Delivery and logistics
Delivery in Areas Without Street Names
Many neighbourhoods have no named or numbered streets. Learn how parcels still reach them and how to give a courier a reliable location.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
Street names and numbers are a convention, not a given. In many places around the world they are missing, unofficial or inconsistent. Mail and parcels still arrive, but through other means: local knowledge, landmarks and conversation.
How it works today
- Area name and a person. "House of Mr Ahmed, near the central market."
- Landmark chain. From the main road, past the school, third lane, blue door.
- Phone guidance. The recipient talks the driver in.
- Collection point. The parcel waits at a shop or depot.
These methods work, but they depend on local knowledge. A new or substitute driver is slower, and descriptions can be understood differently. See landmark-based directions.
Weak points
- Descriptions are long, so they are cut or misread on labels.
- Systems that expect a street and number may reject or reshape the address.
- Customs and carriers sometimes require fields that the buyer cannot honestly fill in.
- The recipient may not be reachable in poor signal areas.
Making the location precise
Coordinates do not depend on names. A buyer can mark the exact entrance on a map and share the result with the seller. UPCS turns the chosen point into a code in the form CC-XXXX-XXXX, with each code representing a 3 m by 3 m cell, so a location can be written and spoken in a short form. It is a complement to the description, not an official postcode, and it is available only in the 25 supported countries.
What to write
- Area or neighbourhood name.
- A stable landmark and direction.
- A named contact and a phone number.
- The exact point or code, if available.
Example: "Al-Noor area, behind the water tank. Call me from the main road. UPCS code attached."
For shops
Do not force a street name that does not exist. Make street optional where appropriate, give buyers a landmark field and a map step. See checkout address form best practices and pin-drop delivery locations at checkout.
Related
For new areas that will receive names later, see delivery to new developments. For distant places, see remote area delivery tips.
Frequently asked questions
How do parcels reach places without street names?
Couriers rely on local knowledge, landmarks, phone calls and, increasingly, map coordinates supplied with the order.
Is a UPCS code a street address?
No. It is a short code for an exact map location that can accompany an address. It is not an official address or postcode.