How to validate US zip code by country and state using Google's Geocoding component filtering? - geocoding

Question

I am using Google's Geocoding API using the component filtering.
To validate the zip code in a specific country I use the following call for example:
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?components=postal_code:94301|country:USA
I want to add another component to indicate the state. According to the documentation I can do it using the "administrativeArea".
I couldn't get it to work.
For example, calling the API with the zip code 94301 and state "Arizona" should return with no values, while the state "California" should return the relevant address.
I tried:
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?components=postal_code:94301|country:USA|administrativeArea=Arizona

Answer 1

You are using administrativeArea=Arizona in components filtering. Please note that web service should use administrative_area=Arizona according to the documentation.
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/intro#ComponentFiltering
The following components may be used to influence results, but will not be enforced:
route matches the long or short name of a route.
locality matches against locality and sublocality types.
administrative_area matches all the administrative_area levels.
When I execute the following request
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?components=administrative_area%3AArizona%7Cpostal_code%3A94301%7Ccountry%3AUS&key=MY_API_KEY
I get the response
{
"results":[
],
"status":"ZERO_RESULTS"
}
You can also see this in Geocoder tool:
https://developers-dot-devsite-v2-prod.appspot.com/maps/documentation/utils/geocoder/#in_administrative_area%3DArizona%26in_postal_code%3D94301%26in_country%3DUS%26options%3Dtrue
https://developers-dot-devsite-v2-prod.appspot.com/maps/documentation/utils/geocoder/#q%3D%26in_country%3DUS%26in_administrative_area%3DCalifornia%26in_postal_code%3D94301
I hope this helps!