Frequently asked questions

UPCS, the Universal Post Code System (upcs.io), generates a short code for an exact location you choose on a map. It works alongside a normal address and does not replace official postcodes.

UPCS is for anyone who needs to describe an exact spot, such as people sharing a home or meeting point, and for businesses that want a precise delivery or service location. Developers and store owners can also add it to their own sites through the partner tools.

Open the map on upcs.io, choose your location, and the code is generated for that spot. You can then copy or share it.

UPCS sign-in uses your WhatsApp number and a one-time code (OTP) sent to you. There is no separate password to remember.

Signed-in users get an account dashboard and a My postcodes area where their codes are kept.

UPCS currently supports 25 countries: Pakistan, United States, India, China, Brazil, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Vietnam. A point outside these countries cannot be given a code.

UPCS is a website, so you can open upcs.io in your phone's browser like any other site.

No installation is needed for personal use; it runs in your browser. Businesses that want UPCS in their store can download plugins from the plugins page.

Yes. Find your home on the map, zoom in and pick the exact spot you want, such as your front door or gate, and its code is generated. Anyone who opens that code is taken to that same spot.

It lets someone reach a precise location from a short code instead of a long description. You can share it, search it, open it in a map and get directions to it, and it always leads to the exact spot that was picked.

The map is divided into small 3 m by 3 m cells, and each cell has its own code. When you pick a point, UPCS gives you the code of the cell it falls in, and opening that code takes anyone straight back to that spot.

Yes, keep your address as usual. The code sits alongside it and adds the one thing an address often cannot: the exact spot to go to.

Signed-in users have a My postcodes section in their account where their codes are kept. Sign in on upcs.io to view it.

Featured locations is a page on the UPCS website that highlights selected places and their codes.

Yes. Businesses can create a partner account, manage API keys there, and add the UPCS map to their checkout or website.

Open the map, pick a place you know well and generate its code. Then paste that code into the search box to see how the lookup page works.

Browse the help pages in the help hub for step-by-step guidance. If you still need an answer, use the contact page.

Yes. A UPCS code is created from the exact point you choose on the map, and anyone who opens it, by pasting it into the search box or by following a share link, is taken to that same spot.

A UPCS code identifies a 3 m by 3 m square on the ground, about the size of a parking space. That is small enough to mark a gate, a door or a meeting point.

A code replaces long directions and guesswork with one short, shareable reference to the exact place. Whoever you send it to can open it and go straight to that spot.

A postcode is a short code, made of letters, numbers or both, that is added to an address to help sort and route mail. Official postcodes are issued by national postal operators or governments.

Postal services use it to sort mail quickly and send it to the right delivery area. Many businesses and online forms also use it to estimate shipping or check a delivery address.

ZIP code is the name used in the United States, while postcode or postal code is the general term used in many other countries. They do the same job, but the formats and the areas they cover differ.

Each country designs its own system, so formats vary in length and in the mix of letters and digits. Some use five digits, some six, and some combine letters and numbers.

No. Many countries have nationwide postcodes, but some have none or only partial systems. Where there is no postcode, mail relies on the place name, street or a local description.

Usually not. A postcode normally covers an area, such as a group of streets or a district, so neighbours often share the same code. A UPCS code is different: it identifies one 3 m by 3 m square, so it points to an exact spot.

PIN code is the name for the postal code used in India. It is a six-digit number that identifies a postal delivery area.

An address is a human-readable description, such as a street, number and town. A location is a precise point, usually expressed as latitude and longitude, that can be shown on a map.

A digital address is a short code or reference that stands for a specific place and can be shared electronically. It can be used alongside a traditional address to point to an exact spot.

Streets may be unnamed, buildings may be unnumbered, or areas may have grown faster than addresses were assigned. In these places people often give directions or landmarks instead.

Common causes are missing or unclear street names, buildings without numbers, similar place names and entrances that are hard to find. Adding a UPCS code gives the driver the exact door or gate to head for.

They are a pair of numbers that describe a position on the Earth. Latitude measures north or south of the equator and longitude measures east or west, so together they point to one place.

UK postcodes are made of two parts separated by a space: an outward part that identifies the area and district, and an inward part that narrows it down to a small group of addresses.

A standard US ZIP code has five digits. A longer ZIP+4 version adds four more digits to describe a smaller delivery segment.

A Canadian postal code has six characters in a letter, number, letter pattern followed by a number, letter, number pattern, usually written with a space in the middle.

