Global Location Codes (GLC)

The Global Location Code (GLC) system is designed to provide locational accuracy for geocoding coordinates. The code is represented as a three-digit number, where each digit gives progressively more precise locational data.

Position 1: Type of location.
Position 2: Sub-category of the location.
Position 3: Description or method of calculation for the location.

Accurate geographic placement does not guarantee a perfect address match. Users should analyze global match codes along with GLCs to assess the integrity of the resultant record.

Code Format

The GLC is structured as a three-digit code:

Position 1 (Type): Indicates a broad type of location (e.g., Country, Admin, Postal, Thoroughfare, Address, Sub-Address, etc.)
Position 2 (Sub-category): Provides further detail on the type of location (e.g., City Centroid, Postal, Street Block, etc.)
Position 3 (Description or Method of Calculation): Describes how the geocode is calculated (e.g., Calculated from Polygon, Centroid of Capital City, etc.)

Future Extensions

Some of these are not supported yet and are for future support for specific combinations of location types and calculation methods. These may include finer calculations at the sub-building or unit level, further increasing the precision of global geocodes.


Position 1 (Type)		Position 2 (Sub-Category)		Position 3 (Method of Calculation)
U	Undefined/Unknown	U	Unknown / Unnecessary / Undefined	U	Unknown
1	Water/Ocean/Non-country	11	Water/Ocean/Non-country	111	Unknown
1	Water/Ocean/Non-country	11	Water/Ocean/Non-country	112	Calculated from Polygon
2	Country	21	Country centroid	211	Unknown
				212	Calculated from Polygon
				213	Calculated from Polygon but moved out of the water
				214	Centroid of Capital City
		22	Territory centroid	221	Unknown
				222	Calculated from Polygon
				223	Calculated from Polygon but moved out of the water
				224	Centroid of Capital City
		23	Disputed Territory centroid	231	Unknown
				232	Calculated from Polygon
				233	Calculated from Polygon but moved out of the water
				234	Centroid of Capital City
		24	Island boundary centroid	241	Unknown
				242	Calculated from Polygon
				243	Calculated from Polygon but moved out of the water
				244	Centroid of Capital City
3	Admin	31	State/Province/Prefecture centroid	311	Unknown
				312	Calculated from Polygon
				313	Calculated from Polygon but moved out of the water
				314	Centroid of Capital City
		32	County/Shire/District centroid	321	Unknown
		32	County/Shire/District centroid	322	Calculated from Polygon
		33	City/Town Centroid	331	Unknown
				332	Calculated from Polygon
				333	Centroid of the City/Town
				334	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., China Town, Business District, "Downtown", etc.)
		34	Sub-city/Neighborhood centroid	341	Unknown
				342	Calculated from Polygon
				343	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., Neighborhood, etc.)
		35	Suburb	351	Unknown
				352	Calculated from Polygon
				353	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., Neighborhood, Parks, etc.)
		36	Borough/Parish centroid	361	Unknown
				362	Calculated from Polygon
				363	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., Neighborhood, Parks, etc.)
		37	Village (Smaller than a town)	371	Unknown
				372	Calculated from Polygon
				373	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., Neighborhood, Parks, etc.)
		38	Hamlet (Only a few buildings)	381	Unknown
				382	Calculated from Polygon
				383	Centroid of the routable area (i.e., Neighborhood, Parks, etc.)
		39	Locality 3 (e.g. Church zone, custom zone)	391	Unknown
				392	Calculated from Polygon
				393	Calculated with Street Segments (i.e., church zone, school zone, etc.)
4	Postal	41	Postal 1 (e.g. ZIP5)	411	Unknown. (i.e. S0)
				412	Postal Point - General/broad area, (i.e. non us S1)
				413	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S1, Z1 and ZC5n), US Zip5 Unclassified Census accuracy. Normally accurate to at least the County level.
				414	Calculated from the weighted area of the polygon.
				415	Calculated from a convex polygon
				416	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S1, Z1 and ZT5n), Census Tract accuracy. US Zip5 location
				417	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S1, Z1 and ZB5n), Block Group accuracy. US Zip5 location
		42	Postal 2 (e.g. ZIP7)	421	Unknown
				422	Postal Point - General/broad area
				423	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S2, Z2 and ZC7n), US Zip7 Unclassified Census accuracy. Normally accurate to at least the County level.
				424	Calculated from the weighted area of the polygon
				425	Calculated from a convex polygon
				426	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S2, Z2 and ZT7n), US Census Tract accuracy. US Zip7 location
				427	Calculated from Polygon (i.e. S2, Z2 and ZB7n), Block Group accuracy. US Zip7 location
				428	Postal Point - Several blocks area on multiple streets (i.e. non us S2)
		43	Postal 3 (e.g. ZIP9)	431	Unknown
				432	Postal Point - General/broad area
				433	Calculated from Polygon. (i.e. SL, S3, Z3 and ZC9n).US Zip9 Unclassified Census accuracy. Normally accurate to at least the County level.
				434	Calculated from the weighted area of the polygon
				435	Calculated from a convex polygon
				436	Postal Point - Several blocks area on multiple streets (i.e. S3 and ZT9x). US Census Tract accuracy. US Zip9 location
				437	Postal Point (i.e. S3, Z3 and ZB9n), Block Group accuracy. US Zip9 location
				438	Postal Point - House/Building. (i.e. S6)
				439	Postal Point - Unit/Apartment/Suite
		44	Postal Building	441	Unknown
				442	Centroid of the building.
				443	Postal Point - Unit/Apartment/Suite
				444	Postal Point - Sub-unit/Floor
		45	Cluster Box location	451	Unknown
		45	Cluster Box location	452	Centroid of the cluster box
		46	PO Box location	461	Unknown
				462	Postal centroid
				463	Centroid of Post Office/Other building
				464	Centroid of locker location
5	Thoroughfare	51	Street Block	511	Unknown
				512	Calculated with many Street Segments
				513	Calculated with Street Segments
				514	Calculated with User Data
		52	Street Centroid	521	Unknown
				522	Picking the center point of the street, Unknown Census accuracy based on city or finance area (i.e. CFn, CPn)
