Place search

Locations of businesses by category found near a point with the geocoding service

What is place search?

Place search, also known as point of interest (POI) search, is the process of searching for businesses, administrative boundaries, and geographic features. For example, you can search for restaurants near a point, counties in a state, or land features such as the Grand Canyon.

You can use place search to:

Find the locations of geographic places around the world.
Locate businesses near a location.
Search for places by category such as restaurants, gas stations, or schools.
Find and display places on a map.

How place search works

You can search for a place by making an HTTPS request to the geocoding service findAddressCandidates operation or by using client APIs. Specify the place name, output data fields, and optionally, additional parameters to refine the search.

The more complete you can make the input place name, the more likely the geocoding service will find an exact match. For example, "Grand Canyon", "Disneyland in California", or "Starbucks at Newport Beach".

To refine the search or search for POI, you can specify a category such as coffee shop, restaurant, or gas station. See more categories in Category filtering. To refine it further, specify parameters such as the search extent, country code, and city.

The geocoding service parses the place name and uses the all of the parameters to return a set of place candidates. Most candidates contain a place name, full address, location, attributes, and a score of how well it matched.

Types of place search

There are two types of searches you can perform: Local and Global. A local search uses a location to search for places nearby or a search extent to confine the search area. A global search is an open search that typically isn't confined to an extent.

URL request

https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer/findAddressCandidates?<parameters>

Key parameters

Name	Description	Example
`address`	The address or place name string. Different formats are supported.	address=Disneyland address=Los Angeles Starbucks address=Seattle, Washington address=Mount Everest address=-117.155579,32.703761
`location`	Use to focus the search on a specific location.	location=-117.196,34.056
`category`	Filter places by place type values.	category=food,mexican food category=coffee shop category=gas station
`outFields`	A list of data fields to return.	outFields=PlaceName,Place_addr, outFields=* (return all fields)

Additional parameters: Refine the search by using parameters such as searchExtent, neighborhood, city, and countryCode. Use langCode to return results in a specific language.

Examples

Local search (by name)

This example uses the geocoding service to search for Starbucks near a location in San Francisco. You can use this type of search to find the location of businesses, points of interest, or landmarks. Most APIs provide a LocatorTask to access the service.

Steps

Reference the geocoding service.
Set the place name to search for.
Set the location to search from.
Set the list of data fields to return. e.g. PlaceName,Place_addr
Set the API key.

The response is a set of place candidates with a place name, full address, location, score, and attributes.

APIs

ArcGIS JS API

Esri Leaflet

MapBox GL JS

OpenLayers

ArcGIS REST JS

ArcGIS .NET API

ArcGIS Android API

ArcGIS iOS API

ArcGIS Java API

ArcGIS Qt API (C++)

ArcGIS Qt API (QML)

ArcGIS Python API

Go to tutorial

<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
  <title>ArcGIS Developer Guide: Local search(name)</title>
     <!-- ArcGIS Mapping APIs and Location Services Developer Guide
    Learn more: https://developers.arcgis.com/documentation/mapping-apis-and-location-services/search/
    -->
  <style>
    html, body, #viewDiv {
      padding: 0;
      margin: 0;
      height: 100%;
      width: 100%;
    }
  </style>

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/esri/themes/light/main.css">
  <script src="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/"></script>

  <script>
    require([
      "esri/config",
      "esri/Map",
      "esri/views/MapView",
      "esri/tasks/Locator",
      "esri/Graphic"
    ], function(esriConfig,Map, MapView, Locator, Graphic) {

      esriConfig.apiKey = "YOUR-API-KEY";

      const map = new Map({
        basemap: "osm-standard" //Basemap layer service
      });

      const view = new MapView({
        container: "viewDiv",
        map: map,
        center: [-122.4194, 37.7749], // San Francisco
        zoom: 13
      });

      view.popup.actions = [];

      view.when(()=>{
        findPlaces(view.center);
      });

      // Find places and add them to the map

      function findPlaces(pt) {
        const locator = new Locator({
         url: "http://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer"
        });

        const params = {
          address: {
            address: "Starbucks"
          },
          location: pt,  // San Francisco (-122.4194, 37.7749)
          outFields: ["PlaceName","Place_addr"]
        }

        locator.addressToLocations(params).then(function(results) {
          showResults(results);
        });

