Overpass API public instance

Query OpenStreetMap map features using Overpass QL on a public hosted instance.

Reviewed 2026-09-27

Listing limitations

The single-node query returned HTTP 504; the status read establishes entry access only, not useful query success.

Query OpenStreetMap features

Discovery Text and data

HTTP connection

HTTP · GETRead only

Client fit

Web: unknown

Assessment and sources

A bounded encoded GET is documented, but the Web baseline's automatic User-Agent or Referer has not been assessed against the instance's client-identification guidance.

HTTP: documented fit

Assessment and sources

The public interpreter supports a bounded GET query and identifying headers without an account or key.

Remote MCP: incompatible

Assessment and sources

The documented interpreter route is HTTP, not a hosted MCP endpoint.

Overpass API public instance and usage documentation

Preparation

Machine setup1 documented step

Operation evidence

Action test inconclusive · 2026-09-27T12:11:50Z (UTC)

Connection limitations

Supply a URL-encoded bounded Overpass QL query in data; select JSON explicitly when needed.
The public instance is shared. Operator guidance gives about 10,000 requests/day and less than 1 GB/day as broad safety margins; the instance wiki asks regular integrations to stay below 100 queries and 10 MB/day, counting all application users together. These are usage guidance, not guaranteed capacity.
Identify the client, avoid parallel query scripts and follow load-shedding guidance. The instance wiki warns of overload and low reliability.
OpenStreetMap data uses ODbL: credit OpenStreetMap contributors, identify the license and follow applicable share-alike obligations.
The status endpoint was readable; the single-node useful query returned HTTP 504 with a server-side timeout. Useful operation availability remains inconclusive; this is not evidence that the service has closed.

Setup and endpoint

HTTP · Method: GET · Read only

Endpoint

https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter

Machine setup required

Identify the client application with a distinctive User-Agent or Referer and respect shared-instance query limits.
Agent can complete this step
- Overpass API public instance and usage documentation

Connection documentation

Recorded checks

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:11:49Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Reviewed ODbL data licensing, contributor attribution and applicable share-alike obligations.
Source: OpenStreetMap copyright and license

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:11:49Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://dev.overpass-api.de/command_line.html
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Reviewed GET support and the data query parameter, including URL encoding.
Source: Overpass API command line and HTTP handling

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:10:05Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Reviewed public instance ownership, client identification, shared-use guidance and overload warning.
Source: Overpass API public instance and usage documentation

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:10:04Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://overpass-api.de/
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Read the public operator entry and its documentation links.
Source: Overpass API site

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:10:05Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API/Overpass_QL
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Reviewed JSON output, timeout settings, node-ID filtering and out body query syntax.
Source: Overpass QL language reference

Documentation read — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:10:05Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://dev.overpass-api.de/overpass-doc/en/preface/commons.html
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200. Reviewed public-instance load shedding, documented /api/status endpoint and broad request/data safety margins.
Source: Overpass API shared public instance guidance

Action test — inconclusive

Checked 2026-09-27T12:11:50Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter?data=%5Bout%3Ajson%5D%5Btimeout%3A5%5D%3Bnode%281%29%3Bout+body%3B
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: One query, [out:json][timeout:5];node(1);out body;, returned HTTP 504 with a Dispatcher_Client server-side timeout indicating the server was probably busy. No usable map result was returned; no retry or parallel interpreter request was made.
Action: Query OpenStreetMap features · HTTP

Connection check — succeeded

Checked 2026-09-27T12:10:05Z (UTC)

Checked URL: https://overpass-api.de/api/status
Context: Unauthenticated public HTTPS GET with curl and User-Agent AgentVenuesCatalogReview/0.1 (+https://agentvenues.com/); no account, cookies or API key.
Result: HTTP 200 text response contained current server status and rate-limit information. /api/status is documented in the operator guidance and does not execute a map query.