[+] How does the API subscription work?
The API subscription is a monthly subscription.
You receive the specified number of requests per month and the subscription renews each month.
The subscription will remain active until you choose to turn off the subscription in the My Subscriptions section of the website.
[+] What are the differences between Distance Wizard Standard and Professional?
Distance Wizard Standard includes the basic source code (in 16 different programming
and query languages) to calculate distances on the Earth's surface. It works great
combined with a ZIP/postal code database.
Distance Wizard Professional, however, incoorporates our smart boundary technology
to make your database queries extremely fast and efficient. When used with a database,
it will cut down the number of rows checked by your application from literally millions
(of North American postal codes) to just dozens, exponentially decreasing your execution
waiting time. Users won't be waiting for your website to finish their request and
your other applications will remain speedy.
Distance Wizard is actual source code you can incorporate into your development projects.
[+] Add/Edit Credit card
To update your credit card you will Login to your account then click on My Subscriptions
and then on the Add/Edit Credit Card link. *All credit card information is stored with the merchant processor not with zipcodedownload.
[+] Change Account Password
You can update the password by logging in and clicking on Manage Account Settings. Then click on Change password.
[+] In what languages are your programming APIs written?
The Distance and Radius Assistant Base Packages
include DLLs for ASP, Java, C#, VB.net, Visual Basic, and C++. The Source Code Editions
include source code for PHP, Perl, ASP, Java, C#, VB.net, Visual Basic, and C++.
The SQL Server Stored Procedures packages include all the DLLs and Source Code along
with the SQL Server Stored Procedures.
[+] Do ZIP Codes or Postal Codes have a center?
No, they don't. ZIP Codes were never meant to identify a geographic region, they're
simply routes taken to deliver mail. We use the boundaries created by the mail routes
to create a geographic region and assign the ZIP Code lat/long coordinates.
[+] Can I redistribute your databases with my software?
Yes, but you need to purchase a redistribution license. On each product page with
redistribution licensing there is a link under the product prices and buy now buttons
that states "Click here for volume or redistribution licensing."
[+] Why do I get some US ZIP Codes that not 5-digits long?
The problem you're seeing with the "4-digit or 3-digit ZIP Code" isn't really a
problem with our data at all, in fact, it has to do with Microsoft Excel and other
programs that read the Tab or CSV file. They're trying to read the first column
as an integer. When they see zeros, they get rid of them. The ZIP Code you see 501
should be 00501. You may need to use a "text-import" feature in order to get the
columns to render properly as "text" and not numbers.
[+] What is the source of your data?
ZIP Code Download is a non-exclusive licensee of the USPS and Canada data. We receive
monthly updates of the USPS and Canada databases and then add our internally
developed data, such as latitude/longitude coordinates, to their databases. We validate
our data against several different sources to insure that you receive the most accurate
data possible. Remember, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee
on all our products. If you feel the data is incorrect, please let us know!
[+] Why won't your entire database open in Microsoft Excel?
There is limitation of around 65,000 rows in most spreadsheet applications such
as Excel. If you want to use the data in Excel, download the version specific to
Excel. Our Excel version contains multiple sheets within the file that contain the
data. Otherwise, you can use Access or another database program to view the data.
[+] Do ZIP Codes or Postal Codes change?
Yes. The USPS and Canada data is updated monthly and there are changes to the data
every single month. We receive the updated zip code and postal code data directly from
the providers and include the changes in our monthly update. This includes all added
and removed ZIP Codes and Postal Codes. We recommend purchasing monthly or quarterly updates
to our databases if you will be using the data in an application. That way, you'll always have
the most accurate data available!
[+] Does your data come from the USPS?
Yes and no. The postal code data itself come directly from the USPS
- they are responsible for the addition, deletion, and modification of ZIP Codes.
Data such as lat/long coordinates, area codes, time zones, etc. is developed internally
and validated across multiple sources.
[+] Can I receive product on a CD in the mail?
We only offer our products via download from our website. This is for several reasons,
the main one is price. We don't have to pay for CD duplication or distribution and
we can then pass those savings along to you.
[+] What is my password?
If you've already purchased, your temporary password is the last four digits of
the credit card you used for your purchase. If you have logged in and changed your
password, you can use our password lookup tool found on the login page.
[+] How will I receive updates?
Every month/quarter, we send out an email notifying you that updates are ready to
be downloaded. You'll then login to our website to download the files.
[+] When are the updates released?
You'll be able to download our data on or about the 5th business day of every month
until your subscription ends. If the 5th falls on a weekend, or holiday, you'll
be able to download your data on the first business day following the 5th business
day of the month.
[+] How long do your subscriptions last?
The subscription is a one year subscription. There are 11 updates (for the monthly
subscription) on top of the initial download, so in other words, you'll receive
12 total databases. For the quarterly subscription, there will be 3 updates + the
initial download, or 4 total databases. An email will be sent on or about the 5th
business day of the month containing download instructions.
[+] Should I get a subscription?
