U.S. ZIP Code Database

Acceptance of Terms

Our service is subject to the following Terms Of Service ("TOS"). Zip-Codes.com reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. We may notify you of material changes via email or account dashboard. Material changes become effective thirty (30) days after posting to our website. Non-material administrative changes may be effective immediately upon posting.

Your continued use of our services after the effective date of any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the amended TOS. If you do not agree to modified terms, you must discontinue use of the service and may terminate this agreement as specified in the Termination section.

In addition, when using particular Zip-Codes.com services, you shall be subject to any posted guidelines or rules applicable to such services which may be posted on our website from time to time. All such guidelines or rules are hereby incorporated by reference into the Terms of Service.

Accordingly, you agree to review this TOS periodically. The current version will always be available at [URL to TOS page].

This agreement does not grant rights to create any website, application, or service using our Product(s) and/or Service(s) that directly competes with Zip-Codes.com's business or functions as a substitute for our services.

No Distribution or Unauthorized Public Access

This license does not grant rights to redistribute the Product(s) and/or Service(s) (including any databases, datasets, or data products) in any form, including but not limited to:

1. Direct Redistribution: Copying, transferring, or providing the Product(s), Service(s), or any portion thereof to any third party outside your organization.

2. Web-Based Functional Substitutes: Creating, hosting, or operating any public-facing or third-party accessible website, application programming interface (API), web service, lookup tool, widget, or similar interface that:

• Provides access to the data to users who have not licensed the Product(s) and/or Service(s) directly from Zip-Codes.com
• Functions as a substitute for, or diminishes the need for, a direct license of Zip-Codes.com services
• Enables systematic extraction or bulk access to the Product(s), Service(s), or data contents
• Serves primarily to display, query, or distribute data from the Product(s) or Service(s) to end users

3. Internal Use Exception: You may create internal, password-protected tools accessible only to licensed Users (as defined in this agreement) within your organization for your internal business purposes, provided such tools do not enable systematic extraction or bulk downloading of the Product(s), Service(s), or data.

4. Redistribution License Required: If you wish to redistribute the Product(s) and/or Service(s) or create public-facing services utilizing this data, you must purchase a separate Redistributable License. Redistribution Licenses are available for products including, but not limited to:

• U.S. ZIP Code Database
• U.S. ZIP+4 ZIP Code Database
• Canadian Postal Code Database

For questions regarding whether your intended use requires a Redistribution License, contact Zip-Codes.com prior to implementation.

User

A "User" is defined as any entity—human, automated, or computational—that accesses, processes, queries, or utilizes the Product(s) and/or Service(s). This includes:

1. Human Users

Any employee or contractor of the licensee organization who downloads, accesses, or is given access to the Product(s) and/or Service(s) for any purpose whatsoever.

2. Computational Environment Users

Each distinct computational environment where the Product(s) and/or Service(s) are deployed, stored, or accessed, including but not limited to:

• Physical servers
• Virtual machines (VMs)
• Container instances (Docker, Kubernetes pods, etc.)
• Serverless function deployments (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions, etc.)
• Database instances or replicas
• Development, staging, and production environments

3. AI Systems, Bots, and Automated Agents

Each artificial intelligence system, chatbot, automated agent, or algorithmic system that accesses, queries, processes, or utilizes the Product(s) and/or Service(s) constitutes a separate User, including but not limited to:

• AI chatbots (customer-facing or internal)
• Virtual assistants and conversational AI agents
• Large Language Model (LLM) implementations that access the Product(s) and/or Service(s)
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) bots
• Machine learning models or AI systems that query the Product(s) and/or Service(s)
• Automated decision-making systems
• API endpoints or microservices that provide programmatic access to Product(s), Service(s), or data content
• Any software agent operating autonomously to retrieve, process, or present information from the Product(s) and/or Service(s)

For AI and automated systems:

• Each separately deployed instance, agent, or bot counts as one User
• Multiple instances of the same AI system count as multiple Users (e.g., 5 deployed chatbots = 5 Users)
• If an AI system scales dynamically (auto-scaling), license sufficient Users to cover peak concurrent instances
• Training or developing AI models using the Product(s) and/or Service(s) requires explicit authorization and may require separate licensing

4. Cloud and Distributed Deployments

For cloud and distributed deployments, each separately scalable instance, node, or computational unit that accesses or processes the Product(s) and/or Service(s) constitutes a User. Load-balanced or auto-scaled environments must license sufficient Users to cover peak concurrent instances.

