Geographically Updated Population Certification Program (GUPCP)

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Geographically Updated Population Certification Program (GUPCP)

About

The Geographically Updated Population Certification Program (GUPCP) is a government-sponsored program that enables tribal and local governments, and other customers, to obtain certified 2020 Census population and housing counts for updated or newly established government boundaries. The Eligibility section of this webpage lists the general and special-purpose governments that may participate.

GUPCP is a permanent process that is suspended during decennial censuses. Typically, the Census Bureau will suspend this service and direct its resources to the decennial census for approximately five years. This includes the two years preceding the decennial census, the decennial census year, and the two years following it. The Census Bureau will issue notices in the Federal Register announcing when it suspends, and in turn, resumes the service. Additional information about GUPCP can be obtained from 90 FR 14778, April 4, 2025.

Resumption of the GUPCP began in January 2024 and continues as a fee-based service that the Census Bureau has provided since the 1970s. The fee information is located in the Participating in GUPCP section of this webpage.

Eligibility

The Census Bureau offers geographically updated population and housing count certifications for the following general-purpose and special-purpose governments:

  • Federally recognized American Indian reservations and off-reservation trust lands. This includes a reservation designated as a colony, community, Indian community, Indian village, pueblo, rancheria, reservation, reserve, or village.
  • Counties and statistically equivalent governments, including counties in 47 states; boroughs, municipalities, and census areas in Alaska; planning regions in Connecticut; parishes in Louisiana; and municipios in Puerto Rico.
  • Minor civil divisions in the District of Columbia and the 29 states in which they exist: Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
  • Incorporated places, including boroughs in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; cities in 49 states and the District of Columbia; cities, boroughs, and municipalities in Alaska; towns in 30 states (excluding towns in New England, New York and Wisconsin which are minor civil divisions); and villages in 20 states.
  • Consolidated cities.
  • School districts.

Geographically updated population and housing count certifications are not currently available for other areas or individual census blocks split by boundaries. 

Participating in GUPCP

The GUPCP is offered to governments as a fee-based service. The fee for processing a new certification is $1,719.

To request a geographically updated population and housing count certification:

  • Complete Form BC-1869(EF). Instructions are provided on the form.
  • Gather documentation for all boundary updates. Documentation should include the following information:
    • Map or geospatial file showing the area of change.
    • Authorization type (e.g., ordinance or resolution).
    • Effective date.
    • Documentation number (e.g., law or ordinance number).
  • Email the form and documentation to the Census Bureau at pop.LGEMP@census.gov.

Communication requesting the service without Form BC-1869(EF) will be accepted only if it contains the information necessary to complete the form.

 

GUPCP Certificates

The 2020 Census tabulation of population and housing used government boundaries that were effective on or before January 1, 2020. GUPCP provides the requesting participant with a new certification of 2020 Census population and housing counts based on boundary updates that became effective after the 2020 Census.

The certificate, defined as an attestation, is a signed statement by a Census Bureau official attesting to the authenticity of the certified 2020 Census population and housing count for the updated or newly established government boundaries. Customarily, the certificate is produced for the highest elected official of the government requesting the certificate. Certificates are provided through e-mail to the highest elected official (and requester, if applicable) listed on the BC-1869(EF).

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A geographically updated population certification is a re-tabulation of 2020 Census population and housing counts within updated or newly established government boundaries. GUPCP provides the requesting participant a new certification of 2020 Census population and housing counts based on boundary updates that became legally effective after the 2020 Census. It will not include counts for new housing or group quarters (e.g., nursing homes, college dormitories, and prisons). GUPCP does not provide a government the population within a housing development built after the 2020 Census concluded.  

A Special Census is a basic enumeration of housing units, group quarters, and transitory locations, conducted at the request of a governmental unit on a specified date. Unlike GUPCP, Special Censuses will include new housing and population that came into the area after the 2020 Census. A Special Census also will produce demographic detail for the population, such as information on age, sex, relationships within households, race, Hispanic origin, occupancy or vacancy status, type of vacancy, and tenure for housing units. GUPCP will provide only total population and housing unit counts. For more information on Special Censuses, visit the Special Census website.

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To apply for state funding disbursements, local governments may be required by state law(s) to obtain a Census Bureau certified population count for their government based on its updated or new boundaries. In addition, federally sponsored programs may require or honor a certified, official Census Bureau population count for determining program eligibility or funding distributions. Tribal and local governments also might need certified population counts for other administrative or planning purposes.

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Most governments have legally established boundaries and names and have officials (usually elected) who have the power to carry out legally prescribed functions, provide services for residents, and raise revenues. These are commonly referred to as general-purpose governments and typically include federally recognized American Indian reservations and off-reservation trust land, counties and county equivalents, boroughs, cities, towns, villages, and townships. Special-purpose governments, such as school districts, typically are limited to one function.

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Boundary updates can be submitted to the Census Bureau throughout the decade through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). BAS provides tribal, state, and local governments an opportunity to review the Census Bureau’s legal boundary data to ensure the Census Bureau has the correct boundary, name, and status information. BAS also allows participants to review and provide updates to census designated places. For additional information and instructions for submitting boundary updates to BAS, visit the BAS website.

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Page Last Revised - April 7, 2025