# OpenStreetMap

A free, editable map of the world built by volunteers, whose full map database can be downloaded as open data.

- Category: Maps and places · by OpenStreetMap Foundation and OpenStreetMap contributors
- Website: https://www.openstreetmap.org/
- Live data: no
- Checked on the official pages: 2026-10-23

## API

- Official API: yes, docs https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/API_v0.6
- Key needed: no
- Price: Free; limits: editing API, not for bulk reads; map bbox queries capped at 0.25 square degrees and 50,000 nodes; heavy use can get HTTP 509
- Base URL: https://api.openstreetmap.org/api/0.6/
- Formats: xml, json

Example request:

```
https://api.openstreetmap.org/api/0.6/node/240109189.json
```

## Data and license

- Download: https://planet.openstreetmap.org/ (pbf, osm-xml), planet-latest.osm.pbf 89 GB; planet-latest.osm.bz2 167 GB (weekly)
- License: ODbL 1.0 (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright); covers OSM map data; the openstreetmap.org tile server has its own usage policy
- Commercial use with conditions
- Credit required
- Embedding with conditions
- Quote (license): "Data extracted from OpenStreetMap after September 2012 is licensed on terms of the Open Database License, "ODbL" 1.0." (https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Licence)
- Quote (commercial): "You are free to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt our data, as long as you credit OpenStreetMap and its contributors." (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright)
- Quote (share_alike): "If you alter or build upon our data, you may distribute the result only under the same license." (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright)
- Quote (attribution): "Provide credit to OpenStreetMap by displaying our attribution notice." (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright)
- Quote (no_free_tiles): "Although OpenStreetMap is open data, we cannot provide a free-of-charge map API or map tiles for third-parties." (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright)
- Quote (embed): "Show OpenStreetMap licence attribution clearly on the map (typically bottom-right)." (https://operations.osmfoundation.org/policies/tiles/)
- Quote (tiles_bulk): "Offline use is not permitted on tile.openstreetmap.org." (https://operations.osmfoundation.org/policies/tiles/)
- Quote (tiles_commercial): "Commercial services, or those that seek donations, should be especially aware that access may be withdrawn at any point:" (https://operations.osmfoundation.org/policies/tiles/)
- Quote (api_official): "For downloading data for purposes other than editing see Downloading data" (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/API_v0.6)
- Quote (download): "Each week, a new and complete copy of all data in OpenStreetMap is made available" (https://planet.openstreetmap.org/)
- Quote (tiles_sla): "We may block access, without notice, if your usage degrades the service." (https://operations.osmfoundation.org/policies/tiles/)
- Quote (api_key): "Read requests do not require authorization (except user details)." (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/API_v0.6)

## Rules for an agent

- Use the v0.6 API only for small reads and editing; for querying data use Overpass, planet files or regional extracts, and for map display use your own or a commercial tile host (tile.openstreetmap.org needs a real User-Agent/Referer and forbids bulk or offline use).
- Show the "© OpenStreetMap contributors" attribution visibly on maps and link to openstreetmap.org/copyright
- Share derived databases under ODbL
- Do not bulk-download or prefetch tiles from tile.openstreetmap.org; send an identifying User-Agent

## Build ideas on AgentGid

- [A map of places for your app on OpenStreetMap](https://agentgid.com/resources/ideas/places-map-on-openstreetmap/agent.md)

Human page: https://agentgid.com/resources/openstreetmap/
Source: AgentGid (agentgid.com). Facts are quoted from the site's own pages; check the license page before you ship.