Unable to retrieve road speed limit data using Azure Maps API

Question

Title: Unable to retrieve road speed limit data using Azure Maps API

Details: Hi, I am using Azure Maps for a mobile application. My goal is to get the speed limit (speedLimit) for the road the user is currently driving on based on their GPS coordinates.

I have already created the Maps resource and have the necessary API key.

I attempted to use the Search Address Reverse endpoint to get this data, but it is not returning the speedLimit in the response.

Could you please clarify which API endpoint I should be using to retrieve the speed limit, and if there are specific parameters I am missing?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi ohad as,

This behavior is expected based on which Azure Maps API you’re calling.

The newer reverse geocoding APIs (date‑versioned) do not currently return speedLimit in the response. Speed limit data is only available via:

• Search Address Reverse v1 using the returnSpeedLimit=true parameter, or
• The Snap to Roads API, which is the recommended approach going forward if you need reliable speed limit data for GPS coordinates.

If you’re currently using the newer reverse geocode endpoint and not seeing speedLimit, that’s why it simply isn’t exposed there yet. For new implementations, switching to Snap to Roads is the best option, as it’s actively supported and designed for this use case.

Docs for reference:

• Search Address Reverse (v1) with speed limit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/maps/search/get-search-address-reverse
• Snap to Roads (recommended): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/maps/route/post-snap-to-roads

Hope this helps clarify the difference. Do let me know if you have any further queries.

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Answer 2

Hi ,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Afafik, to retrieve road speed limit data in Azure Maps, you should'nt use the reverse geocoding endpoint. Instead, use the Get Map Tile or more specifically the Traffic Incident Details/Traffic Flow capabilities under Azure Maps Mobility services. However, speed limit information is exposed through the Get Speed Limit (Get Route Directions with extended route information) feature in the Route Directions API. Call the Route Directions endpoint with the user’s current GPS coordinates and enable the parameter includeSpeedLimit=true (or request extended route details depending on API version). The reverse search API only returns address metadata and will not provide road attributes like speed limits. Ensure you are using the latest API version and that your pricing tier supports mobility/traffic features.

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