      }

      function showResults(results) {
        view.popup.close();
          view.graphics.removeAll();
          results.forEach(function(result){
            view.graphics.add(
              new Graphic({
                attributes: result.attributes,
                geometry: result.location,
                symbol: {
                 type: "simple-marker",
                 color: "black",
                 size: "10px",
                 outline: {
                   color: "#ffffff",
                   width: "2px"
                 }
                },
                popupTemplate: {
                  title: "{PlaceName}",
                  content: "{Place_addr}" + "<br><br>" + result.location.x.toFixed(5) + "," + result.location.y.toFixed(5)
                }
             }));
          });
          if (results.length) {
            const g = view.graphics.getItemAt(0);
            view.popup.open({
              features: [g],
              location: g.geometry
            });
          }
      }

    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <div id="viewDiv"></div>
</body>
</html>

REST API

Request

Response

curl https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer/findAddressCandidates \
-d 'f=pjson' \
-d 'address=Starbucks' \
-d 'location=-122.4194,37.7749' \
-d 'outfields=PlaceName,Place_addr' \
-d 'token=YOUR_API_KEY'

Response (JSON)

{
  "spatialReference": {
    "wkid": 4326,
    "latestWkid": 4326
  },
  "candidates": [
    {
      "address": "Starbucks",
      "location": {
        "x": -122.41732199999996,
        "y": 37.777066000000048
      },
      "score": 100,
      "attributes": {
        "PlaceName": "Starbucks",
        "Place_addr": "1390 Market Street 107 Fox Plz, San Francisco, California, 94102"
      },
      "extent": {
        "xmin": -122.41832199999996,
        "ymin": 37.77606600000005,
        "xmax": -122.41632199999995,
        "ymax": 37.778066000000045
      }
    }
  ]
 }

Local search (by category)

This example searches for gas stations near a location by setting the Gas Station category near a location in Paris.

To see a full list of categories, visit Category filtering.

Steps

Reference the geocoding service.
Set location to search from.
Set the category of places to search for.
Set the list of data fields to return. e.g. PlaceName,Place_addr
Set the API key.

The response is a set of place candidates with a place name, full address, location, score, and attributes.

APIs

ArcGIS JS API

Esri Leaflet

MapBox GL JS

OpenLayers

ArcGIS REST JS

ArcGIS .NET API

ArcGIS Android API

ArcGIS iOS API

ArcGIS Java API

ArcGIS Qt API (C++)

ArcGIS Qt API (QML)

ArcGIS Python API

Go to tutorial

<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
  <title>ArcGIS Developer Guide: Local search (category)</title>
     <!-- ArcGIS Mapping APIs and Location Services Developer Guide
    Learn more: https://developers.arcgis.com/documentation/mapping-apis-and-location-services/search/
    -->
  <style>
    html, body, #viewDiv {
      padding: 0;
      margin: 0;
      height: 100%;
      width: 100%;
    }
  </style>

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/esri/themes/light/main.css">
  <script src="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/"></script>

  <script>
    require([
      "esri/config",
      "esri/Map",
      "esri/views/MapView",
      "esri/tasks/Locator",
      "esri/Graphic"
    ], function(esriConfig,Map, MapView, Locator, Graphic) {

      esriConfig.apiKey = "YOUR-API-KEY";

      const map = new Map({
        basemap: "arcgis-streets-night" //Basemap layer service
      });

      const view = new MapView({
        container: "viewDiv",
        map: map,
        center: [2.34602,48.85880], // Paris
        zoom: 13
      });

      view.popup.actions = [];

      view.when(()=>{
        findPlaces(view.center);
      });

      // Find places and add them to the map

      function findPlaces(pt) {
        const locator = new Locator({
         url: "http://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer"
        });

        const params = {
          categories: ["gas station"],
          location: pt,  // Paris (2.34602,48.85880)
          outFields: ["PlaceName","Place_addr"]
        }

        locator.addressToLocations(params).then(function(results) {
          showResults(results);
        });

