UK Postcode Lookup
Enter any UK postcode to identify the postcode area, district, sector, post town, and region. Validate postcode format instantly and explore the breakdown of each character.
Based on Royal Mail postcode geography — covers all 121 UK postcode areas
Look Up a Postcode
Enter a UK postcode (e.g., SW1A 1AA, M1 1AA, EH1 1YZ)
How to Use This Tool
Enter a Postcode
Type any UK postcode in the field above. You can enter it with or without a space (e.g., SW1A 1AA or SW1A1AA). The tool will automatically format it.
View the Results
See the postcode area, district, sector, unit, post town, and region. A structured breakdown explains what each part of the postcode means.
Explore the Reference Table
Scroll down to see the complete list of 121 UK postcode areas. Filter by region to find areas in a specific part of the country.
How UK Postcodes Work
Format: A9A 9AA — Outward Code + Space + Inward CodeA UK postcode is an alphanumeric code of 5 to 7 characters separated into two parts by a single space. The first part is the outward code (2 to 4 characters) and the second part is the inward code (always 3 characters).
Outward code (first part): directs post to the local delivery officeInward code (second part): identifies the street or group of addressesThe outward code is further divided into:
- Postcode area (1–2 letters): identifies one of 121 geographic areas, usually named after the main post town (e.g., SW for South West London, M for Manchester)
- District (1–2 digits, sometimes followed by a letter): further narrows the area. There are roughly 3,000 postcode districts across the UK
The inward code is divided into:
- Sector (single digit): the first character of the inward code, dividing a district into several sectors
- Unit (two letters): identifies a group of about 15 addresses or a single large delivery point
The UK postcode system was introduced by the General Post Office in 1959, starting with Norwich (NR). Nationwide coverage was achieved by 1974. Today there are approximately 1.7 million active postcodes managed by Royal Mail.
Postcode Format Examples
| Format | Example | Area | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| A9 9AA | M1 1AA | M | Manchester |
| A9A 9AA | W1A 1HQ | W | London (West) |
| A99 9AA | M60 1NW | M | Manchester |
| AA9 9AA | CR2 6XH | CR | Croydon |
| AA9A 9AA | EC1A 1BB | EC | London (East Central) |
| AA99 9AA | SW1A 1AA | SW | London (South West) |
UK postcodes follow six valid format patterns. The outward code varies in length (2 to 4 characters) whilst the inward code is always 3 characters.
UK Postcode Areas
| Code | Post Town | Region |
|---|---|---|
| AB | Aberdeen | Scotland |
| AL | St Albans | East of England |
| B | Birmingham | West Midlands |
| BA | Bath | South West |
| BB | Blackburn | North West |
| BD | Bradford | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| BH | Bournemouth | South West |
| BL | Bolton | North West |
| BN | Brighton | South East |
| BR | Bromley | London |
| BS | Bristol | South West |
| BT | Belfast | Northern Ireland |
| CA | Carlisle | North West |
| CB | Cambridge | East of England |
| CF | Cardiff | Wales |
| CH | Chester | North West |
| CM | Chelmsford | East of England |
| CO | Colchester | East of England |
| CR | Croydon | London |
| CT | Canterbury | South East |
| CV | Coventry | West Midlands |
| CW | Crewe | North West |
| DA | Dartford | South East |
| DD | Dundee | Scotland |
| DE | Derby | East Midlands |
| DG | Dumfries | Scotland |
| DH | Durham | North East |
| DL | Darlington | North East |
| DN | Doncaster | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| DT | Dorchester | South West |
| DY | Dudley | West Midlands |
| E | London (East) | London |
| EC | London (East Central) | London |
| EH | Edinburgh | Scotland |
| EN | Enfield | London |
| EX | Exeter | South West |
| FK | Falkirk | Scotland |
| FY | Blackpool | North West |
| G | Glasgow | Scotland |
| GL | Gloucester | South West |
| GU | Guildford | South East |
| HA | Harrow | London |
| HD | Huddersfield | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| HG | Harrogate | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| HP | Hemel Hempstead | South East |
| HR | Hereford | West Midlands |
| HS | Outer Hebrides | Scotland |
| HU | Hull | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| HX | Halifax | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| IG | Ilford | London |
| IP | Ipswich | East of England |
| IV | Inverness | Scotland |
| KA | Kilmarnock | Scotland |
| KT | Kingston upon Thames | London |
| KW | Kirkwall | Scotland |
| KY | Kirkcaldy | Scotland |
| L | Liverpool | North West |
| LA | Lancaster | North West |
| LD | Llandrindod Wells | Wales |
| LE | Leicester | East Midlands |
| LL | Llandudno | Wales |
| LN | Lincoln | East Midlands |
| LS | Leeds | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| LU | Luton | East of England |
| M | Manchester | North West |
| ME | Rochester | South East |
