Germany
How to Write a German Address Correctly
German address order explained: name, street then house number, PLZ before town, plus c/o, rear buildings, floors and a formatted example.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 3 min read
German addresses use a fixed, compact order. The street name comes first, the house number follows it, and the line beneath carries the postal code and the town. There is no separate state or region line needed for delivery.
The standard order
- Recipient name, with a company or c/o line above it if needed.
- Street name and house number.
- Postal code (PLZ) and town.
- Country, for mail from abroad.
The house number is written after the street name and may carry a letter, such as 12a, when a plot has been subdivided. Ranges and fractions are rare but occur.
Street names
Street names often end in strasse, weg, platz or allee and are written together in one word with the name, for example a street named after a person. The sharp s can be written as ss on forms or in systems that do not support it. Umlauts are standard, and when they cannot be typed, ae, oe and ue are accepted substitutes.
Floors, rear buildings and units
Where several buildings or flats share one house number, additional details are common and usually go on the street line or a line beneath it:
- Hinterhaus, for a rear building behind the street-facing one.
- Seitenfluegel, for a side wing.
- A floor description, such as 3. OG for the third upper floor.
- A flat number or the name on the doorbell.
Because apartment numbering is not standardised across buildings, the name on the doorbell is often the most reliable identifier for a courier.
Special delivery formats
Addresses can also point to a parcel station or a post office box instead of a street. These are written with the facility name or number in place of the street and still require the PLZ and town. Pick-up options like these do not accept every kind of consignment, so check with the carrier.
A formatted example
Placeholder values only:
Erika Mustermann
c/o Beispiel GmbH
Beispielstrasse 12a, Hinterhaus
12345 Beispielstadt
Deutschland
Using a UPCS code
A code such as DE-XXXX-XXXX (placeholder) can be saved with the address to show the exact entrance or courtyard. It does not take the place of any of the lines above. See also the PLZ format guide and the Germany overview.
Frequently asked questions
Does the house number come before or after the street in Germany?
After. A German address puts the street name first and the house number second, for example Beispielstrasse 12.
How do I write a German address from abroad?
Write it in the German order and add the country on the last line, usually Deutschland or Germany, in the language the sending postal service expects.