The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is seeking public comment on the proposed Open Parcel Number (OPN) Standards Working Group (SWG).

The purpose of the proposed SWG is to develop an OGC Standard for a unique Open Parcel Number suitable for use at international levels across subnational divisions. This Standard would define requirements for creating a globally unique, persistent identifier assigned to every digital parcel boundary and related land record within any political jurisdiction. The OPN concept is intended to apply broadly to real property.

Under the proposal, each OPN would consist of four components:

  • Property Classification Component – identifies the property class, with OPN as the parent classification for the unique identification of real property linked to a parcel boundary.
  • Property Open Locational Component – represents the parcel centroid, using an open location reference (such as a Plus Code generated by the open-source Open Location Code).
  • Property Identifier Component – a numeric extension enabling linkage of unique ownership of property records to their common parcel boundary.
  • Property Version Component – a number indicating the version of any OPN real property identifier.

 

The proposal recognizes the long-standing demand for national parcel indexing since cadastral records transitioned to digital formats around 50 years ago. At the same time, efforts to address climate change have placed new demands on the assignment of unique identifiers to building footprints, such as Unique Building Identifiers (UBIDs). Proven relationships between parcel boundaries and building footprints support the proposed expansion of the OPN SWG to include the worldwide adoption of UBIDs, enabling unique, persistent identifiers to be assigned to every building as a partner standard to OPNs assigned to parcels.

Regardless of whether the scope is expanded beyond just OPNs, the work of the proposed Open Parcel Number Standards Working Group would advance foundational building blocks for the identification of real property, buildings, and parcels.

To Comment:

The proposed Open Parcel Number (OPN) Standards Working Group is available for review and comment for a period of 21 days. Comments are due by February 23, 2026.

Comments can be submitted in the OGC GitHub repository for a period ending on the “Close request date” listed above. Comments received will be consolidated and reviewed by OGC members for potential incorporation into the document. 

About OGC

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is a membership organization dedicated to using the power of geography and technology to solve problems faced by people and the planet. OGC unlocks value and opportunity for its members through Standards, Innovation, and Collaboration. Our membership represents a diverse and active global community drawn from government, industry, academia, international development agencies, research & scientific organizations, civil society, and advocates.

Visit ogc.org for more information about our work.