| Ordering |
1. Do you accept purchase orders?
In order to keep our overhead down and to keep our prices low, we do not have an “accounts receivable department”.
If you would like, we can send you an invoice by fax or by email. As soon as we receive your check, we will immediately process your order. For immediate access to the files, we accept payment by Visa, MasterCard, AMEX or Discovery / Novus.
An order form is also available at:
http://www.zipdatafiles.com/forms/ORDER_FORM.PDF
You can order 24 / 7 by phone at: 800-546-1612
or by our secure online ordering system at http://www.tpsnet.com/html/ziporder.html
Our main website for the Zip Code data is at: http://www.zipcodedatabases.com
| Caps and Propercase |
2. Why is the data in all Caps?
Zip Code USA is data is in all "CAPS" because the USPS's official format requires it for their MOCR scanning equipment to generate the "POSTNET" bar codes (there are less errors in the scan).
Most relational database applications can convert all caps to proper case. Please check your programming manual that you use.
For your convenience you can download a file of the US Cities that have a 5 digit Zip Code in "proper case" format at:
| Zip Codes |
3. Why are there gaps in the sequence of Zip Codes?
Be assured that Zip Code USA is an "enhanced" version of the USPS's monthly updated City/State file. We do not alter or change their data in anyway.
Note: Be sure that you have downloaded the most current Zip Code USA database. New Zip Codes are listed 3 months prior to actual use.
The USPS Zip Code database has intentional gaps to allow expansion.
New Zip Codes are assigned when there are additional mail volume in a given area.
The new Zip Code may be assigned with a number that is out of sequence to an adjoining Zip Code (ie:10001, 10002). This is the reason Zip Code USA has Latitude / Longitude coordinate fields in the database.
Additionally, Zip Codes may be deleted when the mail volume fall below a determined amount.
If you have Zip Codes in your contact database that are not listed in Zip Code USA, it is most likely that the Zip Codes in your database are not current.
For address verification, standardization, correction and general “clean-up”, go to:
http://www.casscertification.net
If you still feel that the our data is inaccurate (Fields 1-17) of Zip Code USA, you may contact..
Address Information Products
National Customer Support Products
United States Postal Service
6060 Primacy Pkwy STE 101
Memphis, TN 38188
1-800-238-3150
Please refer to the City/State file. TPS's file has no lag behind USPS. So a December file is a December file etc.
TPS is a licensed reseller of the USPS's postal data sets
.| Cities |
4. Are there missing cities in the data?
Zip Codes and thier associated cities are included in the USPS database when there are sufficient volume of mail to warrant a Zip Code.The USPS may retire a Zip Code when this mail volume falls below the determined amount.
Very small villages may receive their mail at a post office box at the nearest town to them.
If you have any further questions regarding the exclusion of Zip Codes and/or their respective town name please phone USPS Customer Support at 800-238-3150 and please refer to the City-State file.
TPS is a licensed reseller of the USPS Postal Data.
5. What is the Last Line City field?
There are about 42,500 Zip Codes with approx 78,000 total records in the official USPS database. The extra records contain all known aliases for the “Last Line City Name” (LLCity) for that city. The LLCity is the “Official USPS Name” for that Zip Code. There are only 1 LLCity for each Zip Code. Zip Code USA Jr only contains LLCities.
| Counties |
6. Why are only 1 County per City?
The USPS only provides 1 “Predominate” county per Zip Code, even though it is possible to have more than 1 county within the Zip Code (Zip Code / County Splits).
We have addressed this problem with a free "add-ons" to Zip Code USA that you can download.
Cities with Multiple Counties Database
- Comma Delimited ASCII, SDF, XLS and Dbase - Comma Delimited ASCII, SDF, and Dbase7. Why is there a County split, when there shouldn't be one?
The Zipcnty.xxx file is derived from the USPS Zip+4 file. Zip+4’s are assigned to areas base on “mail volume”. For instance, even a business with a post office box could have it, own Zip+4 assigned to it.