				523	Picking the center point of the street, Unknown Census accuracy based on county (i.e. CCn)
				524	Nearest house number to input house number - Same side of street. (S5-, S8-)
				525	Picking the closest segment point to the midpoint of the street. (i.e. S4)
				526	Picking the center point of the street, Census Tract accuracy (i.e. CTn)
				527	Picking the center point of the street, Block Group accuracy (i.e. CBn)
		53	Street Intersection	531	Unknown
				532	Calculated in any quadrant of the intersection
				533	Calculated by where the streets intersect (i.e. AX3 or SX3)
				534	Calculated by the intersection of 2 streets but located next to adjoining address number
				535	Interpolated (divided road) intersection geocode (i.e. Ax8 or SX8)
		54	Street Access Point	541	Unknown
				542	Calculated by where the 2 streets connect
				543	Address Point - Thoroughfare Entrance
6	Address	61	Address Point	611	Unknown
				612	Street Interpolation - The correct segment is inferred from the candidate records at match time. (i.e. AIn)
				613	Street Interpolation. House range address geocode (i.e. ASn, ARn and S5)
				614	Address Point Interpolation - Between two address points (i.e. AP22)
				615	Address Point Interpolation - Between address point & intersection (i.e. AP23)
				616	Address Point Interpolation - Address point interpolation (i.e. AP24 or S7)
				617	Center Line Projected (SC)
				618	Mile Marker location
		62	Site point (multi-parcel point/building across several parcels)	621	Unknown
				622	Center of multi-parcel area
				623	Center of a single parcel in a multi-parcel area
		63	Parcel Point	631	Unknown
				632	Falls anywhere within a parcel boundary, not necessarily the centroid (i.e. AP07)
				633	Address Point - Driveway offset point. Represents a point located on the primary access road i.e. (i.e. AP09)
				634	Address Point - Inside a Parcel. Street Access Point (i.e. AP10)
				635	Address Point - Inside a Parcel Centroid (i.e. AP02)
				636	Address Point - Base Parcel Point. Uses base parcel location when unable to match to an input unit number (i.e. AP21)
		64	Building Complex	641	Unknown
				642	Center of multi-building area
				643	Center of a single building in a multi-building area
		65	Driveway	651	Unknown
				652	Address Point - Parking Location (Anywhere within the Parking Lot)
				653	Address Point - Parking Location (Parking Structure Centroid)
				654	Address Point - Parking Location (Parking Structure Entrance)
				655	Address Point - Parking Location (Personal Parking Area)
		66	Building	661	Unknown. (Precision Level 16)
				662	Address Point - Inside a building footprint. (Precision Level 19, AP05)
				663	Address Point - Building footprint centroid
				664	Address Point - Inside a building footprint (Other Door)
				665	Address Point - Inside a building footprint. Front Door (i.e. AP08)
7	Places	71	POI/Place Name - Address Point Location	711	Unknown
				712	Address Point Interpolation
				713	Address Point Interpolation
				714	Address Point Interpolation
				715	Center Line Projected
				716	Street Interpolation
				717	Mile Marker location
		72	POI/Place Name - Site Point Location	721	Unknown
				722	Center of multi-parcel area
				723	Center of a single parcel in a multi-parcel area
		73	POI/Place Name - Building Location	731	Unknown
				732	Address Point - Inside a building (Randomly dispersed)
				733	Address Point - Inside a building (Centroid)
				734	Address Point - Inside a building (Other Door)
				735	Address Point - Inside a building (Front Door)
		74	POI/Place Name - Sub-Building Location	741	Unknown
				742	Address Point - Inside a building (Randomly dispersed in the Sub-building location)
				743	Address Point - Inside a building (Centroid of the Sub-building location)
		75	POI/Place Name - Floor/Level Location	751	Unknown
		75	POI/Place Name - Floor/Level Location	752	Address Point - Inside a building (Height used to identify floor/level)
		76	POI/Place Name - Unit (Flat, Apartment, Suite) Location	761	Unknown
				762	Randomly dispersed point within the unit
				763	Centroid of unit
				764	Entrance/Front Door of unit
		77	POI/Place Name - Entrance Location	771	Unknown
				772	Address Point - Entrance - Loading Dock location
				773	Address Point - Entrance - Service Entrance location
				774	Address Point - Entrance - Rear Entrance location
				775	Address Point - Entrance - Side Entrance location
				776	Address Point - Entrance - Rear Entrance location
				777	Address Point - Entrance - Front Door/Main Entrance
		78	POI/Place Name - Realtime Point (Food Truck, Drones, Driverless cars)	781	Unknown
		78		782	Calculated from a Realtime Point location (Food Truck, Drones, Driverless cars)
		79	POI/Place Name - IoT Device location	791	Unknown
		79	POI/Place Name - IoT Device location	792	Calculated from an IoT Device location
8	Sub-Address	81	Sub-building	811	Unknown
				812	Address Point - Inside a building (Randomly dispersed in the Sub-building location)
				813	Address Point - Inside a building (Centroid of the Sub-building location)
		82	Building Directional (i.e., East wing)	821	Unknown
				822	Address Point - Inside a building (Randomly dispersed inside the building wing)
				823	Address Point - Inside a building (Centroid of the building wing)
		83	Entrance	831	Unknown
				832	Address Point - Entrance - Loading Dock location
				833	Address Point - Entrance - Service Entrance location
				834	Address Point - Entrance - Rear Entrance location
				835	Address Point - Entrance - Side Entrance location
				836	Address Point - Entrance - Rear Entrance location
				837	Address Point - Entrance - Front Door/Main Entrance
		84	Stairwell	841	Unknown
		84	Stairwell	842	Placed on the stairwell
		85	Floor/Level	851	Unknown
		85	Floor/Level	852	Address Point - Inside a building (Height used to identify floor/level)
		86	Corridor	861	Unknown
		86	Corridor	862	Centroid of the corridor/hallway
		87	Unit (Flat, Apartment, Suite) location	871	Unknown
				872	Randomly dispersed point within the unit
				873	Centroid of unit
				874	Entrance/Front Door of unit
		88	Room (sub-unit) location	881	Unknown
				882	Randomly dispersed point within the room
				883	Centroid of room
				884	Entrance/Front Door of room
		89	Desk/Counter location	891	Unknown
		89	Desk/Counter location	892	Location of the desk/counter

