Understanding FIPS codes

Last updated: June 22, 2026

FIPS codes are only applied to locations or geographies. That means, for example, that police departments do not have a FIPS Code. Instead, they are assigned an ORI ID from the Department of Justice.

FIPS Code Levels

There are three types / levels of FIPS codes:

Level

Description

Structure

State

Unique code for each state

2 digit

( XX )

County

Not unique nation-wide, but are unique within the state

Use a combination of State FIPS Code + County FIPS code to generate a unique ID for the county

3 digit

( XXX )

Place

Codes for cities, towns, villages, etc.

These are distinct five-digit numeric identifiers but not unique.

Use a combination of State FIPS Code+ Place FIPS Code to generate a unique ID for the place

5 digit

( XXXXX )

Example: How can I create a unique ID for a county?

Location: Duval County, Florida

  • State FIPS Code = 12 (Florida)

  • County FIPS Code = 031

  • Place FIPS code = n/a (Duval is a county not a place)


Therefore, the unique ID for Duval County, FL is:

State ID (12) + County ID (031) = 12031