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Zip codes, postcodes, mailing addresses Dubai, UAE
List of Dubai and UAE zip codes and postal codes
This is a short list. There isn't anywhere in Dubai or UAE that uses a zip code or postcode for mail delivery. Try 00000 if you are forced to use one.
Confusion arises because all UAE mail is delivered to a PO Box, e.g. "Somebody, PO Box 12345, Dubai, UAE". If mail is addressed as "Somebody, Dubai 12345, UAE" without the text "PO Box", it will still be delivered successfully but it looks there is a postcode for Dubai rather than a PO Box.
Mailing addresses for Dubai and UAE
- You need a PO Box number for any post office delivered mail in the UAE. Don't get PO Box mixed up with postcodes or zip codes. Sharjah started to introduce a "Postal Code System" in 2015 but they are GIS building location codes rather than mail delivery codes for areas.
- Some confusion might result from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) UAE member page "Search for a postcode" link going to the EPG list of locations with Public PO Box numbers. Don't use a public PO Box address unless you know that is what you want to do.
- Don't use a street address when addressing mail for the UAE that goes through the postal system. It won't normally be delivered there.
Mailing address formats used in the UAE
Replace "12345" with the correct PO Box number. Don't use hyphens or spaces in the PO Box number (although mail will usually still be delivered correctly if there are hypens or spaces e.g. "12 345" or "123-45").
| Company | Personal | Incorrect but delivered ok |
Also incorrect, also delivered |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Person's name if required] Company name PO Box xxxxx Emirate or City United Arab Emirates |
Person name PO Box xxxxx Emirate or City United Arab Emirates |
Person name xxxxx Emirate or City United Arab Emirates |
Person name Location xxxxx United Arab Emirates |
| Example | Example | Example | Example |
| Mr Ahmed Al Wasl, Manager AAW General Trading PO Box 12345 Dubai UAE |
Ahmed Al Wasl PO Box 12345 Dubai UAE |
Ahmed Al Wasl 12345 Dubai UAE |
Ahmed Al Wasl Dubai 12345 UAE |
Either UAE or United Arab Emirates can be used for country name (when sent from English speaking countries). Use the relevant abbreviation or full name from non-English speaking countries.
What to do if a zip code or postcode is required for mail to the UAE?
There are often situations where a company requires a zip code for a delivery or mailing address in the UAE, for example Amazon, AliExpress, other ecommerce and online shopping websites. In that case, use 00000 as a default zip code for anywhere in the UAE.
Here is a list of our suggestions for UAE zip codes or postcodes to use, in order of preference (our opinion only).
- Try leaving the zip code or postcode field blank, or type a space.
- 00000 or 0000 - seems to work fine for us most of the time. Use "zeros" not "ohs".
- A 3 letter code for a city or emirate (not always the same as the airport code) e.g. DXB for Dubai, AUH for Abu Dhabi, but RAK for Ras Al Khaimah (not the airport code which is RKT). Or try using UAE for the postcode, and then enter United Arab Emirates for the country.
- Your UAE mobile number starting with 05 e.g. 05012345 (that's not a real UAE mobile number). The advantage with this is that if there is an address or delivery problem, the post office in the UAE will sometimes phone your mobile to try to get the item delivered - more likely with parcels and packages than with letters.
- Make something up if there is a restrictive zip code or postcode format expected. You might need to check validity online for the relevant country if the submission form requires a valid postcode, not just a valid format. But realistically, if you are forced to try this method online, you should really question whether or not you really want to be dealing with a company that has such a clumsy website user interface. Also, watch out that the country choice doesn't change even if you had set it to UAE already. One more problem with countries that use 5-digit postal codes is that the postcode could easily be confused with the UAE PO Box number resulting in a mail delivery error. Some country examples:
- France Code Postal: 5 digits (numerical only).
- Germany Postleitzahl (PLZ): 5 digits (numericial only).
- Great Britain or United Kingdom postcode: 2-4 alphanumeric characters, a space, then 3 alphanumeric characters e.g. A1BC 2DE (not an actual valid postcode). There are restrictions on which character set is used in each position, details not covered here since this page is about the UAE postal delivery system, not the UK.
- USA zip code: 2 letters (abbreviation for state) + 5 numerical digits.
- The UAE PO Box used for delivery address. It will end up appearing twice on the address label but you will still only get one copy of the package or letter.
- In Dubai, the Makani number for your physical location (if you know what it is, there should be a label on the building or fence). The post office won't deliver your mail there, you still need a PO Box for that, but the sender won't know that.
Post codes and zip codes for courier deliveries in the UAE
- Courier deliveries, such as Aramex, DHL, Fedex, Empost, etc will need a physical location to deliver your items. A postcode will not be useful to them, you'll need to give a physical address (e.g. building name or number and street name), or company name that the courier can find, or GIS locator (e.g. Makani, Onwani) if the courier company uses this service.
- At least provide a mobile phone number so the courier can call you and get directions.
List of postcodes and zip codes not used in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and other UAE locations ...
