International Address Validation: What Is Postcode

How Can the Postcodes in Australia Help You Reduce Postage Costs and Boost Customer Satisfaction?

There are nearly 3,333 postcodes in Australia, covering all internal and external states and territories. These postcodes assist Australia Post in determining delivery routes and dropping off items at the correct destinations. But, there is much more to this concept that we will discuss in this blog.

First, you should know that an Australian postal code is the same as a ZIP code in the US. It goes by different names in every country, but its primary objectives remain the same.

They are helpful in the address verification and standardisation processes. With the help of correct postcodes, companies can process orders accurately and drive more sales. They can manage their entire logistics structure efficiently and save costs.

Address verification is gaining massive popularity these days, and businesses can employ it in their systems using postcodes of Australia. They assist in determining the number of orders per state or city—to formulate marketing and other strategies.

However, there are many more use cases of postcodes that this blog will walk you through. Also, we will talk about the significance of address validation for companies.

Let’s get started!

What are the Postcodes In Australia?

Australian postcodes are a string of four numbers that represent specific localities or neighbourhoods. It is a unique geographic identifier and offers high-quality demographic information.

Businesses use Aussie postal code lists for fraud prevention, shipping, information coordination, etc.

Primarily, they help assemble and route mail items within the Australia Post system. Mention them at the end of mailing addresses after writing the state abbreviations.

In 1967, the Postmaster-General’s Department introduced postcode in Australia, and the entire system is under the postal management. You can avail of the whole list of postcodes from the Post Office in the form of booklets. Alternatively, you can order online from Australia Post’s website if you want to store them in digital format.

Often, postcards and envelopes have four square boxes in orange to mention the postcode. They enable the postal workers to sort mail pieces automatically, helping them speed up the delivery process.

History of Postcodes In Australia

The purpose of the introduction of postcodes was to replace the older postal sorting structure, like Melbourne’s numbering system. (e.g., E5, N8) Also, there was a similar organisation in New South Wales’s regional and rural parts.

The introduction of large-volume mechanical mail sorting also took place around the same time as the commencement of the post code Australia system.

75% of mail items were using postcodes by 1968. The Post Office introduced postal preferred-size envelopes or standard envelopes the same year.

The orange-coloured postcode squares came into existence in June 1990 to help the postal services employ Optical Character Recognition (OCR). It assists Australia Post in sorting mail by postcodes more quickly.

Prescribed Mailing Address Format in Australia

The four-digit postcodes of Australia appear at the end of delivery addresses. But, you must ensure that the address is accurate and properly formatted. Australia Post has a standard address format that all individuals and companies should follow, and it is:

The first line comprises the recipient’s full name
The name and number. You can also write the locked bag or PO box, if applicable
The last line has the locality or Post Office name with the territory or state abbreviation. Also, mention the postcodes in Australia on the same line at the end
Write the country name for sending mail internationally

Here’s an example:

Phoebe Holt

18 Angelo St

NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060

Most standard-sized envelopes already have the four boxes pre-printed on the bottom for writing the postcode in Australia Sydney.

Please note that you must write the company name on the second line while mailing to a business address. Below are some more tips to help you write your addresses precisely:

Find the correct postcode using the Australia Post postal code finder
Use dark inks to print your delivery addresses, like black on white paper. Refrain from using yellow, orange, or red ink
Don’t underline anything
Don’t stagger or indent the address lines
Write your return address on the top left corner of the envelope to help the postal workers send your mailpiece back if the delivery fails

How Do Postcodes Work In Australia?

Now that you know what is a postal code, let us discuss its functioning in-depth. Australian postcodes consist of sorting data, and the Post Office uses them to group mail pieces going to similar locations.

Population

Often, postcodes represent only one geographic area. For instance, 6160 covers the city of Fremantle only. However, it gets complicated because of the postcodes that belong to numerous towns, like 2570. The postal code- 2570 includes 22 suburbs and cities around Camden.

Also, the postcode 3221 in Victoria that belongs to the Geelong Mail Centre includes twenty places with a low population. It indicates that Australia Post does the mail sorting after it reaches Geelong.

Other postcodes include larger populations (e.g., 4350 serving nearly 100,000 addresses in and around Toowoomba). But, there are also many postcodes in Australia, covering urban areas with a small population. Hence, there is no general rule regarding how many places a postcode should cover.