That depends. Does your application depend on correct data over time? If so, you
need a subscription, or in other words, updates to the ZIP Code data. Otherwise,
you will begin to notice inaccurate data over time.
[+] What are subscriptions?
A subscription is a one-time fee charged at the time of purchase that entitles you
to receive updates to our products on a monthly or quarterly basis for one year,
which means you will receive a total of 12 or 4 product updates.
[+] What methods of payment can I use?
We primarily deal with credit cards because they allow us to keep prices low. However,
if you prefer not to use a credit card, feel free to contact us and we'll make other
arrangements.
[+] Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes. Please contact sales or customer support for more information. Please include
the name and email address for the user with the purchase order to enable delivery
of the product.
[+] What does 'Radius Search' mean?
Want to find all ZIP Codes within 500 miles of Beverly Hills, 90210? Punch in the
ZIP Code & the number of miles and click "Search". Click on "Save" to save the
search results. Then you can work with them into your favorite program.
[+] What does 'Limit By City' mean?
What if you want all results within 500 miles - but only those in Los Angeles, CA?
Punch in Los Angeles into the city column, click "Search", and you're all set.
[+] What does 'Lookup' mean?
This function allows you to lookup a ZIP Code with the information you have about
that ZIP Code. Don't know the ZIP Code? Enter the info you do have and find it in
seconds.
[+] What does 'Distance Calculation' mean?
Simply pass in two latitude and longitude coordinates and the Distance Assistant
will return the distance in miles. All calculations are completely database-independent.
For an illustration of how the Distance Assistant works, check out the Tutorial
on our Combo Package page.
[+] What does 'Radius Calculation' mean?
In it's most basic state - it's a trig formula that finds the lat/long lines running
X miles north, south, east and west of a center point.
For an illustration of how the Radius Assistant works, check out the Tutorial on
our Combo Package page.
[+] What does 'ZIP Code' mean?
ZIP stands for "Zoning Improvement Plan". It is used to signify a delivery route
in the United States as designated by the USPS. In most cases a ZIP Code is a geographic
region with a center point.
[+] What does 'Postal Code' mean?
This database contains all US ZIP Codes and Canadian Postal Codes in the PostalCode
column. ZIP stands for "Zoning Information Plan". It is used to signify a delivery
route in the United States as designated by the USPS. In most cases a ZIP Code is
a geographic region with a center point. The US ZIP Code is 5 numbers. The Canadian
Postal Code is a 6-digit (+1 space) code representing a geographic delivery route.
[+] What does 'ZIP Type' mean?
The USPS has assigned each ZIP Code a "type". Why? It helps them sort mail more
quickly.
-
S - Standard - A "standard" ZIP Code is what most people think of when they
talk about ZIP Codes - essentially a town, city, or a division of a city that has
mail service.
-
P - PO Box Only - Rural towns, groups of towns, or even
high-growth areas of cities are given a "PO Box Only" ZIP Code type.
-
U
- Unique - Companies, organizations, and institutions that receive large quantities
of mail are given a "unique" ZIP Code type.
-
M - Military - Military bases
overseas - and often vessels and ships - are given a "military" ZIP Code type.
[+] What does 'Postal Type' mean?
The Canada Post has assigned each Postal Code a "type". Why? It helps them sort
mail more quickly.
-
S - Standard - A "standard" ZIP Code is what most people think of when they
talk about ZIP Codes - essentially a town, city, or a division of a city that has
mail service.
-
P - PO Box Only - Rural towns, groups of towns, or even
high-growth areas of cities are given a "PO Box Only" ZIP Code type.
-
U
- Unique - Companies, organizations, and institutions that receive large quantities
of mail are given a "unique" ZIP Code type.
-
M - Military - Military bases
overseas - and often vessels and ships - are given a "military" ZIP Code type.
[+] What does 'Country' mean?
In our combined databases, the country column designates whether a postal code is
located in the United States or Canada.
[+] What does 'City Type' mean?
City Type
In many cases, a ZIP Code can have multiple "names", meaning cities, towns, or subdivisions,
in its boundaries. However, it will ALWAYS have exactly 1 "default" name.
-
D - Default - This is the "preferred" name - by the USPS - for a city. Each
ZIP Code has one - and only one - "default" name. In most cases, this is what people
who live in that area call the city as well.
-
A - Acceptable - This name
can be used for mailing purposes. Often times alternative names are large neighborhoods
or sections of the city/town. In some cases a ZIP Code may have several "acceptable"
names which is used to group towns under one ZIP Code.
-
N - Not Acceptable
- A "not acceptable" name is, in many cases, a nickname that residents give that
location. According to the USPS, you should NOT send mail to that ZIP Code using
the "not acceptable" name when mailing.
[+] Why are there incorrect or misspelled cities in your database?
There are three types of cities in our databases. They are indicated by the CityType
column.
-
D - Default - This is the "preferred" name - by the USPS - for a city. Each
ZIP Code has one - and only one - "default" name. In most cases, this is what people
who live in that area call the city as well.