Location Codes – Common Mappings

[n] equals any number


US Location Code	PrecisionCode	PrecisionLevel	SDK Type	SDK Description	SDK Designation	Global Location Code
AP02	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	PARCEL	CENTROID	635
AP04	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT		CENTROID	661
AP05	S8	19	ADDRESS_POINT	BUILDING	CENTROID	662
AP07	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT		CENTROID	632
AP08	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	FRONT_DOOR		665
AP09	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	DRIVEWAY	RELATIVE_TO_STREET	633
AP10	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	STREET_ACCESS_POINT		634
AP21	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	PARCEL_POINT		636
AP22	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	BACKFILL_POINT	RELATIVE_TO_MULTI_PARCEL	614
AP23	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT	VIRTUAL_POINT	RELATIVE_TO_PARCEL_AND_STREET_CENTER	615
AP24	S8	18	ADDRESS_POINT			616
AIn	S5	1	ADDRESS_INTERPOLATED			612
ASn	S5	1	ADDRESS_INTERPOLATED			613
ACn	S7	15				613
ARn	S5	1	ADDRESS_INTERPOLATED		MIDPOINT_BETWEEN_RANGE	613
AXn	SX	6	STREET	INTERSECTION	CALCULATED_WITH_STREET_SEGMENTS	533
CBn	S4	2	STREET			527
CTn	S4	2	STREET			526
CCn	S4	2	STREET			523
CFn	S4	2	STREET			522
CPn	S4	2	STREET			522
ZC5n	S1\Z1	3	POSTAL		CENTROID	413
ZT5n	S1\Z1	3	POSTAL		CENTROID	416
ZB5n	S1\Z1	3	POSTAL		CENTROID	417
ZC7n	S2\Z2	4	POSTAL		CENTROID	423
ZT7n	S2\Z2	4	POSTAL		CENTROID	426
ZB7n	S2\Z2	4	POSTAL		CENTROID	427
ZC9n	S3\Z3	5	STREET	STREET_BLOCK	CENTROID	433
ZT9n	S3\Z3	5	STREET	STREET_BLOCK	CENTROID	436
ZB9n	S3\Z3	5	STREET	STREET_BLOCK	CENTROID	437
GM	G3	10	CITY		CENTROID	331
GC	G2	9	ADMIN2		CENTROID	321
GS	G1	8	ADMIN1		CENTROID	311
	S0	0				U