Reverse geocoding

A point converted to the closest address using the geocoding service

What is reverse geocoding?

Reverse geocoding is the process of converting a point to an address or place. For example, you can convert -79.3871 longitude and 43.6426 latitude to "CN Tower, 301 Front St W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V, CAN".

You can use reverse geocoding to:

Get the nearest address to your current location.
Show an address or place name when you tap on a map.
Find the address for a geographic location.

How reverse geocoding works

You can find an address for a location by making an HTTPS request to the geocoding service reverseGeocode operation or by using client APIs. Specify the location and optionally, additional parameters to enhance the search.

To refine the search, you can specify a feature type to return a specific type of address such as only POIs or addresses. You can also specify whether to return a street address or rooftop location.

The geocoding service uses the location and all parameters to return a single address that is the closest match. This address contains a number of attributes such as the place name, full address, city, region, and location.

If there are no streets near the input location, then large areal features such as parks, universities, zoos, or airports may be returned.

URL request

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

Key parameters

Name	Description	Example
`location`	The location to search.	location=-79.3871,43.6426 location={x: 103.876722, y: 1.3330736}

Additional parameters: Refine the search and enhance the return values by using parameters such as featureTypes, locationType, and returnIntersection. Use langCode to return results in a specific language.

Examples

Find an address near a location

This example finds the closest address to a point location when you click on the map.

Reference the geocoding service.
Set the location to a point.
Set the API key.

The response is a street address or a place with an address nearest to the point location. To get the full address use LongLabel and PlaceName to get the name if a POI is returned. Most APIs provide a LocatorTask to access the service.

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: Reverse geocoding</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/Graphic",
      "esri/tasks/Locator"
    ], function(esriConfig, Map, MapView, Graphic, LocatorTask) {

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

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

      const view = new MapView({
        container: "viewDiv",
        map: map,
        center: [-79.3871, 43.6426], //???
        zoom: 10,
        constraints: {
          snapToZoom: false
        }
      });

      view.popup.actions = [];

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

      view.on("click", (event) => {
        reverseGeocode(event.mapPoint);
      });

      function reverseGeocode(pt) {

        const locatorTask = new LocatorTask({
          url: "https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer"
        });

        const params = {
          location: pt
        };

        locatorTask.locationToAddress(params).then(
          (response) => {
            if (response) {
              showPopup(response);
            }
          },
          (err) => {
            showPopup("No address found.", pt);
          }
        );

      }

      //Information shown when map is clicked
      function showPopup(response) {
        view.popup.open({
          title: response.attributes.PlaceName || "Address",
          content:
            response.attributes.LongLabel +
            "<br><br>" +
            response.location.longitude.toFixed(5) +
            ", " +
            response.location.latitude.toFixed(5),
          location: response.location,
        });
        addGraphic(response);
      }

      function addGraphic(response) {
        if (!response.location) {
          return;
        }
        view.graphics.removeAll();
        view.graphics.add(
          new Graphic({
            symbol: {
              type: "simple-marker",
              outline: {
                color: "white",
                width: 1.5,
              },
              color: "black",
              size: 6,
            },
            geometry: response.location,
          })
        );
      }
    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <div id="viewDiv"></div>
</body>
</html>

REST API

Request

Response

curl https://geocode-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/GeocodeServer/reverseGeocode \
-d 'f=pjson' \
-d 'location=-79.3871,43.6426' \
-d 'token=YOUR-API-KEY'

Response (JSON)

{
  "address": {
    "Match_addr": "CN Tower",
    "LongLabel": "CN Tower, 301 Front St W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V, CAN",
    "ShortLabel": "CN Tower",
    "Addr_type": "POI",
    "Type": "Tourist Attraction",
    "PlaceName": "CN Tower",
    "AddNum": "301",
    "Address": "301 Front St W",
    "Block": "",
    "Sector": "",
    "Neighborhood": "Waterfront Communities-the Island",
    "District": "Toronto",
    "City": "Toronto",
    "MetroArea": "Greater Toronto Metro Area",
    "Subregion": "Toronto",
    "Region": "Ontario",
    "Territory": "",
    "Postal": "M5V",
    "PostalExt": "",
    "CountryCode": "CAN"
  },
  "location": {
    "x": -79.386480034479305,
    "y": 43.641820056696396,
    "spatialReference": {
      "wkid": 4326,
      "latestWkid": 4326
    }
  }
}

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.

PreviousAutosuggest NextBatch geocoding

DocumentationMapping APIs and location services

Reverse geocoding

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