-
A - Acceptable - This name
can be used for mailing purposes. Often times alternative names are large neighborhoods
or sections of the city/town. In some cases a ZIP Code may have several "acceptable"
names which is used to group towns under one ZIP Code.
-
N - Not Acceptable
- A "not acceptable" name is, in many cases, a nickname that residents give that
location. According to the USPS, you should NOT send mail to that ZIP Code using
the "not acceptable" name when mailing.
The USPS includes the Not Acceptable city names to assist with data validation.
If you do not want these names to display in your application, filter all the "N"
CityTypes from the database. If you want to display only one city for each ZIP Code,
display only the "D" CityType.
[+] What are 'Alternate Cities'?
In many cases, a ZIP Code can have multiple "names", meaning cities, towns, or subdivisions,
in its boundaries. Alternate names show additional names that are a part of that
ZIP Code or postal code - but are not necessarily the "primary" or "default" name.
[+] What does 'County Name' mean?
A county is the largest administrative division in most states. In our 5-digit USA
Commercial Edition database, if a ZIP Code covers two counties, the "primary" county
is used. In the Multi-county databases, all possible counties are listed with each
county as a separate record.
[+] What does 'County FIPS' mean?
Each county in the United States is assigned a unique number for identification
purposes - a "Federal Information Processing Standards" or FIPS code. The County
FIPS code is a combination of a 2-digit state FIPS code as well as a 3-digit county
code as designated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
[+] What does 'State Name' mean?
A state in our database is a state, territory, province, or region as designated
by the USPS. The database includes all United States territories and possessions
that have been assigned ZIP Codes.
[+] What does 'State Abbr' mean?
A state code or abbreviation is a two character designation for that state - for
example, California is CA and Texas is TX, etc.
[+] What does 'State FIPS' mean?
A state FIPS is a two-digit code used to uniquely define each state as designated
by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
[+] What does 'ProvinceName' mean?
The value in the ProvinceName field in our combined database is a state, territory,
province, or region as designated by the USPS or Canada Post. The database includes
all United States territories and possessions that have been assigned ZIP Codes
and all Canadian Provinces that have been assigned Postal Codes.
[+] What does 'ProvinceAbbr' mean?
A state or province abbreviation is a two character designation for that US state
or Canadian province - for example, California is CA and Texas is TX, etc.
[+] What does 'Area Code' mean?
In our USA 5-digit Premium Edition database, the area code listed is the primary
or foremost area code for each ZIP Code.
In our "Commercial Edition" databases (both the USA and Canada), if multiple area
codes belong to one postal code, all area codes are listed and delimited by a slash
"/" character.
[+] What does 'UTC Offset' mean?
The UTC offset is the number of hours the particular ZIP Code is from Universal
Time Co-ordinated (UTC), the international time standard, also known as Greenwich
Meridian Time (GMT).
[+] What does 'DST' mean?
The daylight savings time flag indicates if a particular ZIP Code "obeys", or, in
other words adjusts their clocks forward and back with the seasons. This information
is particularly useful to determine time in other time zones with areas that may
or may not use daylight savings time - for example, Arizona, Hawaii, and, of all
places - Indiana.
[+] What does 'MSA Code' mean?
MSAs or Metropolitan Statistical Areas, are 4-digit codes assigned to the roughly
340 metropolitan areas as designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
They are primarily used to group cities together for statistical purposes or types
of analysis. Latitude and longitude are a much more efficient way of accomplishing
the same task.
Note that MSAs are now obsolete and have been replaced by CBSA codes. Please see
our CBSA product under "USA Data" in the product section.
[+] What does 'Latitude' mean?
The latitude coordinate listed is an exact north/south point (to 6 decimal places)
on the globe of the centroid or "middle" of the ZIP Code.
[+] What does 'Longitude' mean?
The longitude coordinate listed is an exact east/west point (to 6 decimal places)
on the globe of the centroid or "middle" of the ZIP Code.
[+] What does 'CSACode' mean?
Combined Statistical Area. A combined statistical area may comprise two or more
metropolitan statistical areas, a metropolitan statistical area and a micropolitan
statistical area, two or more micropolitan statistical areas, or multiple metropolitan
and micropolitan statistical areas.
[+] What does 'CBSACode' mean?
The term "Core Based Statistical Area" (CBSA) became effective in 2003 and refers
collectively to metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. This standard supercedes
"MSA Codes" which were used from about 1950-2000.
[+] What does 'CBSAType' mean?
The type of CBSA being identified. This column can have the following 4 values:
- met - Metropolitan Statistical Area
- mic - Micropolitan Statistical Area
-
div - Division
- non - None
[+] What does 'DivCode' mean?
A metropolitan statistical area containing a single core with a population of 2.5
million or more may be subdivided to form smaller groupings of counties referred
to as "Metropolitan Divisions".
[+] What does 'Plus4Code' mean?
