Set up the Places API (New)

AI-generated Key Takeaways

• Google Maps Platform products require API keys for authentication and billing purposes, linking your project and billing account to the API.

• Before using the Places API, ensure you have a project with a billing account and the Places API enabled.

• You can create and restrict API keys through the Google Cloud Console or the Cloud SDK.

• Google strongly recommends restricting your API keys to enhance security by limiting usage to only necessary APIs for your application.

• Include your API key with every Places API request, ensuring it is URL encoded and the request is made over HTTPS.

European Economic Area (EEA) developers

If your billing address is in the European Economic Area, effective on 8 July 2025, the Google Maps Platform EEA Terms of Service will apply to your use of the Services. Functionality varies by region. Learn more.

This document describes the prerequisites for using the Places API (New), how to enable it, and then how to make an authenticated request.

1. Prerequisites Ensure that you meet the prerequisites.

2. Enable the API Enable the API in your Google Cloud project.

3. Make your first request Configure an API key or OAuth to make an authenticated API request.

Prerequisites

This setup procedure requires that you have an existing Google Cloud Account and Google Cloud project with billing enabled. You should also be familiar with how you are charged for using the Places API (New).

1. Review billing and cost for usage at Places API (New) Usage and Billing.

2. Verify that you have a Google Cloud Account.

   Sign in to the Google Cloud console
   Note: If you are a new user and don't have a Google Cloud Account, meaning you cannot sign in to the console, see Getting started with Google Maps Platform.

3. Verify that you have a Google Cloud project with billing enabled.

   Go to the Billing page
   Note: If you are a new user and don't have a Google Cloud project, see Getting started with Google Maps Platform.
1. Select your project to open the Billing page.

2. On the Billing page:

   • If billing is already enabled for the selected project, and you only have a single billing account, then the Billing page opens.
   • If you have multiple billing accounts, select Go to linked billing account to see the details about the billing account associated with the project.
   • If a billing account exists but is not associated with the project, you are prompted to link a billing account with the project.
   • If no billing account exists, or you want to create a new billing a account, select Manage Billing Accounts to create a new billing account. For more information, see Create a new self-serve Cloud Billing account.