ZIP Code Database FAQs

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What methods of payment do you accept?
2. Do you accept purchase orders?
3. What format does the database come in?
4. How do I get the monthly database updates?
5. Will a CD be mailed to me? How do I get the database?
6. What happens after my 1 year subscription?
7. How much does it cost to renew?
8. Do you include ZIP Codes for the entire United States?
9. Why do some ZIP Codes only have 3 or 4 digits in Excel?
10. How often do you update the database?
11. How current is the data?
12. What are the sources of the data?
13. How accurate is the data?
14. Do you have any other countries besides the U.S.?
15. How long does it take to get the data?
16. Can I automate the database delivery?
17. Do ZIP Codes change often?
18. Do you support Military APO/FPO/DPO ZIP Codes?
19. Do you have DMA information?
20. How long have you been in business?
21. What separates you from your competitors?

Q. What methods of payment do you accept?

A. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and PayPal for immediate download. You can also place your order choosing Mail In Check or Purchase Order but you will be unable to download the database until your payment is received.

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Q. Do you accept purchase orders?

A. Yes, we can accept purchase orders. Simply go through the order process as normal. When you come to the payment screen, choose Purchase Order as the payment type and complete your order. You can then print out a purchase order and mail in the payment. Once payment is received, access to download the database will be turned on.

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Q. What format does the database come in?

A. Our US ZIP Code Database is provided in three (4) formats: Microsoft® Access [.MDB], Microsoft® Excel [.XLS], ASCII Comma Delimited [.CSV], and a SQL Formatted File (.SQL).

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Q. How do I get the monthly database updates?

A. When you purchase, you setup a username and password. Each month, we will notify you via email that an updated database is available. Visit our site and login using your username and password. The updated databases will be available for download in any format we provide as well as a transactional log file with just the changes only.

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Q. Will a CD be mailed to me? How do I get the database?

A. No, our US ZIP Code Database is not mailed to you on CD. Once your order is completed, you will be able to download immediately. All monthly updates are also provided for online download. This ensures fastest delivery as the database is updated each month.

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Q. What happens after my 1 year subscription?

A. When your ZIP Code Database subscription is expiring, we will notify you by email 30, 10, and 1 day in advance. You can choose to renew at the current rate, or let your subscription expire. You can continue to use the database after your subscription has expired, but if you don't renew, you won't continue to get monthly updates.

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Q. How much does it cost to renew?

A. Currently, renewal prices are the same as the original purchase price.

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Q. Do you include ZIP Codes for the entire United States?

A. Yes. ZIP Code data is provided for all 50 U.S. States, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and APO/FPO Military ZIP Codes.

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Q. Why do some ZIP Codes only have 3 or 4 digits in Excel?

A. Several ZIP Codes start 0 or 00. Excel interprets the column as numeric data, therefore it removes all preceding zeros. The data is good, it is simply Excel formatting the output. To correct this, open the spreadsheet. Highlight the column by clicking on "A" above the ZIP Code Label. From the menu at the top of the application, choose "Format" and then "Cells". On the popup window, choose "Special" from the "Number Tab" section, and then choose "ZIP Code" to the right. Click "OK". The ZIP Codes should now be formatted properly.

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Q. How often do you update the database?

A. Our ZIP Code Database is updated every month.

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Q. How current is the data?

A. Our ZIP Code Database is updated every month. the data is current as of April, 2025

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Q. What are the sources of the data?

A. Our ZIP Code Database is licensed and compiled from various sources. Postal and Delivery data comes from the USPS, Demographic data from the US Census, Statistical Areas from the OMB (Office of Management & Budget), private data sources, and some are computed by Zip-Codes.com.

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Q. How accurate is the data?

A. Accurate data is critical to the success of your business and ours. Zip-Codes.com implements a very rigorous set of data integrity checks to ensure our database is as accurate as possible. In the unlikely event that a portion of data is confirmed as inaccurate, we will correct it within 2 business days. Our Free ZIP Code Database offers the same precise data, but with shortened Latitude/Longitude values.

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Q. Do you have any other countries besides the U.S.?

A. Yes. We also have the Canadian Postal Code Database.

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Q. How long does it take to get the data?

A. Instantly. As soon as your order is confirmed and payment is received, you can download the database.

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Q. Can I automate the database delivery?

A. Yes! Please email us requesting an FTP Account be setup for you to use in automating your processes. Please include your username or order number for reference. We will have it up and running within 1 hour.

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Q. Do ZIP Codes change often?

A. ZIP Code data changes frequently. Every year there are thousands of changes to the USPS ZIP Code records. Cities are added and removed. ZIP Codes are created or discontinued. Corrections are made. Boundaries change. Streets are added and street names change. Within a short time period, the database will be outdated if you do not download it every month.

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Q. Do you sport Military APO/FPO/DPO ZIP Codes??

A. Yes! Overseas military post offices operated or supported by the Army or Air Force use the city abbreviation APO [Army Post Office / Air (Force) Post Office], while overseas military post offices operated or supported by the Navy, Marine Corps or U.S. Coast Guard use the city abbreviation FPO (Fleet Post Office). Recently, the Department of State has begun establishing a semi-independent overseas postal system. Their city abbreviation is DPO. As of March 2009, less than 10 U.S. Embassy locations are known as DPOs. The other approximately 90 overseas U.S. embassy post offices fall under the management oversight of the military services and so are known as either as APOs or FPOs. Three quasi-state codes have been assigned depending on the (approximate) geographic location of the military mail recipient and also the carrier route to be taken. They are:

• AE (Armed Forces Europe / Canada / Middle East / Africa) - 09XXX
• AP (Armed Forces Pacific) - 962XX through 966XX
• AA (Armed Forces Americas [excluding domestic and Canada]) - 340XX

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Q. Do you have DMA information?

A. No, Nielsen is the provider of that data and they do not allow others to redistribute it. If you need it, you need to go directly to them to get it at Nielsen.com

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Q. How long have you been in business?

A. We have been selling our databases online since 2003 and have become the most trusted source of ZIP Code data.

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Q. What separates you from your competitors?

A. What separates us from our competitors is our level of customer service. We are here every day and we answer the phones during business hours. If you have a question or problem, we are here to help you. Additionally, we provide the most comprehensive database at the most competitive price. Our competition doesn't even come close. Try calling them! Also, our rigorous data integrity checks make our data the most accurate you can purchase.

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Portions of data provided by and © United States Postal Service 2025. Zip-Codes.com is a non-exclusive licensee of the United States Postal Service.