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Many people shopping online wonder what the postal code in the delivery address is, whether Hong Kong has one, and how to fill it in correctly. This article answers all of these questions.
What is a postal code (Postal code / Zip Code)?
Postal code
A postal code is usually made up of 5 to 7 digits. It divides a country or city into districts, streets and buildings, giving each street or building its own numeric code. Numeric codes make it easier to sort and deliver mail, improve postal efficiency, speed up the sorting of letters and parcels and shorten overall delivery times.
What is a Zip Code?
Zip Code is simply another English term for a postal code.
Originally, zip code referred to the Zone Improvement Plan used by the US Postal Service, but today Zip Code is no longer limited to the United States and is also widely used to refer to postal codes elsewhere.
So Postal code and Zip Code both mean the same thing; they are just different names.
What is a Hong Kong Postal Code?
What is a Hong Kong postal code? In fact, Hong Kong does not currently use postal codes.
Why does Hong Kong have no postal codes?
China Post has assigned the postal code “999077” to Hong Kong, but that code has never actually been used in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has not adopted postal codes because, if every building on every street were given one, the sheer number of high-rise buildings would be a problem. Systematically assigning a unique postal code to each of the more than 3 million residential and commercial addresses could require codes of up to 15 digits. A system meant to be simple and quick would become complicated by such long codes and defeat its original purpose. Other ways of sorting and distributing mail quickly were therefore used instead.
Hong Kong uses optical technology to sort mail
Hong Kong sorts mail using optical technology. The optical character recognition function in the mechanical sorting system can read more than 90% of printed or handwritten English addresses and printed Chinese addresses, and then sorts mail by individual delivery round. That is why, although Hong Kong has no postal codes, letters and express parcels can still be distributed quickly.
But we often come across forms that require a postal code. What should we do?
How to fill in a Hong Kong postal code
If a website requires a Hong Kong postal code when you shop, you can consider leaving it blank, or try entering “000”, “0000”, “000000” or “HKG”.
Postal codes in other countries
Postal codes differ from country to country. Here are some commonly used postal code lookup tools and websites for you:
- US postal codes
- UK postal codes
- Canadian postal codes
- Taiwan postal codes
- South Korean postal codes
- Mainland China postal codes
FAQ
Do I need to enter a postal code when sending mail to Hong Kong from overseas?
No. When sending mail to Hong Kong from overseas, you do not need to fill in a postal code even if the form asks for one. Just make sure the address is clear and accurate and the item will be delivered smoothly.
Will not having a postal code affect mail delivery?
No. The Hong Kong postal system relies only on detailed address information for delivery. A postal code is not necessary and does not affect the accuracy or efficiency of mail delivery.