There are records in Zipcnty.xxx that show county splits when the USPS Zip+4 data has any record that yields any counties FIP's code change to the Zip5 field.
| FIPS Codes |
8. How accurate are the FIPS Codes
Our FIPS codes are ‘extracted” from USPS data sets (City-State File). We make no “in house” changes to this data. Changes would make our data sets incompatible with each other and “Uncertified”. We cannot guarantee the compatibility and or accuracy with other databases outside of USPS data sets.
Please address your concerns to:
Coding Accuracy Support System
National Customer Support Center
United States Postal Service
6060 Primacy Pwy Ste 201
Memphis TN 38188-0001
800-642-2914
901-681-4440 (FAX)
| Demographic Field Data |
9. How accurate is the demographic data ?
The 2000 Demographic data in Zip Code USA fields 23-31 are matched against released data from the US Census bureau. TPS will not alter, estimate, or correct these data fields until the data is officially available from the US Census Bureau.Please note that in the 1990 Census, it took 5 years to obtain all available data from the Bureau.
The typical reasons for non-matched data are..
Please note that Zip Code USA has multiple city names per Zip Code. The "net" non-matches should be obtained by eliminating duplicate Zip Code records or by using Zip Code USA Jr.
Please refer to the file "define.pdf" for detailed information of the data fields.
| Area Codes |
10. How accurate are the Area Codes?
Zip Code USA has the most accurate Zip Code to Area Code database available. The Area codes are matched against their respective Post Offices Area Code. This data is updated quarterly.
Zip Codes and Area Codes mapping boundaries do no always line up exactly. Example problem areas are in major cities such Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. In some instances, we list multiple area codes for that Zip Code.
The only 100% accurate area code database there is from
http://www.telcordia.com (the copyright owners of Area Codes), however their data does not contain Zip Codes.We do not make any modifications to the Zip Code USA’s area code field without verification.
| Latitude / Longitude Coordinates |
11. Are there missing Latitude / Longitude Coordinates?
Thank you for your feedback on our Zip Code USA database!
We are consistently updating Latitude / Longitude. We try our best to get a 99%+ match up. However, we hit roadblocks in getting this information. New Zip Codes have no data available for Latitude / Longitude coordinates. When they become available, we will update the Zip Code USA database.
Please note that Military APO/FPO Zip Codes will not have Latitude / Longitude coordinates.
If you cannot have "null" data, the best choice at this time is to use the nearest matching Zip Code's Lat/Long data. If there are 2 nearest matches divide the data by 2.
Thank you for your patience.
| Refunds and liabilities |
12. What is your policy on accuracy and returns?
Limit of Liability
TPS Products & Services, Inc (TPS) provides databases for lawful purposes only and expressly forbids the use of TPS supplied databases in any unlawful manner. TPS shall not be liable for any damages or losses sustained by the purchaser through the use of any database. Further, TPS shall not be liable for any special or consequential damages and in no event shall TPS liability exceed the cost of the database. All data has been verified and recorded, but TPS cannot guarantee accuracy of the data.
Returns & Refunds
Files on disks, tapes and media retrieved via Internet will be replaced at no additional charge if file(s) and/or media are found to be defective within 30 days of date of purchase. There are no refunds under any circumstances.
Portions of the Zip Code USA copyrighted by the United States Postal Service and The United States Census Bureau - (c) TPS Products and Services, Inc
| User License |
13. What is your user license?
User License
The Zip Code USA User License grants you the right to include the database in an application to all users in a single company.
This license also allows the use of the Zip Code USA Database for an application that is on a computer network. The application on the network must include in view to the user(s) that the data is derived from TPS Products and Services, Inc.
All data must be protected and/or restricted so the "end-user" can not create a competitive product.
The database can not be resold all or part.
| Developer License |
14. What is the Developer license?
Developer License
For a additional fee of 100% of the user license fee, you may incorporate any part of the Zip Code USA database on an "unlimited basis" provided that the data is encrypted and the "end user" can not create a competitive product.
The developer must include in their product that the data is derived from TPS Products and Services, Inc.
NOTE: Licenses are valid only for non-competitive products. Developers license is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.