5. Prohibited AI Use Cases Without Redistribution License

The following AI/automated use cases are explicitly prohibited under standard User licensing and require a separate Redistribution License:

• Customer-facing AI systems that provide lookups to end users who have not licensed the Product(s) and/or Service(s)
• AI-powered services that function as substitutes for Zip-Codes.com's products
• AI systems that enable systematic bulk extraction of Product(s), Service(s), or data content
• Training AI models on the Product(s) and/or Service(s) for the purpose of creating competing products or services
• Any AI implementation that effectively redistributes Product(s), Service(s), or data content to unlicensed third parties

6. Calculation Guidance

If you have questions about how to calculate Users for your specific infrastructure, AI deployments, or use cases, contact Zip-Codes.com for guidance prior to deployment. Miscalculation or underreporting of Users constitutes a material breach of this agreement.

AI Training and Model Development Restrictions

You are expressly prohibited from using the Product(s) and/or Service(s) for the following purposes without explicit written authorization from Zip-Codes.com:

1. Training AI Models: Using Product(s), Service(s), or data content to train, fine-tune, or improve any artificial intelligence models, large language models (LLMs), machine learning algorithms, or neural networks, except for:

• Internal business intelligence or analytics models used solely within your organization
• Models that do not enable regeneration or redistribution of Product(s), Service(s), or data content

2. Competitive AI Development: Developing or contributing to any AI system, tool, or service that competes with or provides functionality similar to Zip-Codes.com's products.

3. Synthetic Data Generation: Using the Product(s) and/or Service(s) to generate synthetic datasets, derivative databases, or training data that could substitute for or reduce the need for the original Product(s) and/or Service(s).

4. AI-Powered Redistribution: Embedding Product(s), Service(s), or data content within AI systems in a manner that enables retrieval, extraction, or redistribution of substantial portions to end users.

5. Prompt Engineering for Database Access: Creating prompts, prompt templates, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems that enable systematic extraction of Product(s), Service(s), or data content through conversational interfaces.

Permitted AI Uses:

You may use the Product(s) and/or Service(s) with AI systems for:

• Internal query assistance and data lookup for licensed Users
• Business analytics and reporting within your organization
• Application features that reference individual data points (not bulk access)
• Internal automation of licensed workflows

Violations of this section constitute a material breach and will result in immediate license termination, mandatory data destruction, and potential legal action for damages.

Description of Service

Zip-Codes.com currently provides customers with access to a number of online resources, including various Product(s) and Service(s) (including but not limited to ZIP code databases, postal databases, and geographic data products). You understand and agree that Zip-Codes.com is not responsible or liable for any claim, loss, or damage directly or indirectly resulting from your use of the Product(s) and/or Service(s) or the information or the resources contained on or accessible through this site.

Zip-Codes.com will attempt to keep the information and the resources on or accessible through this site timely and accurate, but we make no guarantees, and disclaim any implied warranty or representation, about its accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose.

License Duration and Data Usage Rights

This license is valid during your active subscription period and full compliance with all Terms of Service at all times. Termination of subscription or any material breach of these Terms of Service immediately terminates all usage rights and requires immediate cessation of all use of Product(s) and/or Service(s) and destruction of all copies as specified in the Data Destruction Upon Termination section below.

Renewal Grace Period: A thirty (30) day grace period is provided for subscription renewal to accommodate payment processing delays or administrative transitions. Access to Product(s) and Service(s) continues during this grace period. If subscription is not renewed within the grace period, access terminates immediately and data destruction requirements apply.

Subscription Updates: Update subscriptions are valid for the term purchased. Continued access to updates continues during active subscription only. Subscriptions may be renewed at the end of the subscription period to maintain continued access to updates.

Audit Rights

We value the trust our customers place in us and extend that same trust to our customer relationships. In the rare circumstances where licensing questions arise that cannot be resolved through normal communication, Zip-Codes.com may need to verify compliance with these Terms of Service.

If such verification becomes necessary, we will provide reasonable advance notice (not less than ten (10) business days), and we request your cooperation in:

1. Providing Zip-Codes.com or its designated representatives access to relevant systems, documentation, and records demonstrating compliance with User licensing, redistribution restrictions, and other terms.
2. Cooperating fully with audit requests, including providing server logs, deployment documentation, user access records, and application architecture diagrams as reasonably requested.
3. Permitting remote or on-site inspection of systems utilizing the Product(s) and/or Service(s), subject to reasonable confidentiality and security requirements.

Audits will be conducted during normal business hours and will be designed to minimize disruption to your operations. In the unlikely event an audit identifies a significant licensing discrepancy (underpayment of fees exceeding ten percent (10%) of amounts owed), we may recover reasonable audit costs in addition to any shortfall and applicable adjustments.

All information obtained during audits will be treated as confidential and used solely to verify compliance with this agreement.

We recognize that audits can be disruptive to business operations. Our goal is to resolve any licensing questions through straightforward communication whenever possible, and formal verification processes are truly a last resort reserved for circumstances where normal dialogue cannot adequately address compliance concerns.