Yes. Postal operators may add, split or revise postcodes as areas grow or delivery routes are reorganised, so it is worth checking an address for current details.

No. Official postcodes are assigned by the national postal authority, so a code you invent will not be recognised by mail systems. A separate location code, such as a UPCS code, can accompany your address but is not an official postcode.

It is a code that identifies a square cell of a map grid, so every point inside the square shares the same code. UPCS works this way, using cells of 3 m by 3 m.

Yes. A postcode covers an area and a street address describes a building, while a UPCS code identifies a 3 m by 3 m square and leads to the exact spot you picked. It works best alongside your normal address.

A UPCS code does not depend on street names or numbers. Pick your spot on the map and the code leads anyone who opens it to that exact place, so you can add it to whatever address description you use.

Yes. Because the code comes from a point on the map, it works for a gate, a side entrance, a farm track or a building that is too new to have an address, as long as the place is in a supported country.

A UPCS code has the form CC-XXXX-XXXX, for example PK-1A2B-3C4D. It starts with a two-letter country prefix followed by two blocks of letters and digits.

The two letters at the start are the country prefix, such as PK for Pakistan. The remaining two blocks identify the location inside that country.

Open the lookup page for your code and use Share or Copy link, then paste the link into a message or email. You can also send the code itself as text.

Paste the code into the search box at the top of the UPCS site. The lookup page then shows where it is.

Yes. Add the code to the site address, for example upcs.io/PK-1A2B-3C4D, and the lookup page for that code opens.

It shows the code, the country, the coordinates and the latitude and longitude of the location. It also offers Open in Map, Get Directions, Share or Copy link, and Copy coordinates.

Look up the code and choose Get Directions on the lookup page. This takes you to navigation for that exact location.

On the lookup page, use the Copy coordinates button. You can then paste the latitude and longitude into another map or app.

Use the Open in Map option on the lookup page to see that location on the map.

No. Each code corresponds to one 3 m by 3 m grid cell, so every code leads to one place and every place has one code.

Yes. The same place always gives the same code, so the result is consistent every time.

Not necessarily. Any points that fall in the same 3 m by 3 m cell share one code, while points in different cells get different codes.

Yes. Give the code or its link to the driver and opening it leads straight to the exact spot you picked. Keep your full address on the order as well, since couriers and shops use addresses for their own records.

Put your normal address in the address fields and add the code in a note or delivery instructions field if one is available. The code adds the exact spot to your address.

UPCS cannot generate a code for it and returns an unsupported location error. Choose a point inside one of the 25 supported countries instead.

Check that you typed it exactly, including the country prefix and both blocks. A code that does not exist will not return a location.

Open the map, move to the location and choose it. You do not need to be there in person to generate its code.

Generate your code, copy the share link and send it. The person can open it to see the location and use Get Directions.

Yes. The recipient only needs the code or the link: they can paste the code into the search box on upcs.io or add it to the site address to see the location.

Yes. Whoever you give the code to, whether a driver, technician or guest, is taken to the exact spot you picked when they open it. Picking the gate or entrance on the map gives the best result.

No. A code belongs to its 3 m by 3 m cell, so it stays the same however many times you share, copy or look it up.

UPCS divides the map into square cells that measure 3 metres by 3 metres. Every point inside one cell shares the same code.

A code identifies a 3 m by 3 m square, so it leads to the exact spot you picked on the map. For the best result, zoom in and pick the gate, door or entrance you want people to reach.

A UPCS code leads exactly to the point you choose on the map. Phone GPS readings can drift a few metres indoors or between tall buildings, so for the best result zoom in and tap the spot you mean rather than relying on a detected position.

A detected position can drift because of buildings, weather and the device itself. Zoom in on the map and tap the exact spot you mean, and the code will lead to that spot.

The cell is the 3 m square you picked, so choose the point at your entrance or gate and the code leads people right there. Zooming in to the grid makes it easy to place the point exactly.

No. A UPCS code is not issued by any government or postal operator and does not replace national postal systems. It complements a normal address with an exact location.

No. Legal and postal use requires your official address and, where applicable, your official postcode. A UPCS code is an extra aid for finding the location.

UPCS is not integrated with any postal operator or government. It is an independent system that can sit alongside official addresses.

A code points to a place, so anyone you give it to can look up that location. Share it only with people you want to know where it is.

