General public enquiries
Mapping information for topics such as property boundaries, historical map archives, and mapping product support.
See our previous responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and find out how to submit new ones
You have the right to access information held by public bodies like us that is not routinely available from other sources. This is laid out in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
This covers our recorded information held on computers, emails, reports, databases, photographs, or even sound and video recordings.
We take our responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) 2004 seriously.
We haven’t published every request we have received, since many are of a similar nature. In exceptional circumstances (for instance, where we are involved in an ongoing legal dispute with the requester) we may not publish certain responses. We do not publish personal data of the requestor.
See our previous responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
Did you know?
You can find information on lots of subjects, such as mapping information, OS historic archives, as well as OS public statistics. You can also contact our customer service team for specific enquiries, including products, services, licences, boundary, and mapping queries. Please browse the following resources before making a new FOI request.
Mapping information for topics such as property boundaries, historical map archives, and mapping product support.
Guidance on getting in touch with OS about specific topics, including mapping enquiries or errors, and further support for PSGA members and Licensed Partners.
See our latest and previous annual reports and accounts. Details include our strategic report, our governance, and financial statements.
Our latest Ordnance Survey announcements, guidance on media licensing, and how to submit press enquiries.
Find all the information you need about OS via our publication scheme: what we do, what we spend and how, and our responsibilities.
Contact us directly to speak to our friendly customer service team.
You must make your request in writing via one of the following methods:
Please ensure to:
The Information Commissioner’s Office has a useful guide: How to access information from a public body, which provides useful information to consider when making a request.
Most requests for information are free of charge. However, if we estimate the cost of locating, retrieving, and extracting the information will take more than 18 working hours, your request could be chargeable.
If you are unhappy with our response to a request you have made under the Freedom of Information Act or Environmental Information Regulations, you have the right to request an internal review of the decision.
We will advise you within 20 working days if we hold the information you have requested and can release it.
The Freedom of Information Act allows us, in exceptional cases, to extend the 20 working day response time where we are exempting information in accordance with a qualified exemption. This allows us to fully consider where the public interest lies.
If your requested information falls within categories specified in the Act, such as personal data about individual employees, we may withhold it.
Environmental Information Regulations give you the right to access environmental information held by us, a public authority.
Under the “Right of Access of the Data Subject”, you are entitled to request a copy of the information we are processing about you.