---
id: utm
version: "0.9.0"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# utm — Bidirectional UTM-WGS84 converter for python

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 1.1M/mo

## What it is and what it does

utm is a lightweight Python library that bidirectionally converts between geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude in WGS84) and UTM grid references. It provides two main functions: from_latlon() converts a geographic point to its UTM easting, northing, zone number, and zone letter; to_latlon() performs the reverse conversion. The library handles both scalar float inputs and NumPy arrays, making it suitable for batch processing of coordinate sets.

The package is designed as a faster alternative to generic projection libraries like pyproj for UTM-specific conversions. It has no external runtime dependencies, installs as a pure Python wheel, and requires Python 3.10 or later. The library is actively maintained, with recent releases and a stable repository.

Use it for:

- Convert GPS coordinates from a mobile app or GPS device into UTM grid format for mapping applications
- Batch-convert thousands of geographic points to UTM using NumPy arrays for geospatial analysis
- Determine which UTM zone a location falls into for regional mapping or surveying workflows
- Transform between coordinate systems in GIS workflows without the overhead of a full projection library
- Validate or standardize coordinate data by round-tripping between lat/lon and UTM formats

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Converts between latitude/longitude coordinates and Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid references in both directions, with support for NumPy arrays.

Yes. utm is a focused, dependency-free tool for a common geospatial task. Low install friction, permissive license, active maintenance, no known vulnerabilities, and strong performance for UTM conversions make it a straightforward choice for any project needing coordinate system conversion.

## Install

pip install utm
uv add utm
poetry add utm

## Installing utm

Before you install: Low friction: pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent release (18 days ago) and steady repository activity.

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) allows unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in commercial and private projects.

Quickstart:

pip install utm

import utm

# Convert latitude/longitude to UTM
utm.from_latlon(51.2, 7.5)
# Returns: (395201.3103811303, 5673135.241182375, 32, 'U')

# Convert UTM back to latitude/longitude
utm.to_latlon(340000, 5710000, 32, 'U')
# Returns: (51.51852098408468, 6.693872395145327)

Requires Python 3.10 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Whether NumPy is an optional dependency or required for array support
- Accuracy specifications or error bounds for coordinate conversions
- Support for coordinate systems beyond WGS84

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 1.1M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

utm coordinate conversion, latlon to utm, wgs84 to utm, geographic coordinate system, map projection converter, utm zone calculator, coordinate transformation, geospatial, coordinate-conversion, gis

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/utm) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/utm/)