Vietnam
Delivery and Addressing Challenges in Vietnam
Why parcels are hard to place in Vietnam: deep alleys, nested house numbers, tall apartment blocks, and how an exact-location code helps.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 3 min read
Delivery in Vietnam has to cope with a very dense urban fabric. Large cities have long streets with many narrow lanes branching from them, and many homes are accessible only on foot or by motorbike. For couriers and online shops, the main difficulty is not the absence of addresses but the difficulty of turning a written address into an exact doorway.
Alleys and nested numbers
Lanes (hem, ngo, ngach) often branch several times, and house numbers can reflect this with sequences such as 12/3/4. Similar sequences can exist in different lanes, and a missing segment makes the address ambiguous. A delivery rider may need to enter the lane from the correct street, since the same lane may be reached from several directions. The details of this notation are covered in how to write a Vietnamese address.
High-rise apartments and gated complexes
Residential towers and compounds are common in the large cities. A single compound can have several blocks, entrances and a security gate. Without the block name, floor and unit number, the courier cannot complete the delivery, and many couriers end up waiting at the gate while the recipient comes down. Giving the building name and block in the address is essential.
Changing administrative names
The recent reorganisation of provinces and lower administrative levels means that an address held in a customer account may use names that have been merged or revised. Shops that store only free text may end up with a mix of old and new names. Where the postal code is requested, make sure it is checked against the current area, as explained in how to find a Vietnam postal code.
Reliance on phone contact
Because written addresses can be difficult, couriers in Vietnam often rely on calling the recipient to confirm the location. This works, but it is slow and depends on the recipient answering. A reliable phone number at checkout remains very important.
How an exact-location code can complement the address
A UPCS code is generated from a point selected on a map. In Vietnam it starts with VN, as in VN-XXXX-XXXX, and each code denotes a 3 m by 3 m cell. A customer can drop the pin at the actual entrance to an alley or the correct gate of a complex, and the courier can open the code to get directions on a map.
A UPCS code is not a postal code, is not issued by Vietnam Post or any government, and does not replace the written address, the six-digit postal code or the phone number. It is an additional field that helps the last few metres. Shops running WooCommerce, PrestaShop or OpenCart can use the plugins listed on the plugins page, while custom shops can read the documentation for the embeddable map.
For the structure of the postal code itself, see Vietnam postal code format explained. The Vietnam overview links to all the pages in this section.
Frequently asked questions
Why is delivery in Vietnamese cities complicated?
Many homes sit in narrow alleys with nested numbering, and large apartment complexes have several towers. The written address alone may not show the exact entrance.
Do online shops in Vietnam need a postal code?
Domestic couriers often work from the written address and a phone number, while international shipping usually requires the six-digit postal code. A shop should collect both the address and the postal code.