... but often searched for or requested
| Location | Zip or Post Code | 3 letter or short code |
GIS | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 00000 | UAE | ||
| Abu Dhabi | 00000 | AUH | Onwani | |
| Ajman | 00000 | AJM | Makani? | |
| Al Ain | 00000 | AAN | Onwani | |
| Dubai | 00000 | DXB | Makani | |
| Fujairah | 00000 | FUJ | Makani? | |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 00000 | RAK | Makani? | |
| Sharjah | SHJ | Sharjah PCS | ||
| Umm Al Quwain | 00000 | UAQ | Makani? | |
| Abu Shagara, Sharjah | ||||
| Al Barsha, Dubai | ||||
| Al Dhaid, Sharjah | ||||
| Al Ghubaiba, Sharjah | ||||
| Al Majaz 2, Sharjah | First GIS signs, Apr 2015 | |||
| Al Nahda, Sharjah | ||||
| Al Qusais, Dubai | ||||
| Al Rahmaniyah 5, Sharjah | First GIS signs, Apr 2015 | |||
| Bur Dubai | ||||
| Business Bay, Dubai | ||||
| Deira, Dubai | ||||
| Dubai Internet City | DIC | |||
| Dubai Investment Park | DIP, DIP1, DIP2 | |||
| Dubai Mall | ||||
| Dubai Marina | ||||
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | DSO | |||
| Dubailand | ||||
| International City | ||||
| Karama, Dubai | ||||
| Madinat Zayed, Abu Dhabi | ||||
| Mussafah, Abu Dhabi | ||||
| Rolla, Sharjah | ||||
| Satwa, Dubai | ||||
| TECOM, Dubai | TECOM | |||
| Yas Island, Abu Dhabi |
UAE Postal Code Project
- Occasional references seen to a UAE Postcode Project or UAE Post Code Project, but nothing official found from EPG or the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
- Might be references to the GIS address mapping projects. Or to something else proposed but delayed, suspended, abandoned, or still in development.
- The UPU "Status and Structures of Postal Entities" 2018 report for the UAE has no mention about a postal code project or anything else related to post codes.
- The Sharjah GIS address project is called the Sharjah Postal Code System (SPC or PCS).
GIS location and addressing systems in the UAE
- Geographical Information System (GIS) reference location numbers used for individual buildings are different from zip codes and post codes used for areas.
Makani GIS system Dubai and Northern Emirates
- Unique 10 digit numbers with physical signboards placed at entrance to every building in Dubai, and in Northern Emirates.
- Implemented in Dubai, see www.makani.ae.
- Proposed for emirates of Ajman, Fujairah, RAK, UAQ. Location not yet available at www.makani.ae (as of Mar 2019) but might be available on the Makani app (Android and Apple).
- There is a Makani Restaurant in RAK serving Indian food.
Onwani GIS system for Abu Dhabi emirate
- Includes Abu Dhabi island, Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain city and region, Al Gharbiya (Western Region).
- Abu Dhabi Street Address, Geonames and Signage System (ADAGS) Project = Onwani (means My Address in English).
Sharjah Postal Code System (PCS) for GIS
The Sharjah Urban Planning Council (UPC, SUPC) started introducing an location address system in 2015, called the "Sharjah Postal Code System (PCS)", similar to the Makani 10-digit address locating system introduced in Dubai, and Onwani in Abu Dhabi. Although these systems can be used for deliveries, they are different from more general area post codes or zip codes which are often used in other countries for addressing mail delivered by post office systems. The GIS reference numbers are unique and specific to individual buildings.
Since the UAE postal service is unlikely to start introducing free mail delivery services to the general public in the forseeable future (paid mail delivery is available), the Sharjah Postal Code is not required when addressing items posted to you if you live in Sharjah. You will still need a PO Box as of 2015 ... 2016 ... 2017 ... 2018 ... 2019. Unless using a paid for delivery service (courier or post office), in which case the Postal Code might be used.
- 2017 Apr 02 (press release): The SUPC announced that the pilot phase of the Postal Code System (PCS) was complete, and full implementation of about 102,000 postal code signboards in Sharjah would begin (102,076 signs). Locators appear to be 5 digit numbers.
- 2015 Apr 18 (WAM): Sharjah Urban Planning Council (SUPC, SHJ-UPC) announced that postal codes would be introduced in the emirate of Sharjah. Every building location would have its own individual postal code, to be used for GIS reference, quicker access for emergency services, and possibly mail delivery. A mobile app to look up post codes was also announced.
Glossary
- GIS = Geographic Information System
- Letter Box or Letterbox
- Mail Bag or Mailbag
- Mail Box or Mailbox
- Makani
- Onwani
- PO Box (Post Office Box)
- Post Code or Postcode
- Postal Code
- Sharjah Postal Code
- UPU = Universal Postal Union, joining date for the UAE was 30 Mar 1973.
- Zip Code
Categories
- Parent category: EPG
- Child pages: none
- Related pages: street names in UAE, mail delivery in UAE
References
- www.makani.ae - desktop version of Dubai Municipality (DM) Makani address system. Only shows Dubai locations, not Northern Emirates (as of Mar 2019).
- Sharjah Postal Code: supc.shj.ae/initiatives_new.aspx?id=1 (old link at www.supc.gov.ae/initiatives_new.aspx?id=1).
- www.wam.ae/en/details/1395279410835, "Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi announces official launch of new postal code system in Sharjah", 2015-04-18.
- www.upu.int/en/activities/addressing/postal-addressing-systems-in-member-countries.html - how to address mail in teh UAE and other countries.
Last update Tuesday 22-Oct-2019.
Related pages
| UAE postal services | Emirates Post Group | Postal and zip codes | Private PO Boxes | Public PO Boxes |
|---|---|
| UAE post offices | Abu Dhabi post offices | Ajman post offices | Al Ain post offices | Dubai post offices | Fujairah post offices | RAK post offices | Sharjah post offices | UAQ post offices |
Related websites (new window)
- www.upu.int - Universal Postal Union official website, includes documents and pages about postcodes, how to address mail correctly, delivery procedures, etc.
- [Disabled] Submit URL.