A code stands for a fixed cell, not for you as a person or your live movement. Sharing it shows a place, not where you are at a given moment.

Sign-in uses your WhatsApp number and a one-time code. For how personal data is handled, read the privacy policy on the UPCS website.

Be careful. A precise code makes it easy for anyone who sees it to locate your door, so avoid posting it on public pages and share it only with people you trust.

It is common to share a location with a delivery driver for a specific order. Use the order channel provided by the shop or courier and avoid posting the code publicly.

It is safer to pick a public meeting place and share that code instead of your home. Keep your own address private until you trust the other person.

You can generate a code for a location in a supported country, but be respectful of other people's privacy. Do not share the code for someone else's home without their permission.

A UPCS code leads whoever opens it to the exact location you picked, which is the surest way to point a driver to your door. Arrival timing is up to the driver or courier, so a landmark or floor number is a helpful extra.

The privacy policy on the UPCS website explains how personal data is handled. This FAQ does not describe data storage or processing.

No. A code is tied to its 3 m by 3 m cell on the map, so it always leads to the same square.

Zoom in until the grid appears and pick the exact point you want people to reach, such as the gate, door or car park entrance. The code then leads straight to that spot.

Yes. A code leads to the exact square you picked, which makes it a strong choice for places that are hard to describe, such as a farm entrance, a site gate or a spot in a large estate.

A business can let customers pick an exact delivery spot on a map and receive a short UPCS code for it. The code and its coordinates can be saved with the order so couriers know precisely where to go. It sits alongside the normal address.

No. A UPCS code is not an official postal code and is not issued by any government or postal operator. It is a complementary exact-location code that can accompany a normal address.

Go to the partner page on upcs.io and fill in the sign-up form with your name, work email, business or store name and a password, and choose your platform. This partner account is separate from the WhatsApp sign-in used for personal accounts. Once it is created you land in the partner panel, where a first API key already exists and where you manage your keys and allowed origins. Keys start with upcs_ and can be shown and copied from the panel.

Yes. The same key works in the UPCS plugins and in custom code. Remember that the hourly request limit applies per key.

Each key has an hourly request limit, which is 1,000 requests per hour by default. When the limit is exceeded, the API returns a 429 response with the code rate_limited.

Allowed origins are the website addresses that are permitted to show the UPCS embedded map with your key. They belong to your partner account and you register them in the partner panel. A session request for an origin that is not registered is rejected with a 403 and the code origin_not_allowed.

Yes. If you embed the map in a custom site, the site's origin must be registered under Allowed origins in the partner panel. Only https origins are accepted, with http://localhost:5173 allowed for development.

With the WordPress/WooCommerce plugin the code, latitude and longitude are saved as order meta. The PrestaShop module can link the location to the order and the OpenCart extension attaches the location to the order. For a custom site you receive the code from the map selection and store it yourself.

UPCS has no Shopify plugin, and none for Wix, Squarespace, Joomla, Drupal or Magento. If a platform lets you add your own code and a server component, you can use the embeddable map and the REST API described in the documentation.

UPCS supports 25 countries, including Pakistan, the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. A point outside the supported countries returns a 422 response with the code unsupported_location and no code is generated.

Yes. A courier can paste a code into the search box on upcs.io, or open the address upcs.io followed by the code, and land on the exact spot the customer picked. The lookup page offers Open in Map, Get Directions and Copy coordinates.

Each code identifies a 3 m by 3 m square, and the same place always gives the same code. A courier who opens the code is taken to the exact spot the customer picked.

Yes. Keep the key on your server and never place it in public browser code. The browser should only receive the short-lived session token created by your server.

A key can carry an IP restriction, and a session request from an IP address that is not allowed is rejected with a 403 response that has no code. The partner panel does not manage IP restrictions, so contact UPCS if you need one reviewed. Origins for the embedded map are controlled separately under Allowed origins.

Disabling a key or removing an origin immediately stops the embed sessions that depend on it. Visitors on your site will then be unable to use the map until the key or origin is restored.

No. UPCS generates a code for an exact map location and looks codes up. It does not provide address autocomplete or address validation as a product.

No, bulk upload is not available. Codes are created from individual locations through the map or through the API.

No. UPCS is an independent system and is not connected to any postal operator or government. Its codes sit alongside official postal addresses.

Yes. The code is created from the exact point the customer picked, and opening it takes the courier to that same spot. Timing and delivery outcome remain with the courier.

