, int, void *, int);
+  NeighRequest(NeighRequest *);
   ~NeighRequest() override;
+
   void archive();
   int identical(NeighRequest *);
   int same_skip(NeighRequest *);
   void copy_request(NeighRequest *, int);
+
+  void apply_flags(int);
+  void set_id(int);
+  void set_cutoff(double);
 };
 
 }    // namespace LAMMPS_NS
diff --git a/src/neighbor.cpp b/src/neighbor.cpp
index 489d76eaed..3d82479c6c 100644
--- a/src/neighbor.cpp
+++ b/src/neighbor.cpp
@@ -1715,13 +1715,10 @@ void Neighbor::requests_new2old()
 
   old_nrequest = nrequest;
   old_requests = (NeighRequest **)
-      memory->smalloc(old_nrequest*sizeof(NeighRequest *),
-                      "neighbor:old_requests");
+    memory->smalloc(old_nrequest*sizeof(NeighRequest *),"neighbor:old_requests");
 
-  for (int i = 0; i < old_nrequest; i++) {
-    old_requests[i] = new NeighRequest(lmp);
-    old_requests[i]->copy_request(requests[i],1);
-  }
+  for (int i = 0; i < old_nrequest; i++)
+    old_requests[i] = new NeighRequest(requests[i]);
 
   old_style = style;
   old_triclinic = triclinic;
@@ -1731,7 +1728,8 @@ void Neighbor::requests_new2old()
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    find and return request made by classptr
-   if not found or classpt = nullptr, return nullptr
+   if not found or classptr = nullptr, return nullptr
+   TODO: should have optional argument "id" to match ID if multiple requests
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 NeighRequest *Neighbor::find_request(void *classptr)
@@ -1744,6 +1742,22 @@ NeighRequest *Neighbor::find_request(void *classptr)
   return nullptr;
 }
 
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   find and return list requested by classptr
+   if not found or classptr = nullptr, return nullptr
+   TODO: should have optional argument "id" to match ID if multiple requests
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+NeighList *Neighbor::find_list(void *classptr)
+{
+  if (classptr == nullptr) return nullptr;
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < nrequest; i++)
+    if (lists[i]->requestor == classptr) return lists[i];
+
+  return nullptr;
+}
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    assign NBin class to a NeighList
    use neigh request settings to build mask
@@ -2028,14 +2042,55 @@ int Neighbor::request(void *requestor, int instance)
                        "neighbor:requests");
   }
 
-  requests[nrequest] = new NeighRequest(lmp);
-  requests[nrequest]->index = nrequest;
-  requests[nrequest]->requestor = requestor;
-  requests[nrequest]->requestor_instance = instance;
+  requests[nrequest] = new NeighRequest(lmp, nrequest, requestor, instance);
   nrequest++;
   return nrequest-1;
 }
 
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   called by other classes to request a pairwise neighbor list
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+NeighRequest *Neighbor::add_request(Pair *requestor, int flags)
+{
+  int irequest = request(requestor, requestor->instance_me);
+  auto req = requests[irequest];
+  req->apply_flags(flags);
+  return req;
+}
+
+NeighRequest *Neighbor::add_request(Fix *requestor, int flags)
+{
+  int irequest = request(requestor, requestor->instance_me);
+  auto req = requests[irequest];
+  req->pair = 0;
+  req->fix = 1;
+  req->apply_flags(flags);
+  return req;
+}
+
+NeighRequest *Neighbor::add_request(Compute *requestor, int flags)
+{
+  int irequest = request(requestor, requestor->instance_me);
+  auto req = requests[irequest];
+  req->pair = 0;
+  req->compute = 1;
+  req->apply_flags(flags);
+  return req;
+}
+
+NeighRequest *Neighbor::add_request(Command *requestor, const char *style, int flags)
+{
+  int irequest = request(requestor, 0);
+  auto req = requests[irequest];
+  req->pair = 0;
+  req->command = 1;
+  req->occasional = 1;
+  req->command_style = style;
+  req->apply_flags(flags);
+  return req;
+}
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    setup neighbor binning and neighbor stencils
    called before run and every reneighbor if box size/shape changes
@@ -2275,13 +2330,11 @@ void Neighbor::build_one(class NeighList *mylist, int preflag)
   // check if list structure is initialized
 
   if (mylist == nullptr)
-    error->all(FLERR,"Trying to build an occasional neighbor list "
-               "before initialization completed");
+    error->all(FLERR,"Trying to build an occasional neighbor list before initialization complete");
 
