Terms & Privacy

This page combines the terms of use and privacy notice for What's My Area Code. It describes the data the service touches and the rules for using this free, informational network lookup tool.

Privacy

Plain summary: we do not keep a history of your lookups, we run no analytics or advertising, and the only IP data we retain is a short-lived functional cache described below.

What a lookup involves

When you load the site we perform one lookup for your current connection using the IP address that Cloudflare presents to the Worker. You can also type an IP address, an ASN or a place name. Area-code answers are derived from official numbering-plan data; IP and ASN intelligence is fetched from our upstream provider on our behalf, server to server.

The functional lookup cache

To avoid repeating identical upstream calls, a successful IP or ASN lookup is cached in Cloudflare Workers KV. Each cache entry:

• is keyed by a salted HMAC of the query, not by a readable IP;
• stores the queried IP inside the cached lookup payload, because the answer is about that IP;
• expires automatically after a hard time-to-live of roughly 1 to 30 hours;
• is never backed up, exported, replicated into analytics, or used to build a profile.

We do not keep a per-user history of queries. We do not log raw client IP addresses for our own quota accounting; quota identity is a salted HMAC of the IP, not the IP itself.

Cookies

The site does not set account, session or tracking cookies.

The approximate IP map and optional precise-location control

When a validated city-level center is available, the approximate network-location map is shown by default and can be collapsed. Your browser requests map tiles directly from OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap therefore receives normal web-request information such as your IP address, our site origin as the referrer, and the requested tile coordinates. Those requests are subject to the OpenStreetMap tile usage policy and OSM Foundation privacy policy.

The automatic map starts with only a city-rounded center from the network lookup. A visible “Use precise location” button may ask the browser for device-location permission only after you click it. If you allow it, coordinates remain in the browser, are never sent to our API, are not stored, and are not put into a link. They re-center only the map; the area-code answer remains an IP-based estimate. Because map tiles are requested directly from OpenStreetMap, the selected map tiles can reflect the device location more closely.

What we do not do

• No analytics, advertising or third-party trackers.
• No lookup history and no sale or sharing of query data.
• No automatic device-location request; permission is requested only after the precise-location button is clicked.
• No device coordinates sent to our API, stored by us, or included in a share link.

Terms of use

Fair use

Use the service for reasonable, lawful lookups. Automated or bulk access must stay within the published rate limits. Do not attempt to overload the service, evade rate limits, or use it to harass, profile or de-anonymise individuals.

Accuracy

Results are approximate. Area codes are derived from network geolocation and official numbering-plan data; a location can be served by several area codes, and network location is not a phone line, a street address or a number assignment. Treat every answer as a likely estimate, not a guarantee, and do not rely on it for emergency, legal or billing decisions.

Availability

The service is provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranties of any kind. We may change, rate-limit or discontinue any part of it at any time. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any loss arising from use of the service.

Changes

We may update these terms and this privacy notice; material changes will be reflected on this page. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated terms.

Contact

Questions about this policy or these terms can be raised through the project's public repository.