osm-search/Nominatim

What is it?

Key features

• 01Forward geocoding: search places and addresses by name in OSM data.
• 02Reverse geocoding: generate an address for a given coordinate.
• 03Imports OSM data files, including planet extracts, into a local project.
• 04Serves the search API through a Python web server (uvicorn and falcon).

Use cases

• Adding address search and autocomplete to a mapping application.
• Converting coordinates from GPS or logs into human-readable addresses.
• Running a private geocoder over a regional OSM extract.

Quick start

1. 1

   Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/osm-search/Nominatim.git
2. 2

   Create a Python virtualenv

   python3 -m venv nominatim-venv
3. 3

   Install the Nominatim packages into the virtualenv

   ./nominatim-venv/bin/pip install packaging/nominatim-{api,db}
4. 4

   Create a project directory, then import your OSM data

   nominatim import --osm-file <your planet file> 2>&1 | tee setup.log

Things to know

• !Licensed under GPL-3.0, a copyleft license that requires derivative works to be open source.
• !Running it yourself requires importing a full OSM planet file, which is a substantial self-hosting effort.

Topics

FAQ

What is Nominatim?

Open-source geocoding service that searches OpenStreetMap data by name and address and performs reverse geocoding. Nominatim is a tool for searching OpenStreetMap data by name and address, a process called geocoding. It can also run the reverse direction, generating a synthetic address for any OSM point. It is the search backend used for the search box on the OpenStreetMap home page, and a public instance with up-to-date data is available for lookups.

Is Nominatim free to use? What license does it have?

Nominatim is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.

Is Nominatim still maintained?

Actively maintained. The last commit to Nominatim was on Nov 3, 2026.

What can I use Nominatim for?

Adding address search and autocomplete to a mapping application. Converting coordinates from GPS or logs into human-readable addresses. Running a private geocoder over a regional OSM extract.

How do I install Nominatim?

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/osm-search/Nominatim.git Create a Python virtualenv: python3 -m venv nominatim-venv Install the Nominatim packages into the virtualenv: ./nominatim-venv/bin/pip install packaging/nominatim-{api,db} Create a project directory, then import your OSM data: nominatim import --osm-file <your planet file> 2>&1 | tee setup.log

Where can I get Nominatim?

The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/osm-search/Nominatim