| MK | Milton Keynes | South East |
| ML | Motherwell | Scotland |
| N | London (North) | London |
| NE | Newcastle upon Tyne | North East |
| NG | Nottingham | East Midlands |
| NN | Northampton | East Midlands |
| NP | Newport | Wales |
| NR | Norwich | East of England |
| NW | London (North West) | London |
| OL | Oldham | North West |
| OX | Oxford | South East |
| PA | Paisley | Scotland |
| PE | Peterborough | East of England |
| PH | Perth | Scotland |
| PL | Plymouth | South West |
| PO | Portsmouth | South East |
| PR | Preston | North West |
| RG | Reading | South East |
| RH | Redhill | South East |
| RM | Romford | London |
| S | Sheffield | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| SA | Swansea | Wales |
| SE | London (South East) | London |
| SG | Stevenage | East of England |
| SK | Stockport | North West |
| SL | Slough | South East |
| SM | Sutton | London |
| SN | Swindon | South West |
| SO | Southampton | South East |
| SP | Salisbury | South West |
| SR | Sunderland | North East |
| SS | Southend-on-Sea | East of England |
| ST | Stoke-on-Trent | West Midlands |
| SW | London (South West) | London |
| SY | Shrewsbury | West Midlands |
| TA | Taunton | South West |
| TD | Galashiels | Scotland |
| TF | Telford | West Midlands |
| TN | Tunbridge Wells | South East |
| TQ | Torquay | South West |
| TR | Truro | South West |
| TS | Cleveland | North East |
| TW | Twickenham | London |
| UB | Southall | London |
| W | London (West) | London |
| WA | Warrington | North West |
| WC | London (West Central) | London |
| WD | Watford | East of England |
| WF | Wakefield | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| WN | Wigan | North West |
| WR | Worcester | West Midlands |
| WS | Walsall | West Midlands |
| WV | Wolverhampton | West Midlands |
| YO | York | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| ZE | Lerwick | Scotland |
Source: Royal Mail / Office for National Statistics. Showing 121 of 121 postcode areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a UK postcode?
A UK postcode is an alphanumeric code of 5 to 7 characters used by Royal Mail to sort and deliver post. It was introduced in 1959 in Norwich and expanded nationwide by 1974. Every address in the United Kingdom has a unique postcode that pinpoints its location to a group of roughly 15 addresses or a single large delivery point.
What are the parts of a UK postcode?
A UK postcode is split into two halves separated by a space. The first half is the outward code (2 to 4 characters), which identifies the postcode area and district. The second half is the inward code (always 3 characters), which identifies the sector and unit. For example, in SW1A 1AA: SW is the area, SW1A is the district, SW1A 1 is the sector, and AA is the unit.
How many postcode areas are there in the UK?
There are 121 postcode areas in the United Kingdom. Each area is identified by one or two letters at the start of the postcode. These letters are usually derived from the name of the main post town in that area, such as B for Birmingham, EH for Edinburgh, or CF for Cardiff. London has multiple areas including E, EC, N, NW, SE, SW, W, and WC.
What is the difference between the outward code and the inward code?
The outward code is the first part of the postcode (before the space) and directs mail to the correct local delivery office. It consists of the postcode area (1-2 letters) and the district (1-2 digits, sometimes followed by a letter). The inward code is the second part (after the space) and is always 3 characters: a digit (the sector) followed by two letters (the unit). The inward code narrows delivery down to a small group of addresses.
What do the letters at the start of a postcode mean?
The opening letters of a UK postcode identify the postcode area, which is named after the major post town it serves. For example, M stands for Manchester, LS stands for Leeds, and EH stands for Edinburgh. London is divided into compass-based areas: E (East), EC (East Central), N (North), NW (North West), SE (South East), SW (South West), W (West), and WC (West Central).
Are there any letters or digits not used in UK postcodes?
Yes. The letters C, I, K, M, O, and V are not used in the final two letters of the inward code (the unit) to avoid confusion with similar-looking characters during automated sorting. The letters I and Z are not used in the second position of the inward code. Additionally, the letters Q, V, and X are not used as the first letter of any postcode area.
Important Disclaimer
This tool identifies the postcode area, post town, and region associated with a UK postcode based on its outward code, as defined by Royal Mail postal geography. It does not provide street-level address lookup or confirm that a specific postcode is currently active. Postcodes can change over time as Royal Mail updates delivery routes. For official postcode information, address validation, or to find a postcode for a specific address, visit the Royal Mail website.