The Geographically Updated Population Certification Program is currently on hiatus until after the 2010 census, and requests for certifications are not being accepted via GUPCP at this time. Please see other options below.

Has the boundary for your city changed?  

Would you like to receive a certified, population and housing unit count from Census 2000 for the new boundary?

Begin by reviewing these options:

The Census Bureau currently has two options for requesting certified Census 2000 population and housing unit counts. Each option is described below, but it is important that you understand our standard process for collecting updates to governmental units such as cities, counties, boroughs, towns, villages, or townships in order to know which option to pursue.

The Census Bureau updates all governmental unit boundaries based on information collected through the annual Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). As part of the BAS, governmental units are given the opportunity to review either maps or digital files each year to report boundary changes.  This work occurs within the January to March timeframe.  The primary difference between the two certification options is whether or not your governmental unit reported your boundary changes before March 1 through the current year’s BAS. 

For more information on the BAS, please visit the following website: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html.  In addition, you can always acquire more information about the BAS by emailing geo.bas@census.gov. 

The first step in acquiring a certified Census 2000 population and housing unit count for a governmental unit that has either changed its boundary or has newly incorporated or organized, is to review and decide which Level certification applies to your entity.

Level I certification

A Level 1 certification is a certified Census 2000 count for housing and population units for the exact boundary provided in the BAS.  In this case, the Census Bureau will certify the Census 2000 counts for the newly identified boundary and typically provide the results in October.

You are eligible for a Level I certification if your governmental unit submitted boundary changes through this year’s BAS (before March 1). 

The cost for Level 1 certification is $160 because there is no additional boundary update work outside of the BAS program.

Level II certification

A Level 2 certification will include two separate counts.  One count will provide certified Census 2000 population and housing counts for the census blocks that fall wholly within your newly identified boundary.  The other count will provide certification for the census blocks that are split by your boundary.  For blocks that are split by your boundary, the Census Bureau certifies the population and housing unit counts for the entire block and does not determine the proportion of population and housing that is located within your boundary. Often, states will only accept certification of the blocks that fall wholly within your boundary for state funding purposes.  Please check with your state to find out the policy as each state is different

You may pursue a Level II certification if your entity has had boundary changes that:

1. were not submitted through the most recent BAS,
2. were submitted through the BAS, but after March 1, or  
3. were submitted through the BAS, but you would like to receive your certification before October.

In each of the situations described above, in order for the Census Bureau to certify the Census 2000 population and housing unit counts, we must work with you and the BAS respondent to identify the new boundary.  Once that has been accomplished, we must update our geographic database with the new boundary.  Next, the Census Bureau will determine all the Census 2000 blocks that are wholly within, or are split by, your newly identified boundary.  At this point we can certify the Census 2000 population and housing unit counts.

The cost for Level 2 certification is $240.

It is important that you understand that both Level I and Level II certifications provide certified Census 2000 population and housing unit counts for your updated boundary, not counts from any other Census Bureau survey or program.

Once you have determined which Level certification meets your conditions, please complete the form BC-1868 [pdf] and send it us so that we can make a determination for eligibility. Follow the instructions from the main certification page.

For general information, please contact Customer Services Center at 1-800-923-8282