4-digits that are used to identify a geographic segment within the 5-digit delivery
area, such as a city block or a group of apartments or an individual high-volume
receiver of mail, or any other unit that could use an extra identifier to aid in
efficient mail sorting and delivery. This code is the low end of the range of +4
Codes that pertain to this ZIP Code.
ZIP+4 Codes associated with nondelivery areas are composed of valid ZIP sector numbers
and "ND" for the ZIP segment number, for example 12345-12ND. Non-deliverable areas
are areas to which the USPS does not deliver mail, such as vacant lots and land
that borders railroad tracks. Mailers should not match an address identified as
a nondelivery area.
If you absolutely must have numeric characters in the Plus4Code column, you may
treat "ND" values as "00" (zero zero).
[+] What does 'Range' mean?
The range of +4 codes. Summing the +4 Code and the +4 Range will give you the high
end of the range of +4 Codes that pertain to this ZIP Code.
For Example:
ZIP Code 00602 has a +4 Code of 0001, and a +4 Range of 119. This means that the
ZIP+4 Codes that are covered by ZIP Code 00602 range from 0001 to 0001 plus 119
(0120). Thus, ZIP+4 Codes 00602-0001 through 00602-0120 all pertain to ZIP Code
00602.
[+] What does 'Record Type' mean?
An alphabetic value that identifies the type of data in the record. Record type
codes include the following:
- G = General delivery
- H = Highrise
- F = Firm
- S = Street
-
P = PO box
- R = Rural route/highway contract
[+] What does 'Carrier Route ID' mean?
A 4-digit code assigned to a mail delivery or collection route within a 5-digit
ZIP Code. The first character of this identification is alphabetical, and the last
three are numeric:
- Bnnn = PO box
- Hnnn = Highway contract
- Rnnn = Rural route
-
Cnnn = City delivery
- Gnnn = General delivery
[+] What does 'Street Predirectional' mean?
A geographic direction that precedes the street name.
For Example:
- 472 N MAIN ST Street Pre-Direction Abbreviation = N
- Spaces = No pre-direction
-
N = North
- NE = Northeast
- E = East
- SE = Southeast
-
S =
South
- SW = Southwest
- W = West
- NW = Northwest
[+] What does 'Street Name' mean?
The official name of a street as assigned by a local governing authority. The Street
Name column contains only the street name and does not include directionals (EAST,
WEST, etc.) or suffixes (ST, DR, BLVD, etc.). This element may also contain literals,
such as PO BOX, GENERAL DELIVERY, USS, PSC, or UNIT. Numeric street names that have
numeric components that are four characters (or less) in length at are justified
such that the low-order digit of the number is positioned in the fourth position
of the street name column. This shift is made so that the numeric street names appear
in numeric sequence.
[+] What does 'Street Postdirectional' mean?
A geographic direction that precedes the street name.
For Example:
- 472 MAIN ST N Street Pre-Direction Abbreviation = N
- Spaces = No pre-direction
-
N = North
- NE = Northeast
- E = East
- SE = Southeast
-
S =
South
- SW = Southwest
- W = West
- NW = Northwest
[+] What does 'Address Primary Low Number' mean?
A house, rural route, highway contract box, or post office box number; the numeric
or alphanumeric component of an address preceding the street name; the low-end address
in a range of addresses. Often referred to as house number.
For Example:
- {Address Range} {Address Primary Low Number}
-
100 – 198 Main Ave ->
100
- 101 – 199 Main Ave -> 101
-
A200 – A298 Main Ave ->
A200
- 124-45 – 124-88 Main Ave -> 124-45
-
101 – 120 PO
Box -> 101
- 1A – 1G RR 2 -> 1A
In our database the low and high numbers are usually preceded by leading zeros,
which are removed from the mailing address. If the leading zero is part of the address,
the number will have a hyphen instead of the leading zeros.
For Example:
- {Address Range} {Address Primary Low Number}
-
0100 – 0198 Main Ave
-> -100
[+] What does 'Address Primary High Number' mean?
A house, rural route, highway contract box, or post office box number; the numeric
or alphanumeric component of an address preceding the street name; the high-end
address in a range of addresses. Often referred to as house number.
For Example:
- {Address Range} {Address Primary High Number}
-
100 – 198 Main Ave ->
198
- 101 – 199 Main Ave -> 199
-
A200 – A298 Main Ave ->
A298
- 124-45 – 124-88 Main Ave -> 124-88
-
101 – 120 PO
Box -> 121
- 22A – 22B RR 2 -> 22B
In our database the low and high numbers are usually preceded by leading zeros,
which are removed from the mailing address. If the leading zero is part of the address,
the number will have a hyphen instead of the leading zeros.
For Example:
- {Address Range} {Address Primary High Number}
-
0100 – 0198 Main Ave
-> -198
[+] What does 'Address Primary Odd/Even Code' mean?
Code that identifies the side or sides of a street for which a given address range
is applicable. For street, highrise, firm and multi-carrier records, B = Both sides
of a street, E = Even side of a street (even-numbered addresses in the range); O
= Odd side of a street (odd-numbered addresses in the range). For general delivery,
post office box, and rural route/highway contract records, this code will always
be "B" (both).
