What is the UK Postcode Finder?
This is a free tool for working with UK postcodes. Enter a full postcode such as SW1A 1AA to see the ward, local authority, region and country it belongs to, or search a town, village or neighbourhood to see the postcodes around it. It covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It helps you check an address, confirm which area a postcode is in, and find postcodes close to a place.
How to find a UK postcode
- Place to postcodes: choose “Place → Postcodes”, type a place such as Camden, Edinburgh or Cardiff, then press “Postcodes nearby” on the result you want.
- Postcode to details: choose “Postcode → Details” and type a full postcode like SW1A 1AA. Typing only the start, such as SW1A 1, lists the postcodes that begin with it.
- Copy the postcode, or open the area on a map to check it.
To get the exact postcode for a house address, use Royal Mail's own Find a Postcode tool.
How UK postcodes work
A UK postcode has two parts separated by a space, for example SW1A 1AA. Postcodes are managed by Royal Mail and were introduced in stages from 1959 until they covered the whole country.
The outward code
The first part, such as SW1A, is the outward code. It starts with one or two letters for the postcode area (E for East London, M for Manchester, EH for Edinburgh, CF for Cardiff, BT for Belfast), followed by a number and sometimes a letter.
The inward code
The second part, such as 1AA, is the inward code. It is a number and two letters and narrows the location to a few addresses, often one street or part of one.
Writing a UK address
The postcode goes last, on its own line, in capitals: house number and street, town, then the postcode, for example 10 Example Street, LONDON, SW1A 1AA.
Example UK postcodes
| Postcode | Landmark | Area |
|---|---|---|
| SW1A 1AA | Buckingham Palace | London, England |
| SW1A 0AA | Houses of Parliament | London, England |
| SW1A 2AA | 10 Downing Street | London, England |
| EC3N 4AB | Tower of London | London, England |
| EH1 2NG | Edinburgh Castle | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| CF10 3RB | Cardiff Castle | Cardiff, Wales |
| BT1 5GS | Belfast City Hall | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
UK postcode FAQ
What does a UK postcode look like?
Two parts separated by a space, for example SW1A 1AA. The first part (outward code) is one or two letters, a number and sometimes a letter. The second part (inward code) is a number and two letters.
Can I find the postcode for a house address?
Not with this tool. Turning a street address into its exact postcode needs Royal Mail's address file, which is not free. Use the Royal Mail postcode finder for that. This tool shows the details of a postcode you already have, and lists the postcodes near a place.
How does Place to Postcodes work?
It finds the place by name, then lists the postcodes closest to its centre, within about one kilometre. These are nearby postcodes, not every postcode in that place.
Can I search with only part of a postcode?
Yes. Typing SW1A 1 or just EH1 lists the postcodes that start with it, up to 100.
How up to date is the data?
It comes from the Office for National Statistics postcode directory and Ordnance Survey open data, through the free postcodes.io service, and is refreshed regularly. Very new postcodes may be missing.
Do my searches leave this site?
Yes. The place or postcode you type is sent to postcodes.io to get the result. Nothing else about you is sent by this tool. See our Privacy Policy.
Is this the official Royal Mail website?
No. This is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Royal Mail. See our Disclaimer.
Postcode data from postcodes.io. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right; contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right; source: Office for National Statistics, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.