Plus Code Converter
Convert Google Plus Codes (Open Location Codes) to and from standard coordinate formats - free, fast, and accurate.
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DD, DMS, UTM, MGRS, Plus Code, UN/LOCODE - converted instantly.
What are Google Plus Codes?
A Plus Code is a short alphanumeric string like
9C3XGV4C+HQ that identifies a specific ~14m x 14m
area on Earth. Formally called Open Location Codes (OLC), they
were developed by Google and can be searched directly in Google
Maps.
The system was designed to solve a practical problem: roughly 4 billion people lack a reliable street address. Plus Codes provide a free, offline-capable alternative that works anywhere on the planet, with no central database required.
How the encoding works
Plus Codes use a hierarchical grid. The full character set is
23456789CFGHJMPQRVWX (20 characters, chosen to avoid
ambiguous glyphs like 0/O, 1/I/L). The encoding proceeds in pairs:
- Characters 1-2 encode latitude in 20° steps, characters 3-4 encode longitude in 20° steps (yielding a ~110km x 110km cell)
- Characters 5-6 refine by a factor of 20 (~5.5km x 5.5km)
- Characters 7-8 refine again (~275m x 275m)
-
The
+separator appears after character 8 - Characters 9-10 refine to ~14m x 14m
- An optional 11th character uses a 4x5 sub-grid for ~3.5m x 2.8m precision
Where are Plus Codes used?
- Offline addressing - Plus Codes can be computed from coordinates without network access and decoded back without a lookup table
- Humanitarian and emergency response - NGOs use Plus Codes to locate beneficiaries, vaccination sites, and distribution points in areas without street names
- Logistics - courier and postal services use them as a last-mile delivery fallback in unaddressed regions
- Google Maps integration - every point on Google Maps displays a searchable Plus Code, making them the most widely deployed location code system
Worked example
Encode 51.5074°N, -0.1278°W (London) as a Plus Code:
Shortened (local) Plus Codes
When a reference city is known, the leading characters can be
dropped. For example, GV4C+HQ London is a shortened
form of 9C3XGV4C+HQ. The receiver resolves the
short code relative to London's bounding box. Shortened codes are
more convenient for local use but require the reference locality
to decode.
What are common Plus Code mistakes?
Padding zeros. Short Plus Codes with trailing
0 characters (e.g., 9C3X0000+)
represent large areas, not precise points. Stripping zeros from
the end changes the precision and the referenced area.
Local codes need context. A short code like
GV4C+HQ is meaningless without a reference city.
Always use the full 10+ character code when storing or
transmitting Plus Codes programmatically.
Area, not point. A Plus Code represents a rectangular cell, not a single point. The decoded latitude and longitude are typically the center of that cell. At 10-character precision, the cell is ~14m x 14m, which is adequate for most navigation but not for sub-meter surveying.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Google Plus Code?
A Plus Code is a location encoding system developed by Google. It converts a geographic location into a short alphanumeric string like 9C3XGV4C+HQ. Plus Codes provide simple, reliable addresses for places without traditional street addresses and can be searched directly in Google Maps.
How do Plus Codes work?
Plus Codes divide the world into a progressively finer grid. The first four characters encode a roughly 1° × 1° region, and each subsequent pair refines the location. A full 10-character code identifies an area of approximately 14m × 14m. The character set uses 20 characters chosen to avoid ambiguous characters.
Where are Plus Codes used?
Plus Codes are used in developing regions without formal addressing systems, humanitarian aid operations, logistics and delivery services, and Google Maps - where every location displays a searchable Plus Code.
Are Plus Codes the same as Open Location Codes?
Yes. "Plus Code" is the consumer-facing name used by Google, while "Open Location Code" (OLC) is the technical name for the underlying open-source encoding system. They refer to the same format and produce identical codes.