The Google Maps Geocoding API is a service that provides geocoding and reverse geocoding of addresses.
This service is also available as part of the client-side Google Maps JavaScript API, or for server-side use with the Java Client, Python Client, Go Client and Node.js Client for Google Maps Services.
Geocoding is the process of converting addresses (like a street address) into geographic coordinates (like latitude and longitude), which you can use to place markers on a map, or position the map.
Reverse geocoding is the process of converting geographic coordinates into a human-readable address. The Google Maps Geocoding API's reverse geocoding service also lets you find the address for a given place ID.
Sample request and response
You access the Google Maps Geocoding API through an HTTP interface. Following are examples of geocoding and reverse geocoding requests.
Geocoding request and response (latitude/longitude lookup)
The following example requests the latitude and longitude of "1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA", and specifies that the output must be in JSON format.
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA&key=YOUR_API_KEY
You can test this by entering the URL into your web browser (be sure to replace ‘YOUR_API_KEY’ with your actual API key). The response includes the latitude and longitude of the address.
View the developer's guide for more information about building geocoding request URLs and available parameters and understanding the response.
Below is a sample geocoding response, in JSON:
{
"results" : [
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1600",
"short_name" : "1600",
"types" : [ "street_number" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Amphitheatre Pkwy",
"short_name" : "Amphitheatre Pkwy",
"types" : [ "route" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Mountain View",
"short_name" : "Mountain View",
"types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Santa Clara County",
"short_name" : "Santa Clara County",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_2", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "California",
"short_name" : "CA",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "United States",
"short_name" : "US",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "94043",
"short_name" : "94043",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA",
"geometry" : {
"location" : {
"lat" : 37.4224764,
"lng" : -122.0842499
},
"location_type" : "ROOFTOP",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 37.4238253802915,
"lng" : -122.0829009197085
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 37.4211274197085,
"lng" : -122.0855988802915
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJ2eUgeAK6j4ARbn5u_wAGqWA",
"types" : [ "street_address" ]
}
],
"status" : "OK"
}
Reverse geocoding request and response (address lookup)
The following example requests the address corresponding to a given latitude/longitude in Brooklyn, NY, USA. It specifies that the output must be in JSON format.
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=40.714224,-73.961452&key=YOUR_API_KEY
You can test this by entering the URL into your web browser (be sure to replace ‘YOUR_API_KEY’ with your actual API key). The response includes a human-readable address for the latitude and longitude location.
View the developer's guide for more information about building reverse geocoding request URLs and available parameters and understanding the response.
Below is a sample reverse geocoding response, in JSON:
{
"results" : [
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "277",
"short_name" : "277",
"types" : [ "street_number" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Bedford Avenue",
"short_name" : "Bedford Ave",
"types" : [ "route" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Williamsburg",
"short_name" : "Williamsburg",
"types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Brooklyn",
"short_name" : "Brooklyn",
"types" : [ "sublocality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Kings",
"short_name" : "Kings",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_2", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "New York",
"short_name" : "NY",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "United States",
"short_name" : "US",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "11211",
"short_name" : "11211",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "277 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA",
"geometry" : {
"location" : {
"lat" : 40.714232,
"lng" : -73.9612889
},
"location_type" : "ROOFTOP",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 40.7155809802915,
"lng" : -73.9599399197085
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 40.7128830197085,
"lng" : -73.96263788029151
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJd8BlQ2BZwokRAFUEcm_qrcA",
"types" : [ "street_address" ]
},
... Additional results truncated in this example[] ...
],
"status" : "OK"
}
Start coding with our client libraries
Client libraries make developing with the Google Maps web service APIs easier by providing simple, native implementations of common tasks, such as authentication, request throttling and automatic retry. The Google Maps Geocoding API is available in the Java Client, Python Client, Go Client and Node.js Client for Google Maps Services.
Authentication, quotas, and policies
Activate the API and get an API key
To use the Google Maps Geocoding API, you must first activate the API in the Google API Console and obtain the proper authentication credentials. You need to provide an API key in each request (or a client ID if you have a Premium Plan).
Click the button below to flow through a process where you will:
- Create or select a project
- Enable the API
- Get an API key
Learn more about authentication credentials.
Quotas
Review the usage limits page for details on the quotas set for the Google Maps Geocoding API.
Policies
Use of the Google Maps Geocoding API must be in accordance with the API policies.
Learn more
There’s more you can do with the Geocoding API. See the Geocoding API developer’s guide for additional demos, examples, available parameters, status codes and error messages, and other details.
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