France
How to Find a French Code Postal
Find the right French code postal for a commune or street through La Poste's own directory, check it, and handle communes with several codes.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 3 min read
The most reliable source for a French code postal is the directory published by the national postal operator, La Poste. It can be searched by commune name or by a street address, and it returns the code that the sorting offices use.
Searching by commune
For a small commune, the commune name alone is enough, and the result is usually one code. When several communes share the same name, the result lists each with its département, so you should pick the one in the correct part of the country. Many French commune names repeat, and an incorrect choice produces a code from a different region.
Searching by street address
In a city, the commune name often returns many codes. Enter the street and house number to find the one that applies. For Paris, Lyon and Marseille, the code identifies the arrondissement, so the same street name can exist in several areas.
Other sources
- Earlier mail, bills or contracts addressed to the property.
- An existing account with a retailer where the address has already been accepted.
- The town hall (mairie), which maintains street records for the commune.
- Business signage and legal notices, for companies.
Verifying the result
Check the code against the structure in France postal code format explained: five digits, in the right département range. Then check that the commune name returned matches the one you expect. For organisations, confirm whether the address uses a CEDEX code, because the CEDEX code differs from the code of the street address.
If you are unsure
- Do not guess. A single wrong digit can route mail to another commune.
- Ask the recipient to give the code exactly as it appears on their mail.
- For lieux-dits and new subdivisions, check with the mairie.
- Add a short access note for the carrier when the entrance is not obvious.
Adding an exact point
If a property is hard to find, a UPCS code can complement the code postal. Mark the entrance on the UPCS map and keep the FR code (placeholder: FR-XXXX-XXXX) with the address. It is not issued by La Poste and does not change the postal code. Read the France overview or see delivery and addressing challenges.
Frequently asked questions
Can a commune have more than one code postal?
Yes. Large communes have several codes, and a single code can also serve several small communes. Searching by commune name alone may return more than one result.
How do I find the code for a lieu-dit?
Use the commune the lieu-dit belongs to and check the code against a recent letter or invoice. The delivery office for that commune sets the code.