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Texas A&M Geoservices Geocoding APIs

API Version - 3.01

The Texas A&M Geoservices Geocoder can be used from desktop and/or web applications via the Geocoding Web Service interfaces listed below. The only required information is the API key, which is available in your account profile page. You may want to read the technical details and the known bugs.

Available API Endpoints


The following web services provide access to the Texas A&M Geoservices geocoding system. The versions below are the simplified APIs and offer reduced input parameters and output values than do the advanced Geocoding APIs which provide additional metadata about the internal working of the Texas A&M Geoservices Geocoder as well as advanced options for requesting specific computational options, reference data sources, output hierarchies, etc. (i.e., all the science under the hood).

Most people probably don't need or care about the internal workings of geocoding systems, but they are provided in the advanced APIs in hopes that more people start to! If you are brave, click here to view the advanced versions of the API's.



API #1 - .Net Geocode Web Service




API #2 - HTTP Geocode Web Service (Non-parsed)


  • API for non-parsed address data that can be used from scripts and http

  • API URL

    https://geoservices.tamu.edu/Services/Geocode/WebService/GeocoderWebServiceHttpNonParsed_V03_01.aspx?

    API Input Fields

    (* Fields in bold are new for this API version)
    Parameter Required Description Example Possible Value
    apiKey true Click here for your API key api-key-value some text
    version true api version 3.01 3.01
    streetAddress false non-parsed street address value 3620 North Vermont Ave W. some text
    city false city value Beverly Hills some text
    state false state value CA some text
    zip false zip code value 90089 some text
    census false calculate census variables (takes longer) true true, false
    censusYear false the year of census data to intersect with 2010 1990, 2000, 2010
    format false output format csv csv, (results in comma separated values)
    tsv, (results in tab separated values)
    xml, (results in XML format)
    kml, (results in a KML file)
    googleMapsUrl, (results in a URL to show the output in Google Maps)
    includeHeader* false include column headers for text (csv/tsv) output true true (include field headers)
    false (don't include field headers)
    notStore false indicates if the transaction details should not be historically stored in your account true true, false

    API Output Fields and Index (for non-XML output)

    (* Fields in bold are new for this API version)
    Position Field Required Description Possible Values
    0 Transaction Id true Query Id Unique Id
    1 API Version true Vesion of the API used 3.01
    2 Query Status Code true Result code See list
    3 Latitude true Decimal
    4 Longitude true Decimal
    5 NAACCR GIS Coordinate Quality Code* true Geocode quality code in NAACCR standard See list
    6 NAACCR GIS Coordinate Quality Name* true Name of the geocode quality code in NAACCR standard See list
    7 Match Score true Match percentage between input data and reference feature
    8 Match Type true Geocode match type See list
    9 Matching Geography Type true Geographic level of the output See list
    10 Region Size* true Area of spatial uncertainty of the geocode decimal number
    11 Region size units* true Units of area of spatial uncertainty of the geocode square meters (m), square kilometers (km)
    12 Matched Location Type true Type of input data identified See list
    13 Time Taken true Processing time Milliseconds
    14 Census Year true Year of the census data returned NineteenNinety, TwoThousand, TwoThousandTen, TwoThousandTwenty, AllAvailable
    15 NAACCR Census Tract Certainty Code* true Centainty code for the Census tract assignment in NAACCR standard See list
    16 NAACCR Census Tract Certainty Name* true Name of the centainty code for the Census tract assignment in NAACCR standard See list
    17 Census Block false Census block value for the output point
    18 Census Block false Census block value for the output point
    19 Census Block Group false Census block group value for the output point
    20 Census Tract false Census tract value for the output point
    21 Census County Fips false Census county fips value for the output point
    22 Census CBSA Fips false Census core base statistical area fips value for the output point
    23 Census CBSA Micro false Census core base statistical area micropolitan flag for the output point
    24 Census MCD Fips false Census minor civil division fips value for the output point
    25 Census MetDiv Fips false Census metropolitan division fips value for the output point
    26 Census MSA Fips false Census metropolitan statistical area fips value for the output point
    27 Census Place Fips false Census place fips value for the output point
    28 Census State Fips false Census state fips value for the output point

  • API Examples

    Example 1 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, with 2010 census)

    Example 2 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, with 2010 census and field headers)

    Example 3 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, without census)

    Example 4 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, with 2000 census)

    Example 5 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (KML, with 2010 census)

    Example 6 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (Google Maps URL, with 2010 census)



API #3 - HTTP Geocode Detailed Web Service (Non-parsed)


  • API for non-parsed address data that can be used from scripts and http

  • API URL

    https://geoservices.tamu.edu/Services/Geocode/WebService/GeocoderWebServiceHttpNonParsedDetailed_V03_01.aspx?

