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Plus Codes and DIGIPIN for Businesses in India — Fix "No Proper Address" Problems on Google Maps
How Indian businesses without a clear street address — rural shops, highway dhabas, farmhouses, new colonies, market stalls — can use Google Plus Codes and India Post's DIGIPIN to be found, verified and navigated to, with steps to find, share and add codes and write a landmark-based address.
By Chamko Research Team Updated 5 min read
Quick answer
A Plus Code is a short code (like "7JWV+8F Jaipur") that Google Maps generates for any spot on Earth, so you can share an exact location even without a street name or house number. Find it by dropping a pin on your business in Google Maps — it appears in the place details. India Post's DIGIPIN is a similar government digital address code for any ~4 m × 4 m location in India. For your Business Profile, still write the clearest address you can (village/colony, road, landmark, PIN code), place the map pin exactly, and add the Plus Code in your address line where Google allows it, on your website, WhatsApp and visiting cards.
Quick answer: A Plus Code is a short code (like "7JWV+8F Jaipur") that Google Maps generates for any spot on Earth, so you can share an exact location even without a street name or house number. Find it by dropping a pin on your business in Google Maps — it appears in the place details. India Post's DIGIPIN is a similar government digital address code for any ~4 m × 4 m location in India. For your Business Profile, still write the clearest address you can (village/colony, road, landmark, PIN code), place the map pin exactly, and add the Plus Code in your address line where Google allows it, on your website, WhatsApp and visiting cards.
Many Indian businesses have addresses like "Near Hanuman Mandir, behind petrol pump, Highway Road". Delivery people, new customers and Google's systems struggle with these. Location codes solve the "where exactly?" problem.
What a Plus Code is
- Based on Google's open-source Open Location Code system.
- A full code looks like
7JWVXQ8F+8F; a short code with a locality looks likeXQ8F+8F Jaipur, Rajasthan. - Accurate to roughly a building or entrance.
- Free, works offline once generated, and can be searched directly in Google Maps.
What DIGIPIN is
India Post introduced DIGIPIN, a digital address system that assigns an alphanumeric code to small grid squares across India. It's designed to make addressing precise for deliveries, emergency services and government services, especially where formal addresses are weak. You can find your DIGIPIN through India Post's official DIGIPIN tools. Use it alongside your normal address — not as a replacement on Google.
Plus Code vs DIGIPIN vs PIN code
| PIN code | Plus Code | DIGIPIN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covers | Post office area | Any small spot | Any ~4 m grid square in India |
| Made by | India Post | Google (open standard) | India Post |
| Works in Google Maps search | As part of address | Yes | Use in addresses and India Post services |
| Best for | Postal address | Navigation and sharing location | Official digital addressing, deliveries |
How to find your Plus Code
On a phone (Google Maps app):
- Stand at your business entrance (or find it on the map).
- Long-press to drop a pin exactly on your entrance.
- Swipe up on the dropped pin — the Plus Code appears with a location icon.
- Tap it to copy.
On a computer:
- Right-click your entrance on maps.google.com or click the spot.
- The Plus Code appears in the details panel.
Make sure you drop the pin at the customer entrance, not the centre of a large compound.
Using codes on your Google Business Profile
- Address field: fill it as fully as possible — shop name/number, building, road, area/village, city, district, PIN code. Some address lines allow adding a Plus Code; if Google accepts it, it helps.
- Map pin: place it precisely at the entrance (fix wrong pin).
- Landmarks: mention them in the address line or description ("Opposite SBI ATM, NH-48").
- Service-area businesses: hide the address and set service areas instead (service-area guide).
If Google can't find your village or road, see adding a missing road or place.
Writing a good Indian address for Google
Bad: "Near temple, main road"
Good:
Shree Ganesh Kirana Store
Shop 3, Gram Panchayat Market, Jaipur–Ajmer Road
Opposite Government School, Bagru
Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007
Plus Code: XQ8F+8F Bagru
Use the same format everywhere — Google, Justdial, Mappls, website, bills (NAP citations, Mappls listing).
Share your exact location with customers
- WhatsApp Business: add the Plus Code and a Google Maps directions link in your profile and quick replies (directions link generator).
- Visiting cards and pamphlets: print the Plus Code and a QR code for directions (digital visiting cards).
- Website contact page: embed the map and show the code.
- Delivery partners: share the code or DIGIPIN to cut "where are you?" calls.
Verification and codes
Plus Codes help Google place you correctly, but verification still needs proof that your business operates at that spot — signboard, inside of the business, and evidence of management, usually by video (verification). Clear signage visible from the road makes this much easier (signboard tips).
Who benefits most
- Rural shops, dairies, agri-input stores with no street numbers.
- Highway dhabas, petrol pumps, motels.
- Farmhouses, resorts, wedding lawns on unnamed roads (tourist towns).
- New colonies and layouts not yet mapped.
- Market stalls and haats with fixed positions.
- Large campuses where the entrance matters — factories, schools, hospitals (hospital departments).
Common mistakes
- Pin dropped in the middle of a field or campus instead of the entrance.
- Different Plus Codes on different platforms because each was generated from a different spot.
- Only a Plus Code without a human-readable address.
- Address copied from an old bill with the wrong village name.
Example: a dhaba on the Delhi–Jaipur highway
A dhaba's profile pin was on the opposite side of the divided highway, sending families to a U-turn 6 km away. The owner dropped a new pin at the actual entrance, copied the Plus Code into the address line and WhatsApp profile, added "Jaipur-bound side, after toll plaza" to the address, and uploaded a photo of the board from the road. Reviews complaining about "wrong location" stopped.
Sources and further reading
- Google Maps Help — "Find and use Plus Codes": support.google.com/maps
- Open Location Code project: maps.google.com/pluscodes
- India Post — DIGIPIN: indiapost.gov.in
Frequently asked questions
Is a Plus Code free?
Yes. Anyone can generate and use Plus Codes for free.
Can customers search a Plus Code in Google Maps?
Yes — typing the code takes them to the exact spot.
Does a Plus Code improve ranking?
Not directly. It improves accuracy, which helps customers reach you and avoids "wrong location" reviews.
Can I use DIGIPIN on Google Maps?
Use your normal address and Plus Code on Google; DIGIPIN is useful on India Post services, deliveries and your own materials.
My village isn't on Google Maps. What now?
Suggest adding the missing place or road through Google Maps and keep your pin precise — see adding a missing place.