A postal code is a series of letters or digits appended to a postal address to help automate mail sorting and ensure accurate delivery. As of 2020, 192 countries — all members of the UPU — use some form of postal or ZIP code.
Different Terms Around the World
Postal codes are known by different names depending on the country:
- Postal code — Canada and many other countries.
- ZIP code — United States and Philippines. ZIP stands for Zone Improvement Plan.
- PIN code — India. PIN is short for Postal Index Number.
- Postcode — UK, Australia, and many English-speaking countries.
- CAP code — Italy (Codice di Avviamento Postale).
- CEP code — Brazil (postal addressing code).
- Eircode — Ireland (unique 7-character code per address).
- NPA — Switzerland (4-digit postal routing number).
- PLZ — Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein (Postleitzahl).
- PSČ — Slovakia and Czech Republic.
What is a Postal Code?
Postal codes are numeric or alphanumeric identifiers assigned to specific geographic areas to facilitate mail sorting and delivery. First introduced in 1959, postal codes may include both numbers and letters and are used for mail sorting, census purposes, route planning, and demographic analysis.
What is a ZIP Code?
The ZIP code is a numerical system developed by the
United States Postal Service (USPS) in 1963. It consists of five digits, and an extended
ZIP+4 format (e.g., 02201-1020) introduced in 1983 allows even more precise delivery targeting.
ZIP codes are used exclusively in the USA and the Philippines.
What is a PIN Code?
India's Postal Index Number (PIN) system was introduced on 15 August 1962. PIN codes are 6-digit numbers sorted by the Indian Postal Department across 9 postal regions. The first digit indicates the broad region, the first two indicate the sub-region, the first three indicate the sorting district, and the last three identify the delivery post office.
What is a Postcode?
A postcode is an alphanumeric or numeric code used in many countries (UK, Australia, Netherlands, etc.) as part of a postal address to speed up mail delivery. The UK postcode, for example, combines letters and numbers to identify a specific street or building cluster.
What is a CAP Code? (Italy)
Italy introduced the CAP (Codice di Avviamento Postale) system in 1967, activated officially on July 1st of that year. It is a 5-digit numeric code used by Poste Italiane.
What is a CEP Code? (Brazil)
Brazil's CEP system was created in 1972 to organize and streamline its postal network.
Originally 5 digits, it expanded to 8 digits (format: xxxxx-xxx) in 1991 to accommodate
rapid population growth in large cities.
What is an Eircode? (Ireland)
Ireland introduced Eircode in 2015 — a unique 7-character alphanumeric code assigned to every individual address in the country, managed by An Post. It is the only postcode system in the world where each code identifies a single address rather than a geographic area.
What is an NPA Code? (Switzerland)
Switzerland's 4-digit postal routing number (NPA) was introduced in 1964. Each digit provides a geographic clue: the first digit indicates the broad region, the second a sub-area, the third the postal journey, and the fourth the specific locality.
What is a PLZ Code? (Germany)
Germany's postcode system has roots in 1941. After reunification, the Deutsche Bundespost introduced a unified 5-digit PLZ (Postleitzahl) system in 1993, replacing the separate East and West German systems that had coexisted since 1962 and 1965 respectively.
What is a PSČ Code? (Czech Republic & Slovakia)
PSČ (Poštovní směrovací číslo) is a numerical postal code used in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia to identify delivery post offices and sorting districts, helping automate the routing of mail and parcels.
ZIP Code vs. Postal Code — What's the Difference?
Functionally, ZIP codes and postal codes serve the same purpose: identifying a geographic delivery zone. The key distinction is regional: ZIP code is the term used in the USA and Philippines, while postal code (or postcode) is the standard term in the rest of the world. Both are assigned by national postal authorities and used by all 192 UPU member countries.