How to write a UAE address
A United Arab Emirates address is written from the recipient down to the country: the recipient, then the PO Box number, then the area, then the emirate, and finally the United Arab Emirates. The UAE delivers to a PO Box rather than to a street address, so there is no postal code.
The order, top to bottom
- 1Recipient namee.g. Ahmed Ali
- 2PO Box numbere.g. PO Box 12345
- 3Areae.g. Al Barsha
- 4Emiratee.g. Dubai
- 5Countrye.g. United Arab Emirates
A worked example
A complete UAE address, ready to copy:
READY-TO-PASTE ADDRESS FORMAT
Ordered as used on UAE mail. The UAE uses no postal code.
Ahmed Ali PO Box 12345 Al Barsha Dubai United Arab Emirates
The postal code field: there is none
The UAE has no postal or ZIP code system. When an online form requires a postal code, leave it blank or enter 00000, which is a widely used placeholder, not an official code. Delivery relies on the PO Box, the area, the emirate, and your phone number. In Dubai, each area also has an official community number from Dubai Municipality; it identifies the area on maps but is not a postal code.
The state or province field
There are seven emirates. Enter yours: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, or Fujairah. If the form does not accept those, enter United Arab Emirates.
The phone number field
The UAE country calling code is +971. For an international form, drop the leading zero of the local number, so 050 123 4567 becomes +971 50 123 4567.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Inventing a postal code. The UAE has none; leave the field blank or enter 00000, a placeholder, not an official code.
- Leaving out the PO Box. The UAE delivers to a PO Box, not to the street, so the box number is what routes your mail.
- Putting the area in the postal code field. Enter 00000 in the code field and write the area on its own line.
- Forgetting the phone number. Couriers in the UAE phone the recipient, so include a +971 mobile number.