Technical Protection Measures and Prohibited Conduct

The Product(s) and/or Service(s) may include technical measures designed to control access, track usage, prevent unauthorized copying, or monitor compliance. You agree that you will not, and will not permit any third party to:

1. Circumvent, disable, remove, or interfere with any access controls, usage tracking, license enforcement mechanisms, or other technical protection measures.
2. Use automated tools, scripts, or bots to systematically extract, scrape, or download substantial portions of the Product(s), Service(s), or data beyond normal licensed usage.
3. Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code or underlying structure of any proprietary software, algorithms, or technical measures provided by Zip-Codes.com.
4. Remove, obscure, or alter any copyright notices, proprietary legends, or identification markings contained in or on the Product(s), Service(s), or data.
5. Attempt to probe, test, or breach the security of Zip-Codes.com systems or services, or interfere with service delivery to other customers.

Violation of this section constitutes a material breach and may result in immediate license termination and legal action.

Termination and Data Destruction Upon Termination

Termination Rights

Zip-Codes.com may terminate this license immediately upon written notice if you:

• Breach any material term of this agreement
• Fail to pay fees when due
• Engage in prohibited redistribution or unauthorized access
• Circumvent technical protection measures
• Exceed licensed User counts without purchasing additional licenses

You may terminate this license at any time by providing written notice and ceasing all use of the Product(s) and/or Service(s).

Data Destruction Requirements

Upon termination or expiration of this license for any reason, you must within ten (10) business days:

1. Cease all use of the Product(s), Service(s), and data, and any derivative works incorporating such content.
2. Permanently delete or destroy all copies of Product(s), Service(s), and data in your possession or control, including:
   • Production, staging, and development environment copies
   • Backup copies and archived versions
   • Cached data and derivative databases
   • Copies on employee devices or contractor systems
   • Any data extracts or subsets in any format
3. Provide written certification to Zip-Codes.com confirming complete deletion/destruction of all copies, signed by an authorized officer of your organization.
4. Remove any public-facing applications, APIs, or services that incorporate or display Product(s), Service(s), or data content.

Survival: The following sections survive termination: Disclaimer of Warranties, Limitation of Liability, Indemnity, Data Destruction obligations, Confidentiality (if applicable), and Governing Law.

Grace Period for Compliance Cure: If termination is due to breach (other than non-payment or redistribution violations), Zip-Codes.com may, at its sole discretion, provide a ten (10) day cure period. Failure to cure within this period results in permanent termination.

Data Retention and Deletion Timeline

During Active License:
You may retain and use the Product(s) and/or Service(s) in accordance with these Terms of Service throughout your active license period.

Upon Termination or Non-Renewal:

• Immediate: Cease all use of the Product(s), Service(s), and data in production systems and public-facing applications
• Within 10 business days: Complete destruction of all copies as specified in the Termination and Data Destruction section
• Within 15 business days: Provide written certification of destruction to Zip-Codes.com

Grace Period for Technical Compliance:
If you require additional time due to legitimate technical constraints (e.g., backup tape retention policies, geographically distributed systems), you must:

1. Request an extension in writing before the 10-day deadline
2. Provide a detailed remediation plan with specific timeline
3. Receive written approval from Zip-Codes.com
4. Ensure no active use of data continues during extension period

Unauthorized retention beyond approved timelines constitutes ongoing breach.

Security Breach Notification

You must notify Zip-Codes.com immediately (within twenty-four (24) hours of discovery) if you become aware of:

1. Any unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or acquisition of the Product(s), Service(s), or data, or any portion thereof.
2. Any security breach affecting systems where the Product(s), Service(s), or data are stored or accessed.
3. Any loss, theft, or misappropriation of devices or media containing the Product(s), Service(s), or data.
4. Any suspected or actual violation of these Terms of Service by your employees, contractors, or Users.
5. Any legal process, subpoena, or governmental inquiry seeking access to the Product(s), Service(s), data, or information about your use thereof.

Notification must be provided via email to info@zip-codes.com and must include:

• Description of the incident and affected data
• Number of potentially exposed records
• Steps taken to contain and remediate
• Contact information for your incident response team

You agree to cooperate fully with Zip-Codes.com's investigation and remediation efforts, and to implement reasonable security measures recommended by Zip-Codes.com to prevent recurrence.

Failure to provide timely breach notification constitutes a material breach of this agreement.

Disclaimer Of Warranties

You expressly understand and agree that:

Your use of The Service and The Product are at your sole risk. The Service /The Product is provided on an "As Is" and "As Available" basis. Zip-Codes.com expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

Zip-Codes.com makes no warranty that:

1. The Service/Product will meet your requirements,
2. The Service/Product will be uninterrupted or timely,
3. The quality of any products, services, information, or other material obtained by you through The Service /Product will meet your expectations, and

No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from Zip-Codes.com or through or from The Service shall create any warranty not expressly stated in the Terms Of Service.

