Postal Codes and Zip Codes for London, UK (+ Map 2025)
Want to know about postal codes and zip codes for London UK?
I used to live in London for 5 years and while London is a big city with many different postcodes, figuring out the system is not too bad.
People who live in London know their postcodes and if you have to send a mail to someone in London, the best thing is to ask the person directly for their postcode.
The London postcodes usually have 5-7 digits and are alphanumeric, meaning that they include both numbers and letters. The postcodes help define the location of the address, down to specific streets in London.
When formatting the London postcodes, the most important is that they have two parts: outward and inward codes.
The outward codes specify the geographic location within London (such as north, east, south or west). While the inward code specifies the exact area (street) within the geographic location.
So, here is everything you need to know about zip codes and postal codes for London, including how to format them and a list of London postcodes for examples!
Zip Code vs Postal Code: What is the Difference?
You might wonder, what the difference is between zip codes and postal codes. They actually serve the same purpose but described by a different name.
The only difference is that zip codes are used in the USA and the Philippines, and postal codes are used in all other countries, including the UK, Germany, Ireland, Australia and Canada.
What Are the Zip Codes for UK?
In short, the UK does not use zip codes. Instead, the UK uses postal codes, although it refers to the same purpose as zip codes.
Zip codes usually only use numbers, while postal codes can have both numbers and letters.
What Are the Zip Codes for London UK?
London (like the rest of the UK) does not have zip codes, but it uses postal codes that serve the same goal.
The London postcodes are usually 5-7 digits and are alphanumeric, meaning they include both letters and numbers.
For example, the equivalent of a 5 digit zip code for London, would be a 5-7 digit alphanumeric postal code. E.g. WC2E 7HQ for Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London, England.
Postcodes for London, UK
The London postcodes have two parts and have 5-7 digits. The London postcodes are alphanumeric, that is, they use both letters and numbers.
London Postal Codes Map
London Postal Code Format
When formatting the London postcodes, the most important is that they have two parts: outward and inward codes.
The outward codes specify the geographic location within London (such as north, east, west or south). While the inward code specifies the exact area within the geographic location.
Ultimately, each postcode represents a different street and area in London, which helps the mail to be delivered efficiently.
For example:
First Part (Outward Code): Letter (Large Geographic Area) + Number (specifying smaller area within the geographic location). E.g. SW3
Second Part (Inward Code): Number + 2 letters (specifying the street). E.g. 3DJ
Thus, the full postcode would be SW3 3DJ for Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, England.
London Postcode First Part (Outward Code):
The Outward Code is the first part of London postcodes and it marks the general geographic location within the city. It is usually marked by the corresponding first letter (North=N, East=E, etc).
The 8 geographic zones in London are:
- East Central (EC)
- West Central (WC)
- North (N)
- East (E)
- South East (SE)
- South West (SW)
- West (W)
- North West (NW)
Then, the letter (eg. N, E, or W) is followed by a number, which refers to a smaller area within the specific geographic location.
The number usually corresponds to a specific area in London, eg. Clapton (E5), Walthamstow (E17).
London Postcode Second Part (Inward Code):
The second part of the London postcode is called as the ‘Inward Code’ and it is separated by a space from the first part (Outward Code) of the postcode.
The Inward Code usually includes 1 number and 2 letters, which specifies the street/road.
e.g. E17 7JN postcode for Walthamstow High Street, Walthamstow, London.
How to Find a London Postcode?
When looking to find London postcodes, it is best to ask directly the person for their postcode to where you are intending to send the mail to.
If you want to check online, you can also use the Royal Mail’s website to find a postcode.
However, my recommendation is that if you have to send a mail to someone in London, the best thing is to ask the person directly for their postcode.
List of London Postcodes
Greater London has around 180,488 postcodes, so before sending a mail, it is good to make sure you are sending it to the correct address!
London is split into geographic areas, which is then divided into smaller areas, down to the street-level.
The postcodes in London help mail delivery services to locate addresses. The number of postcodes are high, but here are a few postal codes for London to know:
Central London Postcodes
Central London is split into two geographic parts for postcodes: East Central (EC) and West Central (WC).
Some Central London Postcodes Include:
- EC2Y (for East Central: area includes Barbican)
- EC2A (for East Central: area includes Shoreditch)
- WC1B (for West Central: areas include the British Museum and Bloomsbury)
- WC2E (for West Central: area includes Covent Garden)
After the first half of the postcode, e.g. WC2E, you would add the second part of the postcode, which narrows down the geographic area to the street-level. E.g WC2E 7HQ for Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London, England.
There is a high number of postcodes, so it is not possible to list them all here.
➡️ Find the postcodes for Central London here!
North London Postcodes
North London covers areas such as Camden, Islington, Haringey, and Enfield.
Some North London Postcodes Include:
- N1: Islington
- N2: East Finchley
- N4: Finsbury Park, Manor House, Haringey
- N5: Highbury
- N6: Highgate
- N7: Holloway
Following the first half of the postcode, e.g. N1, you would add the second part of the postcode. E.g. N1 2RY for Gaskin Street, Islington, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for North London here!
East London Postcodes
East London covers areas such as Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Hackney, Clapton, and Walthamstow.
Some East London Postcodes Include:
- E1: Whitechapel, Shoreditch
- E2: Bethnal Green
- E3: Bow
- E5: Clapton
- E8: Hackney
- E15: Stratford
- E17: Walthamstow
Following the first half of the postcode, e.g. E8, you would add the second part of the postcode. E.g. E8 2DJ for Arcola Street, Hackney, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for East London here!
South East London Postcodes
South East London covers areas such as Greenwich, Peckham, Woolwich and Dulwich.
Some of the South East