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SHP CSV
File conversion

Convert SHP to CSV

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 13, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert SHP to CSV?
Yes - SHP converts to CSV.

For point layers, coordinates can be written as X and Y columns alongside the attributes. For line or polygon layers, only the attribute data transfers - the geometry does not fit into rows. The companion .dbf file is itself a dBASE table that LibreOffice Calc can open directly without any GIS software.

Also to CSV: DTA · HVE · XFDF

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert SHP to CSV?

A Shapefile stores two things: vector geometry and an attribute table. CSV opens in Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, and virtually any database import wizard. Exporting to .csv is common when non-GIS users need the underlying tabular data - parcel IDs, population counts, point coordinates - without GIS software.

How to convert SHP to CSV

QGIS FREE

Right-click the loaded layer and choose Export > Save Features As, select CSV, and set GEOMETRY to AS_XY for point layers or NONE for lines and polygons.

ogr2ogr OPEN-SOURCE

Run ogr2ogr -f CSV out.csv in.shp -lco GEOMETRY=AS_XY for point layers; use -lco GEOMETRY=NONE for attribute data only.

LibreOffice Calc FREE

Open the .dbf sibling file directly via File > Open in LibreOffice Calc, then save as CSV - no GIS software needed.

About these formats

.SHP Esri Shapefile (geospatial vector data)

A .shp file is almost always an Esri Shapefile - geospatial vector data (points, lines, polygons) used by GIS software. It is one piece of a set: it needs its sibling files (.shx, .dbf, and…

Open .SHP details →
.CSV Comma-Separated Values

A CSV file stores tabular data as plain text - one row per line, values separated by commas (or semicolons in European locales). Any spreadsheet opens it: Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice…

Open .CSV details →

Quality & what to watch

  • For line and polygon layers, geometry does not transfer to CSV rows; use AS_WKT to write geometry as a text string if the shape must be preserved.
  • Field names in the .dbf are truncated to 10 characters (a dBASE limit), which carries over to the CSV.
  • All sibling files (.shx, .dbf, and ideally .prj) must be in the same folder for QGIS or ogr2ogr to open the Shapefile correctly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get coordinates in the CSV for a point Shapefile?
Yes - in QGIS set GEOMETRY to AS_XY, or use ogr2ogr -lco GEOMETRY=AS_XY; this adds longitude and latitude columns to each row.
Do I need GIS software to open the attribute data?
No - every Shapefile includes a .dbf file that LibreOffice Calc can open directly via File > Open.
What happens to geometry for polygon or line layers in the CSV?
Polygon and line geometry has no simple column representation; use AS_WKT to preserve the shape as a text string in one column, or accept attributes-only output.