Latitude & Longitude to Address — Free Reverse Geocoding Tool
Converting a latitude and longitude coordinate pair into a human-readable street or postal address is called reverse geocoding. This free reverse geocoding tool accepts coordinates in decimal degree format (e.g. 51.5074, -0.1278) and returns the nearest address from the OpenStreetMap database — including road name, city, postcode and country.
The tool works in three ways: type coordinates directly into the input bar, click anywhere on the interactive map to reverse geocode that point instantly, or press the GPS button to use your device's current location. Results include a full structured address breakdown and DMS (degrees, minutes, seconds) coordinate display.
This is a free service using the OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoding API — no account, no API key, and no credit card required. Data coverage depends on the OpenStreetMap community's mapping in each region.
What is Reverse Geocoding?
Reverse geocoding is the inverse of the more familiar forward geocoding process. While forward geocoding converts an address into coordinates, reverse geocoding converts coordinates back into an address. Given a latitude and longitude, the reverse geocoder searches a spatial database to find the nearest named road, building, or administrative area and returns it as a structured address.
The process involves two key steps: first, spatial indexing — the geocoding database stores geographic features (roads, postcodes, place names) indexed by their bounding coordinates. Second, nearest-neighbour lookup — given the input coordinates, the system finds the closest feature within a configurable search radius.
The quality of the result depends on three factors: data density (how many features are mapped in that area), search radius (how far the engine looks for the nearest address), and data type (whether building numbers, roads, postcodes or just place names are available).
Reverse Geocoding Providers
Several geocoding services offer reverse geocoding APIs. Each has different strengths in coverage, accuracy and pricing.
| Provider | Cost |
|---|---|
| OpenStreetMap Nominatim | Free (open data) |
| Google Maps Geocoding API | Free to 10k/month, then pay-per-use |
| Mapbox Geocoding API | Free tier + pay-per-use |
| Esri ArcGIS Geocoder | Subscription or credit-based |
| HERE Geocoding API | Free tier + pay-per-use |
This tool uses OpenStreetMap Nominatim — the only fully free and open reverse geocoding service. For commercial applications with SLA requirements or high query volumes, a paid provider is recommended.
Common Use Cases
What to Consider During Reverse Geocoding
Services like Google Maps Geocoding API often return more accurate and precise street-level addresses in urban areas, while OpenStreetMap is excellent in regions with strong volunteer mapping communities. Data coverage matters significantly when choosing a reverse geocoding provider.
If you are reverse geocoding for educational or personal purposes, OSM Nominatim is an excellent free choice. For commercial applications — delivery routing, fleet management, emergency dispatch — a paid provider with guaranteed SLA, higher accuracy and dedicated support is worth the investment. Google's Geocoding API, for example, offers the first 10,000 monthly queries free, then charges per-request.
How to Use — Step by Step
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is reverse geocoding and how does this tool work?
- Reverse geocoding is the process of converting a pair of geographic coordinates — latitude and longitude — into a human-readable address. This tool sends your coordinates to the OpenStreetMap Nominatim API, which searches its global database to find the nearest named address, road, or geographic feature. The result is displayed as a full postal address alongside the coordinates in DMS format.
- What coordinate format should I enter?
- Enter coordinates as decimal degrees in the format "latitude, longitude" — for example "51.5074, -0.1278" for central London, or "40.7128, -74.0060" for New York. Latitude ranges from −90 (South Pole) to 90 (North Pole). Longitude ranges from −180 to 180. Negative latitudes are south of the equator; negative longitudes are west of the prime meridian. DMS format is not accepted as input — use the decimal form.
- What information does the reverse geocoder return?
- The tool returns the full display name (a comma-separated address from most specific to least specific), plus a structured breakdown including: house number, road name, suburb or neighbourhood, city or town, county, state or region, postcode/ZIP code, and country. Coordinates are shown in both decimal degrees and DMS format. Availability of each field depends on OpenStreetMap's data coverage for that location.
- How accurate is the address returned?
- Accuracy depends on the density of OpenStreetMap data at the location. In well-mapped areas (Western Europe, North America, Japan, Australia), the result is typically a specific building-level address. In rural, remote or less-mapped regions, the result may be a road, village or district name rather than a precise postal address. Always cross-check on the satellite view if exact placement is critical.
- Can I click on the map to get an address without typing coordinates?
- Yes — this is one of the key features of the tool. Click anywhere on the map and the tool immediately reverse geocodes that point. The coordinate input updates automatically and the nearest address appears in the result strip. This is especially useful for exploring addresses across a large area or identifying unmarked locations.
- How do I use my device's GPS location with this tool?
- Press the crosshair icon button next to the search bar. The browser will prompt you to allow access to your location. Once you grant permission, the tool reads your current GPS coordinates and reverse geocodes them, showing your current street address on the map. This requires HTTPS and a device with location capability.
- What happens if no address is found at my coordinates?
- If the coordinates point to an ocean, remote wilderness, or an area not yet mapped in OpenStreetMap, the tool will show a "No address found" message. Try clicking a nearby point on land, or check that you haven't accidentally swapped latitude and longitude. Some coordinates in thinly mapped regions may only return a country or region name.
- How is this different from the Address to Lat/Lng tool?
- The Address to Lat/Lng tool performs forward geocoding: you input an address or place name and get coordinates back. This Reverse Geocoding tool does the opposite: you provide coordinates and get an address. Together they form a complete geocoding workflow — convert addresses to coordinates for mapping, then convert coordinates back to addresses for readability.
- Which reverse geocoding service does this tool use?
- This tool uses OpenStreetMap Nominatim, an open-source reverse geocoding engine built on the world's largest community-maintained geographic database. It is completely free to use. Other well-known providers include Google Maps Geocoding API (paid after 10,000 queries per month), Mapbox Geocoding API, and Esri ArcGIS World Geocoder.
- Is turning coordinates into an address free, and are there any limits?
- A single lookup costs nothing and needs no account — it runs on OpenStreetMap Nominatim. If you're converting a large list of coordinates in bulk rather than checking a handful one at a time, that's better handled by a self-hosted Nominatim instance or a commercial geocoding API with its own rate limits, since this page is built for individual lookups.
Related Tools
- Address to Lat/Lng — Convert any address or place name to GPS coordinates
- My Location — Get your current GPS coordinates on a live map
- Postal Code Finder — Find your current ZIP or postal code using GPS
- Time Zone Locator — Find the time zone and GMT offset for any coordinates
- Radius Map — Draw a radius circle around any coordinates or address
Geocoding data © OpenStreetMap contributors, made available under the Open Database Licence. Reverse geocoding powered by Nominatim.