Towns Having Two Postcodes

The postcodes start from 0200, serving the Australian National University, and range up to 9944, covering Cannonvale in Queensland.

Plus, several suburbs and towns have two postcodes—one for PO boxes and the other for door-to-door deliveries. For instance, PO box 99 in Parramatta comes under postcode 2124. But, the same area also has another postal code- 2150 for street delivery.

Large Volume Receivers

Many large government departments, companies, and other crucial institutions that receive bulk mail have their Aussie postal code. These organisations are known as Large Volume Receivers (LVRs).

Here are some examples:

0200- Australian National University.

4029- The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, etc.

However, the Post Office has been discontinuing the LVR system since 2006.

Postcodes of Australia Covering More Than One State

Postcode 2620 includes an area in the Australia Capital Territory (Hume) and a locality in New South Wales (Gundaroo). Also, postcode 0872 serves several localities across Western Australia, Southern Australia, and the Northern Territory.

So, it is common for some postcodes to cover places in different states, even if it complicates the routing process.

The Allocation of the Postcodes In Australia

We hope you now know what is postcode in Australia so far and how they work. Now, we will move on to the allocation of Australian postcodes.

The first two postcode numbers indicate the state or territory, while the other two help locate the address. Here are the postcode ranges of the different states and territories:

State or Territory	Postcodes in Australia
New South Wales	1000 – 1999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs) 2000 – 2599 2619 – 2899 2921 – 2999
Australian Capital Territory	0200 – 0299 (only PO Boxes and LVRs) 2600 – 2618 2900 – 2920
Victoria	3000 – 3999 8000 – 8999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)
South Australia	5000 – 5799 5800 – 5999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)
Western Australia	6000 – 6797 6800 – 6999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)
Tasmania	7000 – 7799 7800 – 7999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)
Northern Territory	0800 – 0899 0900 – 0999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)
Queensland	4000 – 4999 9000 – 9999 (only PO Boxes and LVRs)

Comparison of the Postcodes Around the World

The Treaty of Bern in 1874 dictated the Universal Postal Union’s launch to enhance global mail exchange. There are hundreds of member countries, and their postcodes are available publicly.

The UPU conducts several seminars, publishes research papers, and creates solutions to promote global eCommerce. You can access their website and search for all the postcodes in Australia. Below are some details of the most popular postcode systems in the world:

ZIP Codes (USA)

At PostGrid, we get many questions, like what is ZIP code. This term may confuse people, but it is the same as postcode. Undoubtedly, the ZIP codes of the USA constitute a well-curated postal code system under the jurisdiction of the USPS.

So, what is the ZIP postal code?

ZIP stands for Zoning Improvement Plan and has several functions, including mail routing, data verification, etc. The primary objective of introducing ZIP codes was to simplify transport across the country.

Robert A. Moon, a postal service employee, created the ZIP-code system decades ago to enhance mail delivery. It works the same way as the postcodes in Australia, with a few minor differences.

Typically, a ZIP postal code is five digits long. But, it is advisable to add the extra four digits that speed up mail sorting and delivery. Nowadays, you can use Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMBs) that have encoded ZIP codes to automate most of the process. It helps you bag additional postal discounts from Australia Post.

The first digit of the ZIP code stands for a group of US states, while the second and third digits represent a Post Office or sectional centre. Then, the last two numbers stand for the delivery area.

Postal Codes (Canada)

Canada got its first postal code structure in Toronto in 1925. Later on, the Post Office divided the city into 14 delivery zones. The postal areas in Ottawa, Quebec, Vancouver, and Winnipeg also started using this system in a few years.

After knowing what is a postcode and ZIP code, you may think that Canadian postal codes are also numeric. But, they are alphanumeric, consisting of six digits. Some of the examples include M4K 1M8, T0A 0A0, M1E 1PS, etc.

Canadian codes use the A1A 1A1 format, wherein the first character is always a letter. The starting three digits state the Forward Sortation Area (FSA), and the remaining three represent Local Delivery Units (LDUs).

You can use an address verification API like PostGrid if you have difficulty finding and verifying postcodes in Australia and abroad. It helps you access validated mailing lists that you can employ for many reasons.

How Does Address Verification Help You Validate Your Postcode Data?