      }

      function showResults(results) {
        view.popup.close();
          view.graphics.removeAll();
          results.forEach(function(result){
            view.graphics.add(
              new Graphic({
                attributes: result.attributes,
                geometry: result.location,
                symbol: {
                 type: "simple-marker",
                 color: "black",
                 size: "10px",
                 outline: {
                   color: "#ffffff",
                   width: "2px"
                 }
                },
                popupTemplate: {
                  title: "{PlaceName}",
                  content: "{Place_addr}" + "<br><br>" + result.location.x.toFixed(5) + "," + result.location.y.toFixed(5)
                }
             }));
          });
          if (results.length) {
            const g = view.graphics.getItemAt(0);
            view.popup.open({
              features: [g],
              location: g.geometry
            });
          }
      }

    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <div id="viewDiv"></div>
</body>
</html>

REST API

Request

Response

curl https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer/findAddressCandidates \
-d 'f=pjson' \
-d 'category=gas station' \
-d 'location=2.34602,48.85880' \
-d 'outfields=PlaceName,Place_addr' \
-d 'token=YOUR-API-KEY'

Response (JSON)

{
  "spatialReference": {
   "wkid": 4326,
   "latestWkid": 4326
  },
  "candidates": [
    {
      "address": "Oil",
      "location": {
      "x": 2.341350000000034,
      "y": 48.861050000000034
      },
      "score": 100,
      "attributes": {
      "PlaceName": "Oil",
      "Place_addr": "Rue Bailleul, 75001, 1er Arrondissement, Paris, Île-de-France"
      },
      "extent": {
      "xmin": 2.3363500000000341,
      "ymin": 48.856050000000032,
      "xmax": 2.3463500000000339,
      "ymax": 48.866050000000037
      }
    }
  ]
}

Global search

This example executes a global search for Grand Canyon. No location or extent parameters are provided.

Steps

Reference the geocoding service.
Set the place name or address to search.
Set the list of data fields to return.
Set the API key.

The response is a set of candidates with an address, location, score, and many other attributes.

APIs

ArcGIS JS API

Esri Leaflet

MapBox GL JS

OpenLayers

ArcGIS REST JS

ArcGIS .NET API

ArcGIS Android API

ArcGIS iOS API

ArcGIS Java API

ArcGIS Qt API (C++)

ArcGIS Qt API (QML)

ArcGIS Python API

Go to tutorial

<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
  <title>ArcGIS Developer Guide: Global search</title>
     <!-- ArcGIS Mapping APIs and Location Services Developer Guide
    Learn more: https://developers.arcgis.com/documentation/mapping-apis-and-location-services/search/
    -->
  <style>
    html, body, #viewDiv {
      padding: 0;
      margin: 0;
      height: 100%;
      width: 100%;
    }
  </style>

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/esri/themes/light/main.css">
  <script src="https://js.arcgis.com/4.18/"></script>

  <script>
    require([
      "esri/config",
      "esri/Map",
      "esri/views/MapView",
      "esri/tasks/Locator",
      "esri/Graphic"
    ], function(esriConfig,Map, MapView, Locator, Graphic) {

      esriConfig.apiKey = "YOUR-API-KEY";

      const map = new Map({
        basemap: "arcgis-topographic" //Basemap layer service
      });

      const view = new MapView({
        container: "viewDiv",
        map: map,
        center: [-25,30],
        zoom: 2
      });

      view.popup.actions = [];

      view.when(()=>{
        findPlaces();
      });

      // Find places and add them to the map

      function findPlaces() {
        const locator = new Locator({
         url: "http://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer"
        });

        const params = {
          address: {
            address: "Grand Canyon"
          },
          outFields: "*"
        }

        locator.addressToLocations(params).then(function(results) {
          showResults(results);
        });

      }

      function showResults(results) {
        view.popup.close();
          view.graphics.removeAll();
          results.forEach(function(result){
            view.graphics.add(
              new Graphic({
                attributes: result.attributes,
                geometry: result.location,
                symbol: {
                 type: "simple-marker",
                 color: "black",
                 size: "10px",
                 outline: {
                   color: "#ffffff",
                   width: "2px"
                 }
                },
                popupTemplate: {
                  title: "{PlaceName}",
                  content: "{LongLabel}" + "<br><br>" + result.location.x.toFixed(5) + "," + result.location.y.toFixed(5)
                }
             }));
          });
          if (results.length) {
            const g = view.graphics.getItemAt(0);
            view.goTo({
              target: g.geometry,
              zoom: 13
            });
            view.popup.open({
              features: [g],
              location: g.geometry
            });
          }
        }
    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <div id="viewDiv"></div>
</body>
</html>

