How to write an Indian postal address correctly

Post is sorted first by PIN code and then read line by line from the bottom up: state, town, locality, street, house, person. So write the address from the smallest detail to the largest, and finish with the PIN code.

The order of lines

1. Name of the person (and "C/o" a known person, if the receiver is a guest or tenant).
2. House or flat number, floor, building name.
3. Street, lane or road, and a landmark if the house is hard to find.
4. Locality or village, and the post office if it differs from the village.
5. Town or city, and district.
6. State and PIN code on the last line.
7. Mobile number, for parcels and couriers.

Examples

A house in a city

Shri Rakesh Kumar
House No. 245, Street No. 3
Model Town Extension
Ludhiana
Punjab - 141002
Mobile: 98xxxxxx10

A village

Smt. Sunita Devi W/o Shri Ram Lal
Village Rampur, near the primary school
Post Office Sultanpur
Tehsil Phillaur, District Jalandhar
Punjab - 144xxx

A business

The Accounts Manager
Sharma Hardware Store
Shop No. 12, Main Bazaar
Karnal, Haryana - 132001
Phone: 0184-xxxxxxx

Where to write it on the envelope

• The receiver's address goes on the front, in the middle or lower right. The sender's address goes on the top left of the front, or on the back flap, marked "From".
• Leave the top right corner free for stamps.
• Write the PIN code in clear, separate digits. Printed envelopes have six boxes for it at the bottom: one digit in each box.
• Use a dark pen and capital letters if your handwriting is hard to read.

Common mistakes

• No PIN code, or the PIN code of the district town instead of your own post office. Find the right one with our PIN code finder.
• Only a landmark and no house number. "Near the temple" helps the postman, but it cannot be the whole address.
• Old names. Use the name of the town and district as they are today.
• No mobile number on a parcel. Couriers and Speed Post call when they cannot find the door.
• Abbreviations that only local people know. Write the full name of the colony or sector.

Online forms

Shopping and bank forms usually ask for the PIN code first and then fill in the city and state. If the form shows a different district or town than yours, the PIN code may be shared by two districts or the form's list may be old; choose your own town from its list if it lets you, and keep the PIN code as it is.

Last checked: 2026-11-11.