How to Find Your Postal Code in South Africa
Four quick ways to find the right four-digit postal code for any South African address, and the common mistakes that send mail to the wrong place.
A South African postal code is four digits long. It tells the Post Office and couriers which delivery area an address belongs to, so a wrong code can leave a parcel sitting at the wrong depot for days. Here is how to find the right one in under a minute.
1. Search by suburb or town
The fastest way is to type your suburb or town into the search box below. The first few letters are enough; suggestions appear as you type.
Each result shows the street code and, where there is one, the PO Box code. Open the suburb page to see both codes, the suburb on a map and an example of how to write the address.
2. Browse by province and area
Not sure how a suburb is spelled? Browse instead. Start from the list of provinces, choose the post office area (usually the nearest large town), then find the suburb. Every area page lists all of its suburbs with their codes and has a filter box to narrow the list as you type.
3. Use your location
On your phone, the postal codes near me page asks for your location once and lists the closest suburbs with their codes. It is handy when you have just moved and do not know the suburb name yet. Your location is not stored.
4. Check mail you already receive
Municipal accounts, bank statements and delivery notes usually show your full address, including the postal code. If the address shown is your street address, the code next to it is normally your street code. It is still worth checking it against the listing, because old or mistyped codes get copied from one form to the next.
Which code do you need?
Most South African suburbs have one code for street deliveries and another for post office boxes. Use the street code when something is delivered to a house, flat or office, and the PO Box code only for a PO Box or private bag. Our guide to street codes and PO Box codes explains the difference with examples.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the city centre code for the whole city. 2001 is the street code for central Johannesburg, not for Sandton (2196) or Randburg (2194). Big cities have dozens of codes.
- Mixing up street and box codes. Sandton’s street code is 2196 but its PO Box code is 2146. A courier delivering to an office in Sandton needs 2196.
- Choosing a suburb with the same name somewhere else. Many suburb names repeat across the country. There is a Rosebank in Johannesburg and another in Cape Town, with different codes:
| Suburb or town | Street | PO Box |
|---|---|---|
| Rosebank (Johannesburg) | 2196 | – |
| Rosebank (Cape Town) | 7700 | – |
- Not recognising Afrikaans or older names. Post Office lists often use Afrikaans words such as Uit (extension) and older town names such as Port Elizabeth for Gqeberha. The code is the same either way, and our search understands both. See renamed towns and their codes.
Frequently asked questions
Can two suburbs share the same postal code?
Yes. A code covers a delivery area, and one area often includes several suburbs. Code 2196, for example, is shared by Sandton, Rosebank, Illovo and many smaller suburbs nearby. See every suburb that uses 2196.
Do South African postal codes change?
Rarely. Codes stay the same even when a town is renamed, and new suburbs are normally given the code of the area around them.
Is the postal code the same as a ZIP code?
Yes. When an international website asks for a ZIP code or postcode, enter your four-digit South African postal code. Our South Africa ZIP code guide covers the other fields on international forms.