# OS Maps API

Get started for free and integrate Ordnance Survey’s up-to-date, detailed maps in your apps, enabling your customers to make location-based decisions with confidence, and removing the overhead of managing complex datasets yourself.

Choose the style that suites your use case best, whether you need the detail of OS MasterMap or our iconic Leisure maps. There are four styles available: Road, Outdoor, Light and Leisure. Each map style contains OS OpenData and Premium data layers.

OS Maps API serves pre-rendered raster tiles and is available in two projections: British National Grid for GB data and Web Mercator which is a global coordinate system. You can request the maps using the Open Geospatial Consortium Web Map Tile Service (WMTS[^1]) standard or RESTful ZXY[^2]. WMTS is supported by most GIS software and ZXY is efficient for web mapping.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Features" %}
**High-quality basemaps**

Provides access to high-quality raster basemaps in different styles and projections.

**Supports multiple access methods**

Supports Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) and ZXY access methods.

**Trace geometries**

Trace over accurate and detailed OS MasterMap geometries.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Benefits" %}
**Seamless integration**

Enables developers to embed OS Maps into applications, GIS platforms and websites.

**Up-to-date mapping**

Ensures that users always have access to the most current mapping data.

**Reduced overheads**

Reduces time and overheads by offering ready-to-use basemap layers.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Summary" %}

* **Format:** Raster tiles
* **Data Source**: [OS Open Zoomstack](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/products/maps-and-imagery-portfolio/os-open-zoomstack), [OS MasterMap Topography Layer](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/products/maps-and-imagery-portfolio/os-mastermap-topography-layer) and [1:25 000 Scale Colour Raster](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/products/maps-and-imagery-portfolio/1-25-000-scale-colour-raster) 
* **Coverage:** Great Britain
* **Update:** 15 working days from each [product refresh date](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/resources/product-resources/product-refresh-dates)
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## **Things to remember for OS Maps API**

{% hint style="success" %}
You can:

* Use as a basemap in GIS, web or mobile applications
* Overlay your own data to give it geographic context
* Trace over OS MasterMap Topography Layers (Premium data) detailed geometries
* View the whole of Great Britain in unrivalled, elegant detail
* Access the iconic 1:25 000 Scale Colour Raster (Premium data)
* Present mapping in different styles according to your needs
* Access the maps in different projections – British National Grid and Web Mercator
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can't:

* Re-style the maps as they are pre-rendered images
* Interact with the map features
  {% endhint %}

## What's next?

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th><select><option value="XaKUW4PpOnId" label="Labs.os.uk" color="blue"></option></select></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Getting started</strong></td><td>The getting started guide provides an introduction to using the OS Maps API.</td><td></td><td><a href="os-maps-api/getting-started">getting-started</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Technical specification</strong></td><td>The technical specification explains the content of the OS Maps API, and the methods that you can use to call it.</td><td></td><td><a href="os-maps-api/technical-specification">technical-specification</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Code examples</strong></td><td>Code examples you can use to display a map using the OS Maps API.</td><td><span data-option="XaKUW4PpOnId">Labs.os.uk</span></td><td><a href="https://labs.os.uk/public/os-data-hub-examples/os-maps-api/zxy-3857-basic-map#maplibre-gl-js">https://labs.os.uk/public/os-data-hub-examples/os-maps-api/zxy-3857-basic-map#maplibre-gl-js</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

[^1]: A Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) is an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard protocol for serving pre-rendered map tiles over the Internet

[^2]: A common and easy-to-integrate form of slippy map for the web. Plug and play maps for your web apps.