For Example:
- {Address Range}
- 100 – 198 Main Ave E -> Even addresses in the range
-
101 – 199 Main Ave O -> Odd addresses in the range
-
100 – 199
Main Ave B -> Even and odd addresses in the range
[+] What does 'Building or Firm Name' mean?
The name of a company, building, apartment complex, shopping center, or other distinguishing
secondary address information. This column is normally used with firm and highrise
records but may also contain literals such as "Postmaster" or "United States Postal
Service."
[+] What does 'Address Secondary Abbreviation' mean?
A descriptive code used to identify the type of address secondary range information
in the Address Secondary Range column. This code may be useful in address matching,
i.e., the secondary address numbers may indicate apartment, suite, or trailer numbers,
etc.
[+] What does 'Address Secondary Low Number' mean?
Code that describes an apartment, room, suite, space, floor or other secondary addressing
numeric or alphanumeric that follows a street address. The low-end secondary address
component in a range of secondary addresses.
For Example:
- {Address Range} - {Address Secondary Low Number}
-
00000001 through 00000009
-> 00000001
- A through F -> A
- 55A through 55E -> 55A
[+] What does 'Address Secondary High Number' mean?
Code that describes an apartment, room, suite, space, floor, or other secondary
addressing numeric or alphanumeric that follows a street address. The high-end secondary
address component in a range of secondary addresses.
For Example:
- {Address Range} {Address Secondary High Number}
-
00000001 through 00000009
-> 00000009
- A through F -> F
- 66A through 66E -> 66E
[+] What does 'ZIP Add-On Low Sector' mean?
The ZIP Add-On Low Sector and the ZIP Add-On Low Segment together form the ZIP Add-On
Low Number. The ZIP Add-On Low Number is the last four positions of a ZIP+4 code;
the low-end ZIP add-on in a range of codes; the add-on of the first ZIP+4 code in
a consecutive series of ZIP+4 codes assigned to the delivery address. For example,
most delivery addresses are assigned a single ZIP+4 code. However, large companies
may be given a range of ZIP+4 codes that can be used to route mail to specific departments.
A range of ZIP+4 codes can also be assigned to a corresponding range of post office
boxes, and each box is mapped, one-to-one, with a ZIP+4 code in the range. A single
post office box can also be assigned a range of ZIP+4 codes.
For Example:
- 12345-0001 through 12345-0009 -> ZIP Add-On Low Number = 0001
ZIP+4 Codes associated with nondelivery areas are composed of valid ZIP sector numbers
and "ND" for the ZIP segment number. Non-deliverable areas are areas to which the
USPS does not deliver mail, such as vacant lots and land that borders railroad tracks.
Mailers should not match an address identified as a nondelivery area.
[+] What does 'ZIP Add-On Low Segment' mean?
The ZIP Add-On Low Sector and the ZIP Add-On Low Segment together form the ZIP Add-On
Low Number. The ZIP Add-On Low Number is the last four positions of a ZIP+4 code;
the low-end ZIP add-on in a range of codes; the add-on of the first ZIP+4 code in
a consecutive series of ZIP+4 codes assigned to the delivery address. For example,
most delivery addresses are assigned a single ZIP+4 code. However, large companies
may be given a range of ZIP+4 codes that can be used to route mail to specific departments.
A range of ZIP+4 codes can also be assigned to a corresponding range of post office
boxes, and each box is mapped, one-to-one, with a ZIP+4 code in the range. A single
post office box can also be assigned a range of ZIP+4 codes.
For Example:
- 12345-0001 through 12345-0009 -> ZIP Add-On Low Number = 0001
ZIP+4 Codes associated with nondelivery areas are composed of valid ZIP sector numbers
and "ND" for the ZIP segment number. Non-deliverable areas are areas to which the
USPS does not deliver mail, such as vacant lots and land that borders railroad tracks.
Mailers should not match an address identified as a nondelivery area.
[+] What does 'ZIP Add-On High Sector' mean?
The ZIP Add-On High Sector and the ZIP Add-On High Segment together form the ZIP
Add-On High Number, which is the high-end ZIP add-on in a range of codes; the add-on
of the last ZIP+4 code in a consecutive series of ZIP+4 codes assigned to the delivery
address. Most delivery addresses are assigned a single ZIP+4 code; however, large
companies may be given a range of ZIP+4 codes that can be used to route mail to
specific departments. A range of ZIP+4 codes can also be assigned to a corresponding
range of post office boxes, and each box is mapped, one-to-one, with a ZIP+4 code
in the range. A single post office box can also be assigned a range of ZIP+4 codes.
(See also ZIP Add-On Code.)
For Example:
- 12345-0001 through 12345-0009 -> ZIP Add-On High Number = 0009
ZIP+4 codes associated with nondelivery areas are composed of valid ZIP sector numbers
and "ND" for the ZIP segment number. Non-deliverable areas are areas to which the
USPS does not deliver mail, such as vacant lots and land that borders railroad tracks.