Yes. The customer picks the spot on the map and the code leads straight to it, so no street name or house number is needed to describe the location.

It lets your server create embed sessions for the interactive map, resolve coordinates to a UPCS code, look up a code and generate a code for a latitude and longitude. The documentation describes the REST API and embed script.

The documentation describes HTTP endpoints and an embed script, and no SDK is documented. You call the endpoints directly and load the embed script in the page.

Send your API key in the x-api-key header. The base URL for server requests is https://api.upcs.io/api, and keys start with upcs_.

From your server, send POST https://api.upcs.io/api/v1/embed/sessions with the x-api-key header and a JSON body such as {"origin":"https://shop.example.com"}. The response contains session_token, expires_at and embed_url.

By default a session lasts 15 minutes. You can set the optional ttl field to a value between 60 and 3600 seconds.

The session request uses your secret API key, which must never be exposed in browser code. Your server creates the short-lived session and passes only the session token to the page.

Load https://api.upcs.io/api/embed/upcs-embed.js and call UPCS.mount with a selector and an options object that includes your sessionToken. The call returns an object with the iframe and a destroy method.

The options are sessionToken, height, center, zoom, style, onSelect, onError and onReady. The style can be streets (the default), satellite, traffic or biking.

The 3 m by 3 m grid appears from zoom level 18. Users need to zoom in to that level to pick a precise grid cell.

It receives JSON with success, upcs_code, latitude, longitude, address, country_code, cell, saved and share_url. The latitude and longitude are the centre of the selected 3 m by 3 m cell. The cell object contains bounds for north, south, east and west, and a center.

It indicates whether the selected location was stored. With the resolve endpoint, sending save as true stores the result.

Send POST https://api.upcs.io/api/v1/embed/resolve with the x-api-key header and a body containing lat, lng and save. The response has the same shape as the map click response.

Send GET https://api.upcs.io/api/v1/upcs/lookup/{code} with your x-api-key header. The response includes the upcs_code, a location object, map links and a share_url. A malformed code returns 400 and an unknown code returns 404, and those two error bodies use error and message fields.

The location object contains latitude, longitude, address, label, country_code and country_flag. The response also includes map links and the share_url.

Send POST https://api.upcs.io/api/v1/upcs/generate with latitude and longitude, plus optional address and label. The response gives the upcs_code, is_existing and share_url.

The origin you send when creating a session must be registered under Allowed origins in the partner panel of the account that owns the key. Only https origins are accepted, and http://localhost:5173 works for development. Removing an origin immediately stops sessions that depend on it.

Both come from the embed session request. partner_required means the API key is not linked to a partner account, so you need a key from a partner panel. origin_not_allowed means the origin you sent is not registered under Allowed origins in the partner account that owns the key.

A 422 response with the code unsupported_location means the point is outside the supported countries. A 422 validation error means a field such as the origin, lat or lng was invalid.

Each key has an hourly limit, 1,000 requests per hour by default. Exceeding it returns 429 with the code rate_limited. Retry only after backing off, and do not retry 401, 403 or 422 errors, which need a fix instead.

Errors are returned as JSON with success set to false, a message and, for many failures, a code. Check the HTTP status and the code field to decide how to respond. The lookup endpoint is the exception: its 400 and 404 bodies use error and message fields.

Yes. A point is snapped to its 3 m by 3 m cell and the code is derived from that cell, so the same place always gives the same code and the code resolves back to that square.

UPCS provides a WordPress/WooCommerce plugin, a PrestaShop module and an OpenCart extension. You can download them from the plugins page on upcs.io.

No, there is no Shopify plugin. The same applies to Wix, Squarespace, Joomla and Drupal.

No ready-made Magento extension exists. Integration is conceptually possible through the embeddable map and the REST API.

The WordPress plugin, currently version 1.3.0, needs WordPress 5.8 or newer and PHP 8.0 or newer. WooCommerce is required only if you want the checkout map.

In your WordPress admin go to Plugins, then Add New, then Upload, and upload the plugin file. Then open Settings and choose UPCS Map.

Open Settings, then UPCS Map, and enter your API key in the Shared API Key field. The API Base URL is pre-filled and should be left as it is. Use the Test API Connection button to confirm that it works.

The plugin shows the map after the WooCommerce billing form. Customers pick their location there during checkout.

Use the [upcs_map] shortcode. It accepts the attributes height, for example height="600px", and zoom, for example zoom="6".

