Vietnam Postal Code Format Explained

Vietnamese postal codes are six-digit numbers administered by Vietnam Post, the national postal operator. They are numeric only and are written without spaces or separators. The code is placed after the city or province in an international address, or in the postal code field of an online form.

What the digits represent

The six digits follow the administrative hierarchy. The leading digits identify the province or centrally run city, and the following digits identify progressively smaller areas down to a delivery or post office zone. In other words, the longer the shared prefix between two codes, the closer the two places are in the postal hierarchy.

You do not need to decode a code by hand, and you should not try to build one from a place name. The assignment of digits is made by the postal operator and follows its own internal organisation.

A system in transition

Vietnam's administrative divisions have been restructured, with some provinces merged and the district level changed. Postal codes are tied to these divisions, so some older codes and place names may be superseded over time. Because the status of a specific code can change, treat any code you have as something to verify, not as a permanent identifier. See how to find a Vietnam postal code.

Examples of valid format

The following are generic examples of the shape only:

• 100000
• 700000
• 550000

Any group of six digits matches the format. A match does not mean the code is currently assigned to a specific place.

Where the postal code is used

Many shipping platforms, international checkouts and customs forms require a postal code field. Domestic parcel services in Vietnam often work primarily from the written ward, district and city and a phone number, so a missing postal code does not always stop a local delivery. International senders, however, usually need it for routing.

Common mistakes

• Entering a five-digit value, which does not match the six-digit format described here.
• Adding a space or hyphen in the middle of the six digits.
• Copying a code from another country's format.
• Using a postal code from an old address after the location has been renamed or merged into another unit.
• Treating the code as a precise location. It covers an area, not a house.

A postal code does not identify an exact building. For precision inside alleys and apartment blocks, a UPCS code with the prefix VN, for example VN-XXXX-XXXX, can be added next to the address. It is not a postal code and is not issued by Vietnam Post. See how to write a Vietnamese address for where each element goes, or return to the Vietnam overview.