Canadian Postal CodeOM Database FAQ
Canadian Postal CodeOM Database FAQs
- What methods of payment do you accept?
- Do you accept purchase orders?
- What format does the database come in?
- How do I get the monthly database updates?
- Will a CD be mailed to me? How do I get the database?
- What happens after my 1 year subscription?
- How much does it cost to renew?
- Do you include Postal CodeOMs for all of Canada?
- How often do you update the database?
- How current is the data?
- How accurate is the data?
- Do you have any other countries besides Canada?
- How long does it take to get the data?
- Can I automate the database delivery?
Do you have 3-digit postal codes?
Yes and no. Our database contains every 6 character Postal Code as maintained by Canada Post.
The first 3 characters of a Canadian Postal Code are known as the FSA (Forward Sortation Area). The FSA is a geographical unit where all postal codes within that FSA are nearby.
K1A is an example of an FSA, which is a letter followed by a number and then another letter. The first character indicates the province the FSA is in. The number in the FSA indicates whether an FSA is based in a rural or urban area. A 0 is used for rural areas (where it covers more actual land area), while all other numbers indicate an urban area. The second letter is also indicative of the coverage area and can represent a rural region, entire medium sized city, or a section of a major metropolitan area.
ZIP-Codes does not maintain a list dedicated for listing all FSA’s, but the 3 character FSA is provided as a column for each record in the full Postal Code Database
Why is this postal code missing from your database?
Canadian Postal Codes typically represent a limited number of delivery points (a few houses, or several roads in more rural areas). As areas grow or shrink in population and mail delivery, Canada Post will adjust the Postal Codes and which delivery points they service. It is quite common for several Postal Codes to either change or be retired each month.
If you have a Postal Code that you feel should be in the database but is not, it is very likely that Canada Post has since changed or retired it. You can verify the correct postal code for a specific address using the Canada Post Find a Postal Code Tool. If you still feel a missing Postal Code should be include, please contact us so we can verify with Canada Post.
Do you have a file showing only the changes for the month?
Unfortunately, no. There is no file showing either a percentage of changes nor listing only the records which have changed. Canada Post does not provide this kind of reference file and only publishes a complete list of Postal Codes every month.
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 Canadian Postal CodeOM Database is provided in three (3) formats: Microsoft® Access [MDB], Microsoft® Excel [XLS], and ASCII Comma Delimited [CSV].
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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 update 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.
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Q. Will a CD be mailed to me? How do I get the database?
A. No, our Canadian Postal CodeOM Database is not mailed to you on CD. Once your order is completed, you will be able to download immediately. 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 Canadian Postal CodeOM 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 the data will become outdated very quickly.
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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 Postal CodeOMs for all of Canada?
A. Yes. Postal CodeOM data is provided for all Canadian provinces and territories.
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Q. How often do you update the database?
A. Our Canadian Postal CodeOM Database is updated every month.
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Q. How current is the data?
A. Our Canadian Postal CodeOM Database is updated every month. the data is current as of December, 2024
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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.
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Q. Do you have any other countries besides Canada?
A. Yes. We also have the U.S. ZIP 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 will get the database immediately after purchase.
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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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Portions of data provided by and © Canada Post 2024. Zip-Codes.com is a non-exclusive licensee of Canada Post.