    API Input Fields

    (* Fields in bold are new for this API version)
    (* Fields in bold and italic are upated for this API version)
    (* Fields with strikethrough have been removed for this API version)
    Parameter Required Description Example Possible Value
    apiKey true Click here for your API key api-key-value some text
    version true api version 3.01 3.01
    streetAddress false non-parsed street address value 3620 North Vermont Ave W. some text
    city false city value Beverly Hills some text
    state false state value CA some text
    zip false zip code value 90089 some text
    allowTies* false flag to indicate to return ties as valid results or handle using the tieBreakingStrategy parameter true true, false
    tieBreakingStrategy* false if allowTies parameter is false, this strategy is used to break ties and not return ties as valid results flipACoin flipACoin (choose and return one of the ties at random);
    revertToHierarchy (fail on a tie and match to the next level of the geographic hierarchy - parcel, then street, then ZIP, then city, etc.)
    census false calculate census variables (takes longer) true true, false
    censusYear* false bar (|) separated list of the year of census data to intersect with, or "allAvailable" 2000|2010, allAvailable 1990, 2000, 2010, allAvailable
    geom false return the full geometry of the reference feature (creates a very large response) true true, false
    verbose false output full details true true, false
    format* false output format csv csv, (results in comma separated values)
    tsv, (results in tab separated values)
    xml (results in XML format)
    kml and googleMapsUrl (dropped in version 4.01)
    includeHeader* false include column headers for text (csv/tsv) output true true (include field headers)
    false (don't include field headers)
    notStore false indicates if the transaction details should not be historically stored in your account true true, false

    API Output Fields and Index (for non-XML output)

    (* Fields in bold are new for this API version)
    (* Fields with strikethrough have been removed for this API version)
    Position Field Required Description Possible Values

    Notes
    - M____: The attribute value of your input address that used in finding a reference feature
    - P____: The equivalent parsed attribute value of your input address
    - F____: The attribute value of the matched reference feature used for interpolation

  • API Examples

    Example 1 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, with 2010 census)

    Example 2 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, with 2010 census and field headers)

    Example 3 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, without census)

    Example 4 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, with 2000 census)

    Example 5 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (KML, with 2010 census)

    Example 6 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (Google Maps URL, with 2010 census)

    Example 7 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, Verbose, with 2010 census and reference geometry)

    Example 8 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (TSV, Verbose, with 2010 census and reference geometry)

    Example 9 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, without census and reference geometry)

    Example 10 - 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, with 2010 census and reference geometry)

    Example 11 - PO Box 221, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, with 2010 census and reference geometry)

    Example 12 - PO Box 221 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (CSV, Verbose, with 2010 census and reference geometry)

    Example 13 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (XML, for an address that has a tie, without ties allowed and flipACoin as tie handling strategy - will match at street level and pick one of two options)

    Example 14 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (XML, for an address that has a tie, without ties allowed and revertToHierarchy as tie handling strategy - will fail at street level because it was ambigous and match at zip code because it is the next level of geography in the hierarchy)

    Example 15 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (XML, for an address that has a tie, with ties allowed - will return ambigous street level matches)

    Example 16 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (same as example #15 but TSV with header fields)

    Example 17 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (same as example #16 but TSV with ties not allowed and flipACoin as tie breaking strategy)

    Example 18 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (same as example #17 with all census years turned on)

    Example 19 - 123 Main Street, Los Angeles, ca, 90007 (same as example #18 with all output fields turned on [verbose=true])



API #4 - HTTP Geocode Detailed Web Service (Non-parsed) with Advanced Options


  • API for non-parsed address data that can be used from scripts and http that allows advanced options to be specified

  • API URL

    https://geoservices.tamu.edu/Services/Geocode/WebService/GeocoderWebServiceHttpNonParsedAdvanced_V03_01.aspx?

    API Input Fields

    This API's input field set includes all of the input and output parameters from API #2 above with the additions in the following table. Each of these are described in the techincal details. The default values used here are automatically used in API #2 above.

    Parameter Required Description Values Default value
    r false whether or not to use attribute relaxation true, false true
    ratts false the attributes allowed to be relaxed; only applies if shouldUseRelaxation is true comma separated list from the following options: pre, suffix, post, city, zip pre,suffix,post,city,zip
    sub false whether or not to use substring matching true, false true
    sou false whether or not to use soundex true, false true
    souatts false the attributes allowed to be soundex'ed; only applies if shouldUseSoundex is true comma separated list from the following options: name, city name,city
    h false which feature matching hierarchy to use uncertaintyBased, u, FeatureMatchingSelectionMethod, f, FeatureMatchingSelectionMethod
    refs false which reference data sources to use all

    - or one or more of the following -

    		all

    API Output Fields and Index (for non-XML output)

    The output fields for this API are the same as API #3 above

  • API Examples

    Example 1 - 9355 NE Burton Rd, Wrong City, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, All options false, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will fail to match a parcel because city is wrong

    Example 2 - 9355 NE Burton Rd, Wrong City, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, Attribute Relxation on pre,suffix,city, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will succeed in matching a parcel even though city is wrong because the city attribute will be relaxed

    Example 3 - 9355 Berrton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, All options false, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will fail to match a parcel because the street name is wrong

    Example 4 - 9355 Berrton Way, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, Soundex on street name, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will succeed in matching a parcel even though the street name is wrong because soundex is being used on the street name

    Example 5 - 9355 Berton Way, Bevirrly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, All options false, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will fail to match a parcel because the city name is wrong

    Example 6 - 9355 Berton Way, Bevirrly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, Soundex on city, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will succeed in matching a parcel even though the city is wrong because soundex is being used on the city

    Example 7 - PO Box 123, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, Feature matching hierarchy, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will match to ZIP 90210 (ZIP comes before city in the feature matching hierarchy)

    Example 8 - PO Box 123, Beverly Hills, ca, 90210 (XML, Verbose, Uncertainty hierarchy, with 2010 census and reference geometry)
    - will match to city Beverly Hills (smaller area = less geographic uncertainty = more accurate geocode)

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