How to Address a Parcel — International Format Guide

An incorrectly addressed parcel is one of the most avoidable sources of delay and loss. Sorting centres process thousands of parcels per hour — often using optical character recognition. If the address format is wrong, the parcel ends up in “exception handling”, which means delays, additional costs, and sometimes total loss. This guide covers the right format for every situation.

1. Standard international address format

For any parcel crossing a national border, the address must have 4 lines:

• Line 1 — Recipient’s full name (or company name)
• Line 2 — Street name + house number + apartment (if applicable)
• Line 3 — Postcode + City
• Line 4 — Country name in English, ALL CAPITALS

Example for Germany:

Johann Schmidt
Hauptstraße 42
10115 Berlin
GERMANY

Example for the UK:

Jane Smith
14 Baker Street
London W1U 3BW
UNITED KINGDOM

2. Country name: always in English, always in capitals

This is the most common mistake. The country name on the last line must be:

• In English — write GERMANY, not Deutschland; FRANCE, not République française
• In ALL CAPITALS — sorting systems are case-sensitive in some countries
• The full official name or its standard English abbreviation

Common English country names used in international addressing:

3. Postcode formats by country

Postcodes look different in every country. Writing the wrong format will cause the parcel to be mis-sorted. Key formats:

4. USA addresses — state code required

US addresses have a specific format that differs from European conventions:

John Williams
123 Main Street, Apt 4B
New York, NY 10001
USA

Key rules for US addresses:

• City, State abbreviation, ZIP code all on one line (New York, NY 10001)
• 2-letter state abbreviation — NY, CA, TX, FL, etc. Required for routing within the US.
• Apartment number after the street number with “Apt”, “Suite” or ”#” prefix

5. Always use the printed carrier label

When booking shipping online, always print the carrier-generated label. Here’s why:

• Barcode — the machine-readable barcode is the primary tracking and routing identifier. It encodes the full address, weight, and service level. Handwritten addresses have no barcode.
• OCR compatibility — carrier labels use fonts optimised for optical character recognition. Handwriting — even neat handwriting — has a much higher error rate.
• Insurance — most carriers require a machine-printed label for any damage or loss claim to be accepted.

The only exception is very small postal services that still accept handwritten addresses for domestic mail. For any international shipment, always use a printed label.

6. Sender (return) address

Place your return address in the top-left corner of the label or parcel (or on the back). It should include:

• Your full name
• Street and house number
• Postcode and city
• Country (same format as recipient address)

Without a return address, an undeliverable parcel will be held at the destination country’s customs or destroyed — you’ll never see it again.

7. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Summary

4 lines for international parcels: name → street + number → postcode + city → COUNTRY IN ENGLISH CAPITALS. Always print the carrier label rather than handwriting. Include a return address. Double-check the postcode format for the destination country.