Dubai doesn’t have a zip code, and neither does any other part of the UAE. When a checkout or sign-up form won’t move forward without one, type 00000.
Mail in the UAE runs on P.O. Boxes rented from Emirates Post, while couriers find a door through the mobile number and building details on the label. Dubai also has the Makani number, a 10-digit code for every building entrance that works for navigation but not for mail.
What to type in the postal code field
| Form field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Postal code, 5 digits required | 00000 |
| Postal code, 6 digits required | 000000 |
| Zeros rejected | 99999 |
| Text field that accepts letters | N/A |
| Field marked optional | Leave it blank |
| City | Dubai |
| State, province or region | Dubai |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| P.O. Box field | Your Emirates Post box number |
00000 is a placeholder, not a code that belongs to any part of Dubai. Every area, from Deira to Jebel Ali, uses the same value, so the district goes in the address lines instead.
Writing the full address
A Dubai address is built from the building, the community and a phone number rather than a code. Fill the lines in this order:
- Name: the recipient’s full name.
- Address line 1: the building or villa name plus the apartment, villa or office number.
- Address line 2: the street or community, such as Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Deira or Jumeirah, and a nearby landmark.
- City and state: Dubai in both fields.
- Postal code: 00000, or blank when the field is optional.
- Country: United Arab Emirates.
- Phone: a UAE mobile number starting +971, because the driver calls it.
A finished address looks like this:
Layla Hassan
Apartment 1204, Marina Tower
Dubai Marina
Dubai, Dubai 00000
United Arab Emirates
Mobile: +971 50 000 0000
If you have a P.O. Box, add a line reading P.O. Box [number], Dubai for anything sent by postal mail. Your Makani number can go in address line 2 or the delivery notes.
Will a placeholder code delay delivery?
No. Couriers such as Aramex, DHL and FedEx route a parcel to Dubai from the country and city, and the driver calls the mobile number on the label to find the building.
What does hold up a parcel is a phone number that doesn’t ring or an address that names only a tower. Add the apartment or villa number, the community and a landmark so the call takes seconds.
Formal mail is different. Corporate and official correspondence is addressed to a P.O. Box, which is why companies keep one.
What a Makani number does
A Makani number is a 10-digit code that Dubai Municipality assigns to a building entrance, and it pinpoints that entrance on a map. The system launched in 2015, and the number is printed on a plate by the door with a QR code that the Makani app reads.
You can look up any building’s number in the Makani app by searching the building name or dropping a pin. The same number appears on Ejari tenancy contracts and DEWA bills, and it is what ambulances, taxis and delivery drivers use to reach the right gate.
It is not a mailing address, and 10 digits won’t fit a 5- or 6-digit postal field. Put it in the address line or delivery notes, never in the postal code box.
When you need a P.O. Box
A P.O. Box matters in three situations:
- You run a company or hold a trade licence, and need an address for corporate mail and legal documents.
- You want letters and parcels held for collection, or delivered to your home on a schedule.
- A form or bank asks for a P.O. Box number rather than a street address.
For online shopping and apartment deliveries you don’t need one. A rented property doesn’t come with a box number, so every box is rented separately from Emirates Post.
P.O. Box plans & fees
Personal plans
Emirates Post sells three personal P.O. Box plans, priced per year with VAT included.
| Plan | Annual fee | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| MyBox | AED 300 | A private box at an Emirates Post location, with SMS alerts when mail arrives |
| MyHome | AED 695 | A box number not tied to a location, with weekly delivery to your home |
| MyHome Instant | AED 995 | Next-day home delivery, capped at 60 next-day deliveries per yearly subscription |
A one-time registration fee of AED 70 applies, and each extra agent who can collect your mail costs AED 50. You must be a UAE resident aged 18 or over.
Corporate plans
Companies pick from three corporate P.O. Box plans, also with a one-time AED 70 registration fee.
| Plan | Annual fee | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Box | AED 995 | A box number plus a locker at an Emirates Post location |
| Premium Box | AED 2,495 | Scheduled delivery of mail and parcels once a week to your office |
| Premium+ Box | AED 11,995 | Scheduled delivery six days a week |
Extra agents cost AED 100 each. An additional trade licence on the same box costs AED 995.
Renting a P.O. Box online
The whole process takes a few minutes in the Emirates Post app or on its website:
- Log in with your UAE PASS account.
- Select the personal or corporate P.O. Box service.
- Enter your details. Individuals need an Emirates ID, and companies need an Emirates ID and a trade licence.
- Pay the annual fee and the AED 70 registration fee by card, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay.
- Wait for the confirmation email.
Contracts run for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 years, with optional auto-renewal. Branches take cash as well as cards. Emirates Post never asks for card details by SMS, WhatsApp or email, so treat any message that does as a scam.
FAQ
Is 00000 the zip code of Dubai?
No. 00000 is a placeholder for forms, and no official postal code exists for Dubai or any other emirate.
Can I leave the zip code blank?
Yes, when the field is optional. When a form marks it as required, enter 00000.
What if the form rejects 00000?
Try 99999 for a 5-digit field or 000000 for a 6-digit field. When the field accepts letters, N/A works.
Do Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, Deira, Jumeirah, Bur Dubai, Business Bay & Jebel Ali have their own codes?
No. None of them has an official code, and all of them take the same 00000 placeholder. Write the area name in the address line instead.
Is a Makani number a postal code?
No. A Makani number identifies a building entrance for navigation, and a P.O. Box is what carries mail through Emirates Post.
Do I need a P.O. Box to receive online orders in Dubai?
No. Couriers deliver to your building using your address and mobile number, so a P.O. Box is only needed for postal mail and corporate correspondence.
What to do next
- Enter 00000 when a form requires a postal code, and leave the field blank when it is optional.
- Fill in the building, apartment, community and a mobile number starting +971 so the driver can call.
- Look up your Makani number in the Makani app and add it to the delivery notes.
- Rent a P.O. Box only if you run a company or want mail held or delivered, starting with MyBox for personal use or Basic Box for a business.