Mailers should not match an address identified as a nondelivery area.
[+] What does 'ZIP Add-On High Segment' mean?
The ZIP Add-On High Sector and the ZIP Add-On High Segment together form the ZIP
Add-On High Number, which is the high-end ZIP add-on in a range of codes; the add-on
of the last ZIP+4 code in a consecutive series of ZIP+4 codes assigned to the delivery
address. Most delivery addresses are assigned a single ZIP+4 code; however, large
companies may be given a range of ZIP+4 codes that can be used to route mail to
specific departments. A range of ZIP+4 codes can also be assigned to a corresponding
range of post office boxes, and each box is mapped, one-to-one, with a ZIP+4 code
in the range. A single post office box can also be assigned a range of ZIP+4 codes.
(See also ZIP Add-On Code.)
For Example:
- 12345-0001 through 12345-0009 -> ZIP Add-On High Number = 0009
ZIP+4 codes associated with nondelivery areas are composed of valid ZIP sector numbers
and "ND" for the ZIP segment number. Non-deliverable areas are areas to which the
USPS does not deliver mail, such as vacant lots and land that borders railroad tracks.
Mailers should not match an address identified as a nondelivery area.
[+] What does 'Base Alternate Code' mean?
Code that specifies whether a record is a base (preferred) or alternate record.
Base records (represented as "B") can represent a range of addresses or an individual
address, such as a firm record, while alternate records (represented as "A") are
individual delivery points. Government deliveries will only be listed on alternate
records with the appropriate government building indicator (federal, state, or city) set.
[+] What does 'LACS Status Indicator' mean?
The Locatable Address Conversion Service (LACS) indicator describes records that
have been converted to the LACS system (a product/system that allows mailers to
identify and convert a rural route address to a city-style address). Rural route
and some city addresses are being modified to city-style addresses so that emergency
services (i.e., ambulances, police, etc.) can find these addresses more efficiently.
For Example:
-
L = LACS address: The old (usually rural-route) address that has been converted
for the LACS system.
- Blank = Not applicable
[+] What does 'Government Building Indicator' mean?
An alphabetic value that identifies the type of government agency at the delivery
point and/or whether a firm is the only delivery at an address. For this purpose,
"address" is defined as the complete delivery line (e.g., complete street address
and, if included as part of the firm record, the secondary abbreviation and/or address
secondary number). This column may be blank or may contain one of the following
values:
- A = City government building
- B = Federal government building
-
C =
State government building
- D = Firm only
-
E = City government building
and firm only
- F = Federal government building and firm only
-
G = State
government building and firm only
[+] What does 'Finance Number' mean?
A code assigned to Postal Service facilities (primarily post offices) to collect
cost and statistical data and compile revenue and expense data. The state number
comprises the first two positions of the finance number.
[+] What does 'Congressional District Number' mean?
A standard value identifying a geographic area within the United States served by
a member of the US House of Representatives or Senate. If Army/Air Force (APO) or
fleet post office (FPO), this column will be blank. If there is only one member
of Congress within a state, the code will be "AL" (at large).
[+] What does 'Division Name' mean?
When used in a city setting, it represents a section or portion of a city that has
its own non-political, non-administrative identity. In a rural setting, it represents
a town or village that has not yet achieved city status through population growth.
[+] What does 'Month/Year Data' mean?
This option allows you to purchase the most recent version of the data available.
You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are not charged again.
As the data changes each month, you will not receive updates to the data and the
data that you purchased will become outdated.
[+] What does 'with quarterly updates' mean?
This option allows you to purchase the most recent version of the data available.
You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are not charged again.
You will then be entitled to receive an update to your data every three months for
a period of ONE YEAR.
When your subscription expires, you will have the option to renew it. We typically
give a renewal discount to existing subscribers.
[+] What does 'with monthly updates' mean?
This option allows you to purchase the most recent version of the data available.
You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are not charged again.
After purchasing, you will be entitled to receive an update to your data each month
for a period of ONE YEAR. This means you will receive 12 versions of the
file - one for each month.
When your subscription expires, you will have the option to renew it. We typically
give a renewal discount to existing subscribers.
[+] What does '+ Source Code' mean?
When you purchase this package you will receive the following programmer components:
- Compiled Windows COM Object (for use with ASP, C++, Windows environment)
-
The source code for the following languages:
- PHP
- Perl
- Java
- Generic C++
-
ASP
- ASP.NET
- C#
- VB.NET
[+] What does '+ SQL Server Stored Procedures' mean?
When you purchase this package you will receive the following programmer components:
- Compiled Windows COM Object (for use with ASP, C++, Windows environment)
-
The source code for the following languages:
- PHP
- Perl
- Java
- Generic C++
- ASP
- ASP.NET
-
C#
- VB.NET
-
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (or later) stored procedures and user-defined functions.
[+] I used PHP & MySql, what package do I need?