Address validation is the key to getting accurate postcodes and sending mail to deliverable addresses. It helps companies benefit from the use cases of the postcodes of Australia effectively.

Autocomplete

PostGrid’s autocomplete API allows your customers to autofill their delivery address and postal code. Hence, it takes them half the time they need to type the full address. Also, it ensures that the entered information is correct and valid.

You can integrate this API into your shopping app or website and boost its user experience (UX). Also, PostGrid offers address autocomplete with its validation services to help you send mail to the correct addresses.

It is also helpful in adding the missing postcodes of Australia to your mailing lists. Thus, you can update your old databases and put them to good use.

Standardise

As said earlier, following the standard Australia Post address format is crucial. Therefore, companies must mention properly-standardised addresses on their envelopes, packages, and other mail pieces.

PostGrid’s address verification API helps standardise your mailing information and postal code lists. It first parses the addresses to separate the components and employs fuzzy matching. Then, it reformats them to make them mail-ready. Hence, you can guarantee accurate and fast deliveries.

Validate

AMAS stands for Address Matching Approval System and is a certification program for address verification vendors. PostGrid is AMAS-certified and cross-checks your postal code lists against the Australia Post database.

Hence, you can rest assured that we return high-quality data that enhances your overall mailing experience.

Why Should You Always Verify the Postcodes In Australia Before Using Them?

There is more than one advantage of double-checking postcodes beforehand, including

Save Money

You can cut costs considerably by sending mail to the correct postcodes the first time itself. Reshipping, lost mail, returns, etc., can drain your budget and create inefficiencies. But, address verification for the postcodes of Australia can help you prevent such problems and mail accurately.

Also, address verification services like PostGrid help you presort your items by postcodes, allowing you to further lower costs.

Increase Operational Efficiency

It may be a routine for you to pack and mail orders. But, one incorrect postal code can lead to several issues and slowdowns. Hence, you should be prepared by validating your postcodes and maintaining a clean database.

Make Faster Decisions

Having access to an up-to-date postcode list enables you to make prompt decisions.

For example, you can use the postcodes of Australia to target the right neighbourhood if you want to promote your upcoming season sale. Hence, all marketing and planning activities involve the usage of postcodes.

Reduce Mail Returns

Mail returns can increase your workload and lead to wastage. Also, it creates backlogs as you need to reship the old orders again and divert your effort from the new ones.

But, you can skip these scenarios by using PostGrid’s address verification solutions to verify the postcodes of Australia.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

Validating postcodes in Australia and mailing items to the correct delivery addresses can help your mail items arrive at their destinations on time. This practice helps raise customer satisfaction and retention levels.

PostGrid’s Address Verification Services for Postcode Validation

After knowing about the UK ZIP code and postcode, your next step is finding a reliable address verification service. Luckily, we already have a solution to your needs and guarantee positive results. Our 99.99% deliverability rate is a sign of our efficient address validation capabilities.

Here are some of the best features of our services:

Geocoding: Geocoding feature helps capture the correct mailing addresses of your customers. Hence, if they provide incorrect details, you have the resources to identify the correct address and modify it accordingly
Fuzzy matching: It is a significant feature of verifying the postcodes of Australia because there could be some minor mistakes. People tend to make errors, like swapping letters and numbers. Hence, PostGrid performs a fuzzy matching check to validate your addresses better
Bulk address verification: You can upload your existing mailing lists on our dashboard or integrate our API into your system. Either way, you can verify any number of postal codes as our services are scalable
International address verification: International postcodes might be hard to find for you. But, you need not worry anymore because PostGrid can validate addresses of 245+ countries. Thus, you can mail to any part of the world and still not worry about incorrect postcodes in Australia

Wrapping Up

Almost every country has a postcode system known by different names. In the US, there are ZIP codes, whereas Canada has a postal code system. They help the Post Office identify locations more closely and deliver your packages at the earliest.

We hope you got the answers to queries, like how many postcodes are in Australia and what they mean. If you need help, you can use PostGrid’s address verification API that verifies every component of your addresses and makes them deliverable.

Also, our industry-best pricing plans make the whole process much more affordable and efficient for your company.

You can sign up here to know more about how PostGrid helps you validate the postcodes of Australia within seconds!

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Tuesday, June 21, 2022

What Is Postcode

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