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This is not a really technical question but is required for a system I am building. I am after a UK suburb/postcode database. I haven't been able to find this anywhere and wonder if it is available (freely). I know in Australia is is freely downloadable from Australia Post. Also a US suburb/zip database is required as a secondary concern.

Brian Tompsett - 汤莱恩
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Craig
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4 Answers4

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Might be worth looking at Where can I get postal codes for all countries?

Accepted answer there was http://www.geonames.org/, but some other options listed too.

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seanb
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  • Thanks. I search for other questions but couldn't find anything. Possibly SO need to upgrade their search engine. – Craig Nov 27 '08 at 22:24
  • The problem is that different places use different words - postcode, post code and postal code are all correct depending on where you live, and search isn't quite up to Google's "Did you mean..." level. – Harley Holcombe Nov 27 '08 at 23:30
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To get the US Postal System's database tools go here:

US Postal System Database tools

D3vtr0n
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The Royal mail PAf data is less than affordable, but if you request the sample data from the royal mail they include the complete localities table, along with the postcode sector that locality appears in (So, for example, "East Bergholt" in "CO6 7"). It also includes flags to show if the locality is required for postal sorting, in case the postcode is not legible.

In addition, as eluded to in this other post, the lat/longs for every UK postcode have been leaked.

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Rowland Shaw
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UK-specific:

You can purchase the information from Royal Mail. The database is known as the P.A.F. details here It's ridiculously expensive, and you have to pay yearly. A total mugging in my opinion, but there it is.

Alternatively you can use a 3rd party distributor, not much cheaper really, but offer better APIs. We use Postcode Anywhere, who have nasty stringent licenses, but very nice APIs for embedding the search in applications/websites etc.

Ali Afshar
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  • There are no nice (license wise) ways to get PAF data or access to an API. RM don't let 3rd parties sell on API access in a fair way. All their license options are pretty brain-dead. There's an argument that RM are breaching their charter, but I guess no-one's fought that one yet. – Draemon Nov 27 '08 at 22:51
  • Draemon: Do you have a link to any info on the charter-breach? If they are, surely someone should call them on it. – Ali Afshar Nov 27 '08 at 23:05
  • First link from here is a PDF of the licence: http://www.royalmailgroup.com/portal/rmg/content1?catId=23200532&mediaId=23700545 Condition 22 says that RM must "furnish a copy of the File to any person who may request it upon payment of a reasonable charge" It's subjective but their prices are mad. – Draemon Nov 28 '08 at 17:37
  • I was given the indication (by someone at a distributor of well-known postcode data company) that they thought RM may be in breach of the carter by charging so much, and using a crazy licensing scheme. I had thought the charter required RM to provide the PAF data at minimal cost, not just reasonable – Draemon Nov 28 '08 at 17:39
  • Looks like this data may be free soon. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8402327.stm – Craig Dec 09 '09 at 21:52
  • It is now available. See https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendatadownload/products.html – Rob Cowie Jun 16 '12 at 23:06