You will need the "+ Source Code" Edition. It is specifically designed for
PHP/MySql Linux/UNIX environments.
Note that the "+ SQL Server Stored Procedures" are designed for Microsoft SQL Server
2000 only and will not work on MySql.
[+] What will you do with my email address?
We keep your information 100% private and secure.
We will NOT give, sell, rent or lease your data to anyone for any reason
- period. We value your privacy and we want to make sure your personal information
(such as email, name, or contact info) is kept private in our SSL encrypted database.
We will only use your email within our company to notify you of updates to your
subscription (if you are purchasing a subscription), or to send you an email confirmation
receipt. We may also send you special offers from time to time. If you forget your
password, we will also use this email to send you your password.
For more information, please review our privacy policy.
[+] Why was my credit or debit card declined?
Rest assured, we are not declining your transaction. When you enter your
credit card number, and click "Place Your Order", we submit that card number to
your card issuing bank - meaning the bank that gives you a credit card. Along
with that card number, we submit all of the information you enter. Based upon that
information, they either accept or decline our request to charge your card.
There are a number of reasons why your card company may have declined us when we
tried to charge your card:
-
Do you have the correct expiration date?
Occasionally the expiration date will be different than the date listed on the card.
-
Do you have the billing address correct?
The billing address is where the credit card statement is mailed every month. If
you're using a business card - it's usually business address. If you're an authorized
user of someone's card - ask them what the billing address of the credit
card is.
-
Did you enter the "Verification Code" of the credit card correctly?
If the verification code is wrong, you will usually get declined.
-
Do you have a "pre-set" spending limit for the card?
Usually if there's more than one user on a credit card account, the total purchases
of both cards count against the maximum amount you can spend in a day.
-
Does your credit card company know you make internet transactions?
Often times credit card companies will reject internet transactions because of the
potential for fraud - you simply have to notify your credit card company that you
wish to make an internet purchase and they'll enable your account.
-
Is the amount of the transaction too much?
Because we are an internet-based company and your credit/debit card is not "physically"
present during the transaction, your credit card company may limit the amount that
we can charge your card.
-
If you receive too many declines in a day, your card company may "lock" your card
from being used - it's a preventative measure just in case your card is stolen.
What can I do now?
-
The easiest thing to do is to triple-check the information you entered in our form
with the list above and see if any match your situation. If so, correct any mistakes
and try again.
-
If that doesn't work you can CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY and ask them why
they declined us when we tried to charge your card. They have the ability to see
everything that's going on with the transaction that are attempted using your card
and they can tell you exactly why they declined us.
[+] How do I enable cookies for Internet Explorer?
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6
- Select "Internet Options" from the Tools menu.
- Click on the "Privacy" tab.
-
Click the "Default" button (or manually slide the bar down to "Medium") under "Settings".
-
Click "OK".
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5
- Select "Internet Options" from the Tools menu.
- Click on the "Security" tab.
-
Click the "Custom Level" button.
- Scroll down to the "Cookies" section.
-
Set "Allow cookies that are stored on your computer" to "Enable".
-
Set "Allow
per-session cookies" to "Enable".
- Click "OK".
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4
- Select "Internet Options" from the View menu.
- Click on the "Advanced" tab.
-
Scroll down to find "Cookies" within the "Security" section.
-
Select "Always
accept cookies".
- Click "OK".
[+] How do I enable cookies for Netscape?
Netscape 7
- Select "Preferences" from the Edit menu.
-
Click on the arrow next to "Privacy
& Security" in the scrolling window to expand.
-
Under "Privacy & Security",
select "Cookies."
- Select "Enable all cookies".
- Click "OK".
Netscape 6
- Select "Preferences" from the Edit menu.
-
Expand the Advanced selection in
the left part of the window.
- Click on the Cookies selection.
-
Check the
Enable all cookies setting.
- Click "OK".
Netscape 4
- Select "Preferences" from the Edit menu.
-
Find the "Cookies" section in the
"Advanced" category.
- Select "Accept all cookies" (or "Enable all cookies").
-
Click "OK".
[+] How do I enable cookies for FireFox?
Mozilla Firefox
- Go to the "Tools" menu.
- Select the "Privacy" icon in the left panel.
-
Check the box corresponding to "Allow sites to set cookies".
-
Click "OK" to save
changes.
[+] How do I enable cookies for Opera?
Opera 7
- Click on the "Tools" menu.
- Click on "Preferences"
-
Click on "Privacy"
near the bottom-left size of the window.
-
The Enable cookies checkbox must be
checked, and Accept all cookies should be selected in the "Normal coookies" drop-down.
-
Click "OK".
[+] Are cookies safe?
Absolutely! Cookies are completely safe. We use cookies to make your purchase process
more secure.
[+] Which update frequency?
No Updates: This option allows you to purchase the most recent version of
the data available. You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are not
charged again.
As the data changes each month, you will not receive updates to the data and the
data that you purchased will become outdated.
