Key:height

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Public-images-osm logo.svg height
Height demonstration diagram.png
Description
Physical attribute of other keys. Height is the measurement of vertical distance. It indicates how "tall" something is. Edit this description in the wiki page. Edit this description in the data item.
Group: properties
Used on these elements
may be used on nodesmay be used on waysmay be used on areas (and multipolygon relations)may be used on relations
Useful combination
See also
Status: de facto

The key height=* describes the actual height of a feature.

Tagging

Units

The default unit is metres. If the height is measured in a different unit, the unit abbreviation is appended to the value, separated by a space (see the examples below or the unit specification article for more information).

For height values with decimal places, use the period character as decimal separator.

Sources

The source of the height information can be specified by source:height=*. The accuracy of the height information can be specified by height:accuracy=* (see also: ele:accuracy=*).

Examples

Here are a few examples of how a height can be tagged.

Height Tagging Remark
Four metres height=4 Specifying the units is optional for metres, and would look like: height=4 m.
1.35 metres height=1.35 Use the decimal / full stop / period character as a separator.
7 feet and 4 inches height=7'4" Use a typewriter apostrophe character after the feet value and a typewriter double-quote character after the inches value. Spaces are not permitted.

Height of buildings

An example map rendering buildings heights

Use the maximum height for buildings, not the average height. Specifically, the maximum is the height of a building is the distance between the top edge of the building (including the roof, but excluding antennas, spires and other equipment mounted on the roof) and the lowest point at the bottom where the building meets the terrain.

Building parts

The height of individual parts of buildings can be specified using the Simple 3D buildings specification.

Potential issues

Elevation above mean sea level

The  elevation above mean sea level for objects in OpenStreetMap is not specified using the height key. Objects using this type of measurement should use the ele=* key. For example, a mountain peak with the natural=peak tag uses the ele=* key to specify the highest point on the peak.

Restricted height

Height restrictions, such as the vertical clearance under a bridge or through a tunnel are not tagged using the height key. Use the maxheight=* key to specify the maximum height allowed or maxheight:physical=* for the highest physically possible clearance.

Hunting stands in German-speaking countries

As of 2023-07 there are over 3,000 amenity=hunting_stand that are tagged with height=full/half/low. Nearly all of these are in German-speaking countries.[1]

Incorrect values

The following table contains examples of incorrect tags and their correct notation, which are commonly misused.

Incorrect Explanation Correct
height=4m The space between value and unit is missing. height=4 m
height=0,8 The comma is used as wrong decimal separator. height=0.8
height=11' 4" There should not be a space between feet and inches. height=11'4"

Possible tagging mistakes

If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
  • height=8 - 12 ‒ Height should be a number, not a range.
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
  • height=3m ‒ Number and unit should be separated with a space
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!

See also

  • est_height=* may be used for estimated values of height
  • Overview of possible units
  • Specification of the elevation above mean sea level via ele=*
  • Specification of the maximum permissible height of vehicles via maxheight=*
  • Specification of the width via width=*
  • Specification of the length via length=*
  • Specification of the depth of a feature or a level via depth=*
  • Specification of distance via distance=*

References