Creating a google maps API key Print

This guide explains how to create and configure a Google Maps Platform API key for use with your website.

Getting Started

Open the Google Maps Platform section of Google Cloud Console using the button below and sign in using the Google account that will own the API key.

Open Google Maps Platform ↗

We recommend using an account belonging to your organisation rather than an individual's personal Google account.

Create or Select a Google Cloud Project

At the top of Google Cloud Console, select the current project.

You can either:

• Select an existing project that you use for your website; or
• Click New Project to create a new one.

If creating a new project:

1. Enter a suitable project name, for example Your Company Website.
2. Select your organisation, if Google asks you to do so.
3. Click Create.
4. Make sure the newly created project is selected before continuing.

Set Up Billing

Google Maps Platform requires a billing account for most services.

From Google Cloud Console, open Billing and either select an existing billing account or create a new one.

If you need to create a billing account, Google will ask for information including:

• Your country or region
• Organisation or business details
• Billing address
• Payment details

Follow Google's instructions to complete the billing account and link it to your Google Cloud project.

Google Maps Charges and Free Usage

Google Maps Platform operates on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Google provides a monthly free usage allowance for individual Google Maps Platform services. The amount of free usage depends on the particular service being used.

Important: Google no longer provides the old $200 monthly Google Maps credit. This was replaced in March 2025 by individual free monthly usage allowances for each Maps Platform service.

Will I Normally Be Charged?

For a typical small estate agency website, you would not normally expect to incur any Google Maps charges.

Google provides a free monthly usage allowance for the individual Maps Platform services. Normal traffic to a small or medium-sized estate agency website will generally be well below these allowances.

For example, Google currently provides 10,000 free Dynamic Map loads per month, with separate free monthly allowances also applying to services such as Geocoding and Places.

This means that for the vast majority of normal estate agency websites, Google Maps Platform is likely to remain free in everyday use.

Please note: Google still requires a valid billing account to be attached to the project, and charges could apply if your website receives unusually high traffic or exceeds Google's free monthly usage allowances. Google's pricing and allowances may also change in the future.

You can check Google's current prices and free allowances here:

View Google Maps Pricing ↗

Enable the Required Google Maps APIs

Your Google Cloud project must have the appropriate Google Maps services enabled.

Open:

Google Maps Platform > APIs & Services

Alternatively, open APIs & Services > Library within Google Cloud Console.

For a typical estate agency website using maps, property locations, address searches and nearby-location features, you should normally enable:

• Maps JavaScript API
• Geocoding API
• Places API (New)

Depending on the features provided by your website, you may also need:

• Routes API
• Street View Static API
• Maps Static API

Do not enable APIs that your website does not require.

If your existing website uses Google's older Directions API or Distance Matrix API, these may appear as legacy services. They should only be enabled where required by an existing integration. New integrations should normally use Google's current Routes API instead.

Create Your API Key

Once the required APIs have been enabled:

1. Open Google Maps Platform > Credentials.
2. Click Create Credentials.
3. Select API key.

Google will create a new API key.

Copy the API key and keep it somewhere safe while you complete the remaining configuration.

Do not leave the key unrestricted. An unrestricted key could potentially be used by another website and result in charges being made to your Google Cloud account.

Restrict the API Key to Your Website

Open the API key you have just created.

Under Application restrictions, select:

Websites

This may also be described by Google as HTTP referrers (web sites).

Add the website addresses that are allowed to use the API key.

For example, if your website is:

https://www.yourdomain.com

we recommend adding:

https://yourdomain.com/*
https://www.yourdomain.com/*
https://*.yourdomain.com/*

The first entry permits the main domain, the second permits the www version, and the wildcard entry permits HTTPS subdomains.

If your website is also deliberately available over HTTP, the corresponding HTTP entries can be added. For a modern website using HTTPS throughout, this should not normally be necessary.

Important: Include the full protocol, such as https://. Google's current website restrictions expect complete website/referrer addresses rather than the older format *yourdomain.com/*.

Restrict Which APIs the Key Can Use

On the same API key configuration page, find API restrictions.

Select:

Restrict key

Select only the Google APIs that your website needs.

For example:

• Maps JavaScript API
• Geocoding API
• Places API (New)

If your website uses additional features, also select the appropriate services such as Routes API or Street View Static API.

Click Save.

Using both Website restrictions and API restrictions provides considerably better protection than leaving the key unrestricted.

Send the API Key to ISSL

Once the API key has been created and restricted, please send the API key to ISSL Support using the button below:

Email ISSL Support

Please also tell us the website/domain for which the key has been created.

We can then add the key to your website configuration.

Please do not send your Google account password or payment information. We only require the Google Maps API key.

Recommended Security Settings

Google strongly recommends restricting API keys because the account holder is responsible for charges generated by use of their Google Maps Platform services.

We recommend:

• Restricting the key to your website domain.
• Restricting the key to only the Google Maps APIs actually required.
• Using a separate API key for each website.
• Removing API keys that are no longer used.
• Reviewing API usage periodically within Google Cloud Console.
• Setting Google Cloud billing budgets and alerts where appropriate.

If the same Google Cloud project is used for server-side Google Maps requests, we recommend creating a separate API key for those requests. A server-side key should normally be protected using server/IP restrictions rather than website referrer restrictions.

Troubleshooting

The map says "For development purposes only"

This normally means that the Google Maps API key, billing configuration or API permissions are incorrect.

Check that:

• Billing is enabled for the Google Cloud project.
• The API key is correct.
• Maps JavaScript API is enabled.
• Your website is included in the API key's website restrictions.
• The required API is included in the key's API restrictions.

The map works on one domain but not another

Check the Website restrictions on the API key. Development, staging, www and non-www domains may each need to be authorised.

Address or postcode searches do not work

Check that the appropriate Places API and/or Geocoding API has been enabled and permitted under the API key's API restrictions.

Directions or distance calculations do not work

Check whether the website uses Google's current Routes API or one of Google's older legacy Directions/Distance Matrix services, and make sure the required API is enabled for the project and permitted for the API key.

Useful Google Links

Google Maps Platform Console ↗ Google Maps Documentation ↗ API Security Guidance ↗ Google Maps Pricing ↗