Street Code vs PO Box Code: Which One Should You Use?
Many South African suburbs have two postal codes. Here is what each one is for, which to use on forms and parcels, and real examples from the big cities.
Look up almost any South African suburb and you will find two postal codes: a street code and a PO Box code. They are often different numbers, and using the wrong one is one of the most common reasons mail and parcels are delayed.
What is a street code?
The street code is for mail and parcels delivered to a physical address: a house, a flat, an office or a shop. It identifies the delivery area your street falls in, and couriers use it to route a parcel to the right depot.
What is a PO Box code?
The PO Box code is for mail collected from a post office box or a private bag. It identifies the post office that holds the boxes, not the street where you live. That is why a suburb’s box code can be quite different from its street code, and why several suburbs can share one box code.
Examples from the big cities
| Suburb or town | Street | PO Box |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 2001 | 2000 |
| Sandton | 2196 | 2146 |
| Cape Town | 8001 | 8000 |
| Sea Point | 8005 | 8060 |
| Durban | 4001 | 4000 |
| Pretoria | 0002 | 0001 |
| Centurion | 0157 | 0046 |
| Bloemfontein | 9301 | 9300 |
City centres often have neat pairs, such as 8001 and 8000 in Cape Town or 4001 and 4000 in Durban. Suburbs are less predictable: Sea Point uses 8005 for street addresses and 8060 for PO Boxes, and Centurion uses 0157 and 0046.
Which one should you use?
- Online shopping and courier deliveries: the street code. Couriers deliver to physical addresses, not to PO Boxes.
- Letters to a PO Box or private bag: the PO Box code. The address will start with “PO Box” or “Private Bag”.
- Bank, SARS and FICA forms: use the code that matches the address you write. Many forms ask for a postal address and a physical address separately, so you may need both codes.
- Business letterheads and invoices: show the physical address with the street code and, if you have one, the postal address with the box code.
If the address has a street name and number, use the street code. If it has a box or bag number, use the PO Box code.
What if only one code is listed?
Some suburbs only have a street code, usually because no post office boxes are registered under that suburb. Others, especially in rural areas, only have a PO Box code because mail there is collected from the post office rather than delivered to the door. If you need a courier to deliver in an area like that, give the full physical address, the code that is listed and a phone number, and check with the courier before you send.
Private bags and mailbox services
A private bag is a kind of post office box used mainly by businesses, so it takes the PO Box code. Mailbox services such as PostNet usually combine a suite number with a private bag, for example “Suite 123, Private Bag X1”. Use the code that belongs to that private bag; the service will give it to you when you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
Why are street and PO Box codes different?
A street code describes where an address is. A PO Box code describes which post office holds the box. Mail for each is sorted separately, so each gets its own code.
Can I use my PO Box code for a courier delivery?
No. Couriers deliver to physical addresses, so they need your street address and street code. A parcel sent by post to a PO Box waits at the post office until you collect it.
Where can I see both codes for my suburb?
Search for your suburb on ZarPostalCodes. Every suburb page shows the street code and the PO Box code side by side.