Abu Dhabi has no single citywide postal code. The code that counts is the one attached to your building’s Onwani address, and letters are routed by P.O. Box number instead. When an online form refuses to continue without five digits, enter 00000.
Those three answers cover nearly every situation, and each one belongs in a different place on a form or an envelope. The sections below show which goes where, how to pull your own code from the official map, and what a P.O. Box costs.
Abu Dhabi postal code options
| Code | Use | Official status |
|---|---|---|
| Onwani postal code (23251 in the official sample address) | The postal code line of a street address | Official, assigned through the Onwani address system |
| P.O. Box number | Letters, parcels sent via Emirates Post, and government mail | Official, rented from Emirates Post |
| 00000 | Online checkouts and sign-up forms that will not accept a blank postal code | Not an assigned code, a placeholder that forms accept |
| AE-AZ | State or region dropdowns that use ISO codes | The ISO 3166-2 code for the emirate, not a postal code |
Use the Onwani code on delivery forms and any form that checks a street address. Use 00000 only where a form will not move on without digits. A P.O. Box number never goes in the postal code field, because it has its own line.
Where your Onwani postal code comes from
An Abu Dhabi address has five parts under Onwani: building number, street name, city name, area and postal code. The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) runs the system, which names streets and numbers buildings across the emirate so that couriers, emergency crews and government services all land on the same spot.
Reading an Onwani address
The DMT’s own sample is 26, Al Seray Street, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi 23251. Taken apart:
- 26 is the building number, the figure on the blue-and-white board at the entrance
- Al Seray Street is the street name
- Khalifa City and Abu Dhabi cover the area and the city name
- 23251 is the postal code, written last
The same order works on a delivery form: building number and street first, area and city next, postal code at the end.
Looking up your own code
- Open the Onwani address map in any browser.
- Search for your address, or tap your plot or building on the map.
- Read the building number, street name, area and postal code that the map returns for that spot.
- Save the full address in your phone notes so you can paste it into forms.
If you are standing at the building, scan the QR code on the address board instead. It opens the location on a map with directions, and you can share it with a courier or a visitor.
Filling in forms that ask for a postal code
Type 00000 in the postal code field when a checkout or sign-up form needs digits and you have no Onwani code to hand. Delivery does not depend on those digits, because couriers work from the building number, street, area and your phone number.
For the other fields, these entries work:
- Postal code: your Onwani code if you looked it up, 00000 if the form only checks that five digits are present
- State, province or emirate: Abu Dhabi, or AE-AZ where the dropdown lists ISO codes
- Country: United Arab Emirates
- P.O. Box: your Emirates Post box number if you rent one, otherwise leave the field empty where the form allows it
- Phone: a UAE mobile number with the +971 prefix, so the courier can reach you
Postal codes of other places:
Addressing mail & parcels to Abu Dhabi
Letters and parcels sent through the postal system need a P.O. Box number, while courier parcels need a street address. The two use different formats.
Letters & government mail
Emirates Post treats the box as the renter’s legal address. Write it like this:
Recipient name
P.O. Box [number]
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Courier parcels
Couriers reach a building by its Onwani details, so the street address carries the delivery:
Recipient name
[Building number], [Street name]
[Area], Abu Dhabi [postal code]
United Arab Emirates
Mobile: +971 [number]
Renting a P.O. Box from Emirates Post
A personal P.O. Box comes in two main packages, and the choice decides whether you collect mail or have it brought to you.
Packages & fees
| Package | Fee | Where mail arrives |
|---|---|---|
| MyBox | AED 300 | A box at the Emirates Post location you choose |
| MyHome | AED 695 | Your villa or apartment |
Every package carries an AED 70 registration fee on top. MyHome Instant, a third personal tier, costs AED 995. Adding an agent who can collect mail on your behalf costs AED 50 each.
MyHome is the answer for anyone who assumed Abu Dhabi has no home delivery. It brings mail to the door, though it costs more than twice as much as MyBox.
Who can rent one
The renter must be a UAE resident aged 18 or over with an Emirates ID, so visitors cannot rent a box. Online applications take about two minutes:
- Log in to the personal P.O. Box rental with UAE PASS.
- Choose the package.
- Fill in the required details.
- Pay by card, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. Cash and manager’s cheques are accepted at Emirates Post branches only.
- Check your email for the confirmation.
Contracts run for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 years, and auto-renewal is optional.
Rules that catch renters out
- Emirates Post assigns the box number. You cannot pick one, and the location can be moved with 30 days’ notice.
- The box cannot be sub-leased or handed to anyone else.
- A full box triggers a notice with 15 days to empty it. After three full-box notices you must upgrade the package, or new items go back to the sender.
- After a subscription expires there is a 30-day grace period. Mail arriving after that is returned or disposed of, and the box can be reclaimed.
- A personal box cannot be used for business mail. Companies need a corporate box.
Other postal codes:
FAQ
Does Abu Dhabi have a postal code?
Not one citywide code. Each address in the Onwani system carries its own postal code, shown on the Onwani map, and mail is routed by Emirates Post P.O. Box numbers.
What postal code do I enter on an online form?
Enter your Onwani postal code if you know it. When a form demands digits and you have none, 00000 is the standard placeholder.
Can I get mail delivered to my home in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, with the MyHome P.O. Box package at AED 695, which delivers to villas and apartments. Without it, you collect mail from a box.
Do I need a P.O. Box to receive courier parcels?
No. Couriers deliver to the street address, so the building number, street, area and a working mobile number matter more than a box number.
Can a tourist rent a P.O. Box?
No. Personal boxes are limited to UAE residents aged 18 or over with an Emirates ID.
Where do I find my building number?
It is on the blue-and-white address board at the building. You can also search your address on the Onwani map.
What to do next
- Look up your address on the Onwani map and save the building number and postal code.
- Use that code on delivery forms, and keep 00000 for forms that reject anything else.
- Rent a MyBox or MyHome package if you need bank, government or postal mail.