REST API

Request

Response

curl https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer/findAddressCandidates \
-d 'f=pjson' \
-d 'address=grand canyon' \
-d 'token=YOUR-API-KEY'

Response (JSON)

{
  "spatialReference": {
    "wkid": 4326,
    "latestWkid": 4326
  },
  "candidates": [
    {
      "address": "Grand Canyon",
      "location": {
        "x": -113.76891999999998,
        "y": 35.973910000000046
      },
      "score": 100,
      "attributes": {
        "Loc_name": "World",
        "Status": "M",
        "Score": 100,
        "Match_addr": "Grand Canyon",
        "LongLabel": "Grand Canyon, AZ, USA",
        "ShortLabel": "Grand Canyon",
        "Addr_type": "POI",
        "Type": "Canyon",
        "PlaceName": "Grand Canyon",
        "Place_addr": "Arizona",
        "Phone": "",
        "URL": "",
        "Rank": 2.5,
        "AddBldg": "",
        "AddNum": "",
        "AddNumFrom": "",
        "AddNumTo": "",
        "AddRange": "",
        "Side": "",
        "StPreDir": "",
        "StPreType": "",
        "StName": "",
        "StType": "",
        "StDir": "",
        "BldgType": "",
        "BldgName": "",
        "LevelType": "",
        "LevelName": "",
        "UnitType": "",
        "UnitName": "",
        "SubAddr": "",
        "StAddr": "",
        "Block": "",
        "Sector": "",
        "Nbrhd": "",
        "District": "",
        "City": "",
        "MetroArea": "",
        "Subregion": "Mohave County",
        "Region": "Arizona",
        "RegionAbbr": "AZ",
        "Territory": "",
        "Zone": "",
        "Postal": "",
        "PostalExt": "",
        "Country": "USA",
        "LangCode": "ENG",
        "Distance": 0,
        "X": -113.76891999999998,
        "Y": 35.973910000000046,
        "DisplayX": -113.76891999999998,
        "DisplayY": 35.973910000000046,
        "Xmin": -115.76891999999998,
        "Xmax": -111.76891999999998,
        "Ymin": 33.973910000000046,
        "Ymax": 37.973910000000046,
        "ExInfo": ""
      },
      "extent": {
        "xmin": -115.76891999999998,
        "ymin": 33.973910000000046,
        "xmax": -111.76891999999998,
        "ymax": 37.973910000000046
      }
    }
  ]
}

Tutorials

Search for an address

Convert an address or place to a location with the Geocoding service.

Reverse geocode

Get an address, business, or place from coordinates with the Geocoding service.

Find places

Find an address, business, or place with the Geocoding service.

Services

Geocoding service

Search for addresses, businesses, and places around the world.

API support

	Geocoding	Reverse Geocoding	Batch Geocoding	Place/POI Search	Autosuggest	UI Component
ArcGIS API for JavaScript	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported
ArcGIS API for Android	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
ArcGIS API for iOS	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
ArcGIS API for .Net	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
ArcGIS API for Qt	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
ArcGIS API for Java	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
ArcGIS API for Python	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported
Esri Leaflet	Fully supported	Fully supported	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported
MapBox GL JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Not supported
OpenLayers	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Access via ArcGIS REST JS	Not supported
ArcGIS REST JS	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Fully supported	Not supported

Full supportPartial support (see notes)Not supported

Tools

Developer dashboard

Manage API keys, service usage, and data for your applications in the ArcGIS Developers website.

ArcGIS Online

Create, manage, and share hosted data with cloud-based GIS tools .

Map Viewer

Create, explore, and share web maps for 2D applications.

Scene Viewer

Create, explore, and share web scenes for 3D applications.

ArcGIS Pro

Explore, visualize, and analyze both 2D and 3D data with desktop GIS tools.

PreviousGeocoding NextAutosuggest

DocumentationMapping APIs and location services

Place search

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