OS Open UPRN has two coordinate reference systems (CRSs) present within the data:
British National Grid (BNG)
European Terrestrial Reference System 89 (ETRS89)
BNG uses the OSGB36 geodetic datum and a single Transverse Mercator projection for the whole of Great Britain. Positions on this projection are described using Easting and Northing coordinates in units of metres. The BNG is a horizontal spatial reference system only; it does not specify a vertical (height) reference system.
ETRS89 is the EU recommended frame of reference for European data and is represented as Latitude and Longitude values. ETRS89 is a horizontal spatial reference system only; it does not specify a vertical (height) reference system.
Please view our 'Guide to Coordinate Systems in Great Britain' for more information on CRSs.
On this page you'll find product supply information for OS Open UPRN, including available formats, the supply mechanism and the currency.
The OS Open UPRN product is available as either a comma-separated values (CSV) file or GeoPackage (GPKG) file.
OS Open UPRN is supplied for the whole of Great Britain as a single CSV file containing all records.
CSV files are a delimited text file that uses commas or other characters to separate individual elements of a feature. It is used to store data, often in the form of a table. These tables can be freely loaded into databases and programs, allowing for the easy loading and updating of data holdings.
The CSV format of OS Open UPRN means:
Column headers will be included in the file.
There will be one record per line in each file.
Fields will be separated by commas.
No comma will be placed at the end of each row in the file.
Records will be terminated by Carriage Return / Line Feed.
OS Open UPRN is supplied as a single GeoPackage for the whole of Great Britain.
GeoPackage (GPKG) is an open standard data format as defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). GeoPackage is designed to be a lightweight format that can contain large amounts of varied and complex data in a single, easy-to-distribute and ready-to-use file.
Please be advised that older versions of GIS software may need updating before being able to display and interact with GeoPackage files.
GeoPackage offers users the following benefits:
The single file is easy to transfer and offers the end-user a rich experience.
Attribute names are not limited in length, making it user-friendly.
The file size limit is very large at 140TB, so lots of data can be easily accommodated (please note that a file size limit may be imposed by the file system to which the file is written).
It supports raster, vector and database formats, making it a highly versatile solution.
It is an OGC standard.
In most cases, it is a plug and play format.
For information on how to open, use and understand a GeoPackage dataset, please refer to our ‘Getting Started with GeoPackage’ guide. Further detailed information on GeoPackage can be taken from the GeoPackage website.
OS Open UPRN is supplied as a free online download and is available without registration from the OS Data Hub. You can select a data format during the download process; depending on which format you choose, you will receive a single file containing either all records with headers already included (CSV) or the structure already defined (GeoPackage).
This product covers Great Britain.
Both formats are available as a Full Supply only. Areas of interest (AOI) orders and Change-Only Updates (COUs) are not available for this product.
The product will be refreshed on a six-weekly basis, in-line with the relevant AddressBase Premium product release Epoch dates. The dates for product release can be found on the 'Future publication dates' page (these dates are also published on the OS website).
This overview introduces OS Open UPRN and gives context for all users – highlighting key features, providing examples of potential uses, and listing details such as supply formats, currency, etc.
OS Open UPRN is an open dataset that contains the position of each record held within AddressBase Premium along with the unique identifier – the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).
The product allows users to link and associate datasets by using either the UPRN or the position of the address point. It is designed to bridge the gap between disparate data sets and enable the wider adoption of the UPRN to encourage greater data sharing.
This data is usable in a GIS application and can also be integrated into a spatial database.
Unique Property Reference Number
A UPRN is a unique numeric identifier for every addressable location in Great Britain. The UPRN is the persistent identifier providing consistency across the AddressBase product range.
Each address record has a UPRN, assigned by either Ordnance Survey or Local Authorities in England, Wales and Scotland, depending on the type of address. This is the primary key of the OS Open UPRN product.
Throughout its lifecycle, information on the address of a property can change. This may be due to a change of name, change of use, or the eventual demolition of the property. Independent of any changes being made, the UPRN associated to an address is never changed, meaning the unique identifier remains persistent and reliable.
The key features of the OS Open UPRN product are:
It will be synchronised to the release of AddressBase Premium in completeness and currency.
It will include UPRNs for all addressable locations. An addressable location may be any kind of building, residential or commercial, or it may be an object that might not have a ‘normal’ address, such as a pond or bus shelter.
All UPRNs will be included, independent of their lifecycle state. Therefore, under construction, in use and demolished UPRNs will all be included.
Both the CSV and the GeoPackage data formats will have five core attributes: UPRN, X_COORDINATE, Y_COORDINATE, LATITUDE and LONGITUDE. More information about the structure of the product can be found in the OS Open UPRN Technical Specification.
OS Open UPRN enables users to:
Share information held against a UPRN with a location.
Link together information associated with UPRNs.
The above core use cases will enable many more datasets to be published which include the authoritative UPRN as well as the precise geometry included in OS Premium products. This will facilitate the wider adoption of the UPRN and make a critical identifier widely available.
This overview includes the following sections: