There’s no telling when you’ll find yourself thinking, “what is my zipcode?” While you might know the code for your general area, not everyone knows their exact zip code. You can use this tool to find that code by sharing your exact location. You can also search for the zip codes of other locations by entering an address or clicking on the map.
One problem with searching for ZIP codes is that searching for a city doesn’t give you accurate results. Cities can contain multiple ZIP codes. If you search for a city, you’ll have to click within the city limits to find the precise ZIP code for your location within the city. You can also check the ZIP code or postal code for areas outside of the United States.
What is a ZIP/Postal Code?
In the United States, a ZIP Code is a series of five or nine numbers added to a postal address to make sorting and delivering mail more efficient. There are roughly 43,000 ZIP codes in use today. An online tool can help you find the postal code for your address or for addresses in other countries. Different countries have their own ways of writing postal codes. For example, Canada and the United Kingdom use combinations of letters and numbers, compared to the USA which only uses numbers.
The first two digits of the American ZIP Code identify the state. The other five digits indicate a delivery area within that state. For example, the ZIP code 94040 refers to San Francisco county, 94116 refers to the city of San Francisco, and 94199 is a specific address within the city.
What is My ZIP Code Used For?
Most people turn to the postal service to send mail and parcels. While you could hire a private courier, postal services like USPS, UPS, and FedEx are often your first choice. Postal codes help these services sort and deliver mail efficiently to the correct address.
Postal codes also help with marketing research, especially with direct mail. May companies use direct mailing, including credit card companies. Those companies collect a list of delivers in an area using a specific ZIP code or a range of codes. They then send their advertising materials to the people on that list.
Using postal codes also helps to prevent fraud. The postal service maintains strict rules regarding how people can use mailboxes and storage boxes for mail. The service regularly catches mail addressed with someone else’s information used in fraud.
There are many other uses for postal codes. They can be used for giving directions. The first two digits generally refer to a location, making it easier to find where you are and where you need to be. Postal codes are for more than just organizing mail.
Final Thoughts
Our handy online tool can help when find yourself thinking, “what is my zipcode?” These ZIP codes serve several purposes but are primarily for sorting and sending mail. It’s good to know your exact ZIP code so you get your mail and packages on time, every time.
