Understanding the UPCS Code Format

Every UPCS code follows one pattern: CC-XXXX-XXXX. Knowing what each part means makes it easier to read, write down and check a code.

The three parts

Take the example PK-1A2B-3C4D.

• PK is the two-letter country prefix. It tells you which country the location is in.
• 1A2B is the first block of letters and digits.
• 3C4D is the second block of letters and digits.

The two blocks together identify one cell on a grid. You do not need to decode them by hand; the lookup page does that for you and shows the country, coordinates and latitude and longitude.

What a code covers

A code corresponds to a 3 m by 3 m grid cell. That is small enough to tell apart a front door from a neighbouring one, but it is still an area, not a single point. Two people who choose spots a metre apart may or may not receive the same code, depending on where the cell boundaries fall.

Same place, same code

Because the code is derived from coordinates, choosing the same coordinates always returns the same code. This is why a code is reliable to pass between people: whoever looks it up sees the same cell.

Writing a code down

Keep the hyphens and copy the code exactly. When you give it to someone by hand, write the letters clearly and check them against the lookup page. More advice is in writing a code on packages.

Related pages

• Generate your first code
• Find a location from a code
• Supported countries, which shows which prefixes can appear