OSM to DXF: convert OpenStreetMap to AutoCAD in your browser
Draw a box, pick your layers, and get a production-ready DXF in about 30 seconds. No OSM file download, no GDAL install, no command-line tools.
RoadDXF is a browser-based OSM to DXF converter built for drafters and engineers who need map geometry in AutoCAD right now, not after an afternoon of GIS setup.
3 FREE EXPORTS / MONTH · NO CREDIT CARD
Why converting OpenStreetMap to DXF used to be painful
If you have ever tried to pull OpenStreetMap data into AutoCAD, you know the usual paths all involve detours:
- Download a regional OSM or PBF file from Geofabrik, often hundreds of megabytes to several gigabytes, then clip it to your area.
- Install QGIS and the right plugins, load the OSM layer, reproject to a local coordinate system, and export to DXF, hoping the layers survive.
- Run ogr2ogr or osm2dxf from the command line with GDAL correctly installed, which is its own rite of passage.
- Write Overpass QL queries to pull exactly the features you want, then figure out how to turn the JSON into DXF geometry.
Any of these works if you are a GIS professional with time to spare. For a make-ready engineer who needs a clean centerline exhibit in the next ten minutes, it is too much.
How RoadDXF converts OSM data to DXF
Draw a box on an interactive map
Open the app, search for an address or pan to the area you need, and click-drag a bounding box. The map uses OpenStreetMap tiles, so you are drawing over the exact data you will export.
Pick your layers
Toggle which features you want in the DXF: road edges, centerlines, road names, building footprints, addresses, parcel boundaries, right-of-way, waterways, and more.
Export
RoadDXF queries the Overpass API for your area, pulls parcel data from county GIS, processes everything in your browser, and generates the DXF for download. Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari, with nothing to install.
What you actually get in the DXF
A RoadDXF export is organized on clean, named layers that drop straight into your existing CAD workflow:
- Road edges (outer pavement boundaries) as closed polylines, ready to trim and offset.
- Road centerlines, the OSM way geometry, useful as reference or for alignment work.
- Road names as text at the midpoint of each named segment.
- Building footprints as closed polylines from OSM building tags.
- Addresses as point features with house numbers and street names.
- Parcel boundaries from US county GIS and TIGER Census data (US only).
- Right-of-way lines derived from road edges with configurable offsets.
- Waterways, railways, utility poles, mile markers, whatever OSM has for your area.
Layers use standard AutoCAD color indexing and stay separate so you can freeze, thaw, and isolate them the way you are used to.
RoadDXF vs. traditional OSM-to-DXF workflows
| Download-and-convert (osm2dxf, ogr2ogr, QGIS) | Paid file converters | RoadDXF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source the data | Download OSM or PBF files first | Upload a file you already extracted | Queries Overpass for the box you draw |
| Install | GDAL or QGIS configured correctly | Nothing, but server-side | Nothing, runs in your browser |
| Layers | Often flattened onto one layer | Generic map data DXF | Named layers built for drafting |
| Parcels | None, OSM has no reliable parcels | None | US parcels via county GIS + TIGER |
| Cost | Free, but setup is measured in hours | Per conversion or subscription | 3 free a month, plans from $19 |
Who uses RoadDXF for OSM-to-DXF work
- Make-ready engineers doing pole attachment and joint-use surveys who need road centerlines, ROW boundaries, and utility poles.
- Survey and civil teams building preliminary exhibits before a formal survey.
- Telecom and fiber planners scoping new builds who need roads, parcels, and addresses for route options and permit targets.
- Solo drafters who contract to engineering firms and have no GIS department to do the OSM extraction for them.
Common questions
Is RoadDXF a replacement for a real survey?
No, and we are upfront about that in our FAQ. OSM road centerlines are typically within a few feet of real position in populated areas. It is a base to draft over, not a legal survey.
What DXF version does RoadDXF export?
AC1015 (AutoCAD 2000 format), the broadly compatible version supported by AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, DraftSight, and essentially every DXF-capable program.
Can I use the DXF commercially?
Yes. The DXF file is yours to use in commercial drafting and client deliverables. The underlying OSM data falls under the Open Database License, which asks for attribution.
Try it, your first three exports are free
No credit card required. You see the full product at full quality before deciding whether to subscribe.