THE SERVICES AND ALL INFORMATION, PRODUCTS AND OTHER CONTENT (INCLUDING THIRD PARTY INFORMATION, PRODUCTS AND CONTENT) INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THIS WEB SITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE TO YOU. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ZIP-CODES.COM DISCLAIMS ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES (EXPRESS, IMPLIED AND STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ON-INFRINGEMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS) AS TO THE SERVICES AND ALL INFORMATION, PRODUCTS AND OTHER CONTENT (INCLUDING THIRD PARTY INFORMATION, PRODUCTS AND CONTENT) INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THIS WEB SITE.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall Zip-Codes.com or its affiliates be liable for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, incidental, exemplary or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever, resulting from any loss of use, loss of data, loss of profits, business interruption, litigation or any other pecuniary loss, whether based on breach of contract, tort (including negligence), product liability or otherwise, arising out of or in any way connected with the use or performance of other sites, with the delay or inability to use other sites, or with the provision of or failure to make available any information, services, products, materials, or other resources contained on other sites, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Zip-Codes.com, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and suppliers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising from or relating to:

1. Your violation of these Terms of Service or any applicable law or regulation.
2. Your use, misuse, or redistribution of the Product(s), Service(s), or data, including any claims by your customers, end users, or third parties.
3. Any inaccuracy, error, or alleged defect in data you provide to third parties derived from or incorporating the Product(s), Service(s), or data, or any business decisions made by you or third parties based on the Product(s), Service(s), or data.
4. Any claim that your use of the Product(s), Service(s), or data infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property rights or other rights of any third party.
5. Any unauthorized access to the Product(s), Service(s), or data resulting from your failure to implement reasonable security measures.
6. Any breach of your data destruction obligations following termination.
7. Your creation or operation of any public-facing service, API, or application utilizing the Product(s), Service(s), or data, whether authorized or unauthorized under these terms.

This indemnification obligation survives termination of this agreement. Zip-Codes.com reserves the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification, at your expense.

Downstream Use and Third-Party Claims

If you incorporate the Product(s), Service(s), or data into products, services, or applications provided to your customers or end users (whether under a Redistribution License or otherwise):

1. No Warranty to Third Parties: You acknowledge that Zip-Codes.com makes no warranties, representations, or guarantees to your customers, end users, or any third parties regarding the Product(s), Service(s), or data. All warranties and disclaimers in these Terms of Service apply equally to downstream use.

2. Your Responsibility: You are solely responsible for:

• Determining the suitability of the Product(s), Service(s), or data for your applications
• Validating data accuracy for your specific use cases
• Providing appropriate disclaimers to your customers
• Any errors, omissions, or consequences resulting from your use of the Product(s), Service(s), or data

3. No Consequential Liability: Zip-Codes.com is not liable for any business decisions, financial losses, service failures, or other consequences experienced by you, your customers, or any third party based on Product(s), Service(s), or data content, even if the data contains errors or becomes outdated.

4. Chain of Liability: You agree to include in your customer agreements terms that disclaim Zip-Codes.com's liability and prohibit third-party claims against Zip-Codes.com. You will not make any representations about Zip-Codes.com or the Product(s), Service(s), or data that would create obligations or liabilities for Zip-Codes.com.

5. Indemnification: Your indemnification obligations under this agreement specifically include defending Zip-Codes.com against any claims by your customers or downstream users, even if those claims relate to alleged data inaccuracies or errors.

Changes to Sites

Zip-Codes.com may change or modify the information, services, products, materials, and any other resources contained on or accessible through their sites, or discontinue their sites altogether, at any time without notice. If Zip-Codes.com discontinues its service for any reason, it will refund any prorated portion of the database cost not already used by the customer.

No License Granted

Nothing on this Web site or your use of The Service shall be construed as conferring any license or other rights under the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of Zip-Codes.com or any third party, whether by implication or otherwise.

You may not redistribute (outside of your organization) our Product(s), Service(s), or data without purchasing a Redistribution License first. A Redistribution License is available for products including, but not limited to:

• U.S. ZIP Code Database
• U.S. ZIP+4 ZIP Code Database
• Canadian Postal Code Database

Law

Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. Each party consents to the jurisdiction of the Federal and New York State courts sitting in Dutchess County, New York (and the appellate courts to which judgments of such Federal and State courts may be appealed), and agrees to commence any litigation hereunder in one of those courts.

If any part of this Agreement is found void and unenforceable, it will not affect the validity of the balance of the Agreement, which shall remain valid and enforceable according to its terms.