Quarterly Updates: This option allows you to purchase the most recent version
of the data available. You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are
not charged again.
You will then be entitled to receive an update to your data every three months for
a period of ONE YEAR.
When your subscription expires, you will have the option to renew it. We typically
give a renewal discount to existing subscribers.
Monthly Updates: This option allows you to purchase the most recent version
of the data available. You pay the price listed one time during checkout and are
not charged again.
After purchasing, you will be entitled to receive an update to your data each month
for a period of ONE YEAR. This means you will receive 12 versions of the
file - one for each month.
When your subscription expires, you will have the option to renew it. We typically
give a renewal discount to existing subscribers.
[+] Which License Agreement?
Standard License: For most of our customers the Standard License is adequate.
It allows you, the licensee, to make unlimited copies of our products for all machines
within your organization. Furthermore, this license covers any contractors or 3rd
parties that are working on your behalf so long as the data is not being used for
other clients. There are a few simple restrictions for this license. The biggest
is that you are not allowed to bundle this data into a redistributable application--one
that leaves machines under your control. Basically, the idea is that, as long as
it's on your machines, you're okay.
Redistribution License: This expands upon the standard license agreement.
The main difference is that you can now bundle our product with your application.
In general, the data covered under this license should not be made available to
download from your application in its entirety. The idea is that you're using our
data and products to enhance your application.
General Restrictions: One of the main themes behind these licenses is that
you don't post our data to the web such that it can be easily downloaded. For example,
you are restricted from creating "lookup pages" that simply display the raw
data for end users. As long as you are displaying only portions of our data in conjunction
with your data, then you're okay. But if you make the raw data available for anyone
to retrieve, then there's a problem.
Special Note--Developer Tools: Our developer tools such as the Distance Wizard
include in their standard licensing the ability to be compiled (so far as the programming
language allows for compilation) into a redistributable application that you are
building. The idea is that your application depends upon geo-location capabilties.
We just don't want you giving away the source code.
More Information: On each product page with redistribution licensing there
is a link under the product prices and buy now buttons that states "Click here for
volume or redistribution licensing."
For specific questions regarding License Agreements please consult the license agreement
of the product in question. Each product page has a "License" tab allowing you to
view the entire license agreement for a particular product.
[+] What-does-EffectiveDate-mean?
The future date when a new code will be in service (for new codes only). Once the effective date is reached, this date will no longer appear
[+] What-does-Use-mean?
The future date when a new code will be in service (for new codes only). Once the effective date is reached, this date will no longer appear.
*VC:VC indicates codes that are vacant; they are available for assignment to a service provider.
AS:AS indicates codes that are assigned to a service provider.
PR:PR indicates codes that are protected for a split; that is, these codes are assigned in the old or the new NPA and can not be assigned in the other NPA until after the end of permissive dialing.
RV:RV indicates codes that have been reserved by a service provider. The identity of the service provider is considered proprietary information and will not be shown.
UA:UA indicates codes that are unavailable for assignment. These codes include, but are not limited to, test and special use codes (e.g., 958, 959, 555, time), N11 and other unique codes (e.g., 976, 950), codes set aside for pooling, and codes with special dialing arrangements (e.g., 7-digit dialing cross NPA boundary).
Blank indicate that NPA-NXX available
[+] What-does-AssignDate-mean?
Date the code was assigned to the service provider by NANPA. This field is populated only for those codes assigned from January 2001 on.
[+] What-does-Initial Growth-mean?
Initial is the first geographic NXX code assigned at a unique switching entity or point of interconnection for a service provider. Growth is a code assigned to a switching entity or point of interconnection subsequent to the assignment of the first code, for the same purpose as a code that was previously assigned for a service provider to the same switching entity or point of interconnection.
[+] What-does-SSA-Code-mean The 5-digit code indicating the State and County as set by the Social Security Administration. The first 2 digits are the State Code, the last 3 digits are the County Code.
[+] What-does-MedicareCBSA-mean
Medicare uses CBSA codes that are not identical to standard CBSA Codes. It is a geographic location code as defined by the Office of Management & Budget. Medicare pays for home health services using a transitional wage index. Due to the wage index transition, Home Health Agencies (HHAs) may serve beneficiaries in areas where there is more than one unique Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA).
[+] What are DMA (Designated Market Area) regions?
DMA (Designated Market Area) regions are the geographic areas in the United States in which local television viewing is measured by Nielsen. There are 210 DMA regions, covering the entire continental United States, Hawaii, and parts of Alaska.
[+] What does DMACode mean?
Each DMA Region has a 3 digit numeric code. For example, New York, NY is also known as 501. Los Angeles, CA, on the other hand has been assigned the number 803.
[+] Why does some zip codes have '000' as DMACode?
For all the Military/Embassy specific Zip Code for an APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office or Diplomatic Post Office), the DMACode is assigned as a 000.
DMA Regions only covers the entire continental US, Hawaii and portions of Alaska. So, ZIP codes which do not belong to any DMA regions, have '000' as a DMACode.