How to get a TomTom API key

Last edit: 2026.07.13

Introduction

API stands for Application Programming Interface. When you use our location services (our APIs), we need a way to identify that it's your application making the request.

Thanks to the API key, we can:

Prevent abuse
Provide you with useful analytics

How to get an API key

To get your API key, you first need a TomTom account. If you don't have one yet, register before continuing.
Once you're registered, go to API & SDK Keys and select the key you want to use. We've already created one for you, called My first API key.

Copy the key and proceed with the steps in the following section.

How to use TomTom API keys

Want to see a result right away? Follow these steps:

Copy the URL below.
```
https://api.tomtom.com/maps/orbis/display/raster/tile/0/0/0?apiVersion=2&style=street-light&key=YOUR_API_KEY
```
Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your own key from API & SDK Keys.
Paste the full URL into your browser's address bar and press Enter. You should now see a map tile of the whole world.

Example

Now let's look at a more general example. Throughout the TomTom API documentation, you'll find request URLs formatted like this:

https://{baseURL}/{service}/{versionNumber}/...?key=YOUR_API_KEY

To make your own request:

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your own key.
Replace {baseURL} with api.tomtom.com.
Fill in the remaining parameters according to the service documentation. You can find all the details in the Required parameters table on each endpoint's documentation page.

You're now ready to make your next request with TomTom APIs.