   // build_one() should never be invoked on a perpetual list
 
-  if (!mylist->occasional)
-    error->all(FLERR,"Neighbor build one invoked on perpetual list");
+  if (!mylist->occasional) error->all(FLERR,"Neighbor::build_one() invoked on perpetual list");
 
   // no need to build if already built since last re-neighbor
   // preflag is set by fix bond/create and fix bond/swap
diff --git a/src/neighbor.h b/src/neighbor.h
index 45468c0c9b..4b78522000 100644
--- a/src/neighbor.h
+++ b/src/neighbor.h
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
 namespace LAMMPS_NS {
 
+// forward declarations
+class NeighRequest;
+class NeighList;
+
 class Neighbor : protected Pointers {
  public:
   enum { NSQ, BIN, MULTI_OLD, MULTI };
@@ -87,9 +91,9 @@ class Neighbor : protected Pointers {
   int nrequest;        // # of requests, same as nlist
   int old_nrequest;    // # of requests for previous run
 
-  class NeighList **lists;
-  class NeighRequest **requests;        // from Pair,Fix,Compute,Command classes
-  class NeighRequest **old_requests;    // copy of requests to compare to
+  NeighList **lists;
+  NeighRequest **requests;        // from Pair,Fix,Compute,Command classes
+  NeighRequest **old_requests;    // copy of requests to compare to
 
   // data from topology neighbor lists
 
@@ -119,7 +123,16 @@ class Neighbor : protected Pointers {
   Neighbor(class LAMMPS *);
   ~Neighbor() override;
   virtual void init();
-  int request(void *, int instance = 0);
+
+  // old API for creating neighbor list requests
+  int request(void *, int instance_me = 0);
+
+  // new API for creating neighbor list requests
+  NeighRequest *add_request(class Pair *, int);
+  NeighRequest *add_request(class Fix *, int);
+  NeighRequest *add_request(class Compute *, int);
+  NeighRequest *add_request(class Command *, const char *, int);
+
   int decide();                     // decide whether to build or not
   virtual int check_distance();     // check max distance moved since last build
   void setup_bins();                // setup bins based on box and cutoff
@@ -134,7 +147,8 @@ class Neighbor : protected Pointers {
 
   void exclusion_group_group_delete(int, int);    // rm a group-group exclusion
   int exclude_setting();                          // return exclude value to accelerator pkg
-  class NeighRequest *find_request(void *);       // find a neighbor request
+  NeighList *find_list(void *);                   // find a neighbor request
+  NeighRequest *find_request(void *);             // find a neighbor request
   int any_full();                // Check if any old requests had full neighbor lists
   void build_collection(int);    // build peratom collection array starting at the given index
 
@@ -246,6 +260,7 @@ class Neighbor : protected Pointers {
 };
 
 namespace NeighConst {
+
   enum {
     NB_INTEL = 1 << 0,
     NB_KOKKOS_DEVICE = 1 << 1,
@@ -297,6 +312,19 @@ namespace NeighConst {
     NP_OFF2ON = 1 << 24,
     NP_MULTI_OLD = 1 << 25
   };
+
+  enum {
+    REQ_DEFAULT = 0,
+    REQ_FULL = 1 << 0,
+    REQ_GHOST = 1 << 1,
+    REQ_SIZE = 1 << 2,
+    REQ_HISTORY = 1 << 3,
+    REQ_OCCASIONAL = 1 << 4,
+    REQ_RESPA_INOUT = 1 << 5,
+    REQ_RESPA_ALL = 1 << 6,
+    REQ_NEWTON_ON = 1 << 8,
+    REQ_NEWTON_OFF = 1 << 9,
+  };
 }    // namespace NeighConst
 
 }    // namespace LAMMPS_NS