It saves the UPCS code, latitude and longitude as order meta. This keeps the exact location attached to each order.

The PrestaShop module, currently version 1.2.0, needs PrestaShop 1.7.7 or newer, and 8.x is supported.

In the back office go to Modules, then Module Manager, and choose Upload a module. After uploading, open the module configuration to set it up.

You configure the API key, the Status, the Display position and the option Link location to order. Together these control where the map appears and whether the location is attached to orders. The widget call is for the Manual position.

Orders show a UPCS Delivery Location card with the customer's chosen location.

Use the widget call {widget name='upcsmap'} in your template to place the map at a position you choose.

The OpenCart extension, currently version 1.1.0, is for OpenCart 4.x.

Go to Extensions, then Installer, and upload the extension file. Then enable the module and add it to the Checkout layout under Design, then Layouts.

Yes. The location the customer selects is attached to the order.

The plugins need an API key, and keys are created in the partner panel, so register a partner account on the partner page first. Your first key is created for you when you sign up.

Yes. Your server creates an embed session with the REST API and your page loads the embed script to show the map. The documentation page describes this.

Yes. The plugins save the UPCS code with the order, and opening that code takes the person fulfilling the order to the exact spot the customer chose on the map.

Common causes are a missing or expired session token, a page origin that is not registered under Allowed origins, or an inactive key. Check the browser console and the error returned by your session request.

The embed session token is missing, invalid or past its lifetime, which is 15 minutes by default. Create a new session on your server and mount the map again.

The API key behind a running embed session was disabled or has expired, so the map can no longer make requests. Check the key in the partner panel and enable it or use another key, then create a new session. A direct server call with a disabled key returns a 401 with the message Invalid or inactive API key and no code.

The x-api-key header is absent, the value is wrong, or the key is disabled or expired. These 401 responses carry a message but no code. Confirm that the full key starting with upcs_ is sent with the request and that it is enabled in the partner panel.

The API key you sent is not linked to a partner account, so a session cannot be created for it. Register a partner account on the partner page and use a key from its panel.

The origin sent with your request is not registered under Allowed origins in the partner account that owns the key. Add the exact https origin of your site in the partner panel.

The key has an IP restriction and your request came from an address that is not allowed. The response is a 403 with no code. Make the request from an allowed server, or contact UPCS with the outgoing IP, since the partner panel does not manage IP restrictions.

The selected point, or the coordinates sent to the resolve endpoint, are outside the 25 countries UPCS supports. Choose a location inside a supported country and check that latitude and longitude are not swapped.

One of the values you sent is invalid, such as the origin, lat or lng. Check the format of each field and try again.

The key has exceeded its hourly request limit, which is 1,000 requests per hour by default. Wait for the limit to reset and reduce unnecessary calls.

The live site's https origin must be registered separately under Allowed origins. Localhost is accepted only as http://localhost:5173 for development.

Removing an origin or disabling a key immediately stops the sessions that depend on it. Restore the origin or key and create a new session.

The grid appears only from zoom level 18. Zoom in further on the map to see the 3 m by 3 m cells.

Re-enter the API key under Settings, then UPCS Map, and press Test API Connection again. Also confirm that the key is active in the partner panel.

The checkout map needs WooCommerce and shows after the billing form of the classic checkout. Check that the plugin is activated, the API key is saved, your WordPress and PHP versions meet the requirements, and clear any page or asset cache.

Confirm the module is installed, Status is enabled, and it has a valid API key and a Display position that suits your theme. Your PrestaShop version should be 1.7.7 or newer, or you can place the map yourself with the widget call and the Manual position.

Make sure the module is enabled and added to the Checkout layout under Design, then Layouts. The extension is for OpenCart 4.x.

A UPCS code leads to the exact 3 m by 3 m cell that was picked, so if the spot looks different the point chosen was probably a cell nearby. Zoom in to the grid, select the exact cell you want and the new code will lead there.

The lookup endpoint returns 404 for a code that does not exist, and 400 for a value that is not a valid code format. Check for typing mistakes and that the code follows the format CC-XXXX-XXXX with the country prefix, for example PK-1A2B-3C4D.

Check that the number is entered correctly with the country code and that WhatsApp is working on that phone. Wait a short while and request a new code. If it still does not arrive, contact UPCS through the contact page.

Use the contact page on upcs.io and include the error code and message you received. The developer documentation also describes the API and embed script.