Postal codes in Saudi Arabia

Postal codes used in Saudi Arabia are known as post code, postal codes, PIN/ ZIP code, consisting of a specific number of digits, alphabets, spaces and sometimes punctuations.

However, the post codes of Saudi Arabia are numerical and were adopted by the Saudi Postal Corporation (Saudi Post).^[1] Street numbers and house numbers are not allocated in the country generally, so; it caused many difficulties in posting any object from town to town, business to home and vice versa. Then in order to eradicate any sort of confusion and making the system smooth, the postal code system was introduced and established. Firstly the system was originated in European Countries and on July 1, 1963, by the United States Postal Service. Later on, it broke through new grounds and evolved in every country, including Saudi Arabia.

Designing a postcode in Saudi Arabia is based on the segregation of 8 regions in the country as per the division of administration where every city or state is categorized with a specific numeric, coming at the beginning of a postcode. These regions and their specifications are these:

• Riyadh Region 1
• Makah Region 2
• Eastern Province Region 3
• Medina and Tabuk 4
• Qasim and Haíl 5,
• Asir, Najran and Bahah collectively 6
• Northern Borders and Jawf 7, Jizan 8.

Postal codes of the administrative regions are typically different from the postal regions on the basis of consideration of roads and geographical factors.

In addition to it, the postal code consists of two parts. The first part contains 5 digits further categorized by a hyphen with the addition of 4 more digits for more clarification and preciseness of the Saudi National Address, making a total of 9 digits. For example, the simple and general postal code of Riyadh is 22334, and Turaif is: 446788 with the mot precision: 3444-00000.^[2]

Further, in order to read the postcodes, two types of delivery are required to be kept in mind. These are; Home delivery and PO Box Delivery. For home delivery, the first digit signifies the broader area numbered 1-8. The two following digits stand for the main post office of that region and the sector, Branch, further; last two digits symbolize the small post offices of the particular city, Section or Block as well. On the other and, in case of PO Box Delivery, the first two digits are for Postal Zone and the other three for the delivery point.

Moreover, the addition of 4 digits in already existing 5 digit postcode signifies the more precise and the exact location of someone where the object needs to be posted. For instance, the postcode of Turaif is 22555-445556. The second section of the postcode will guide the delivery boy to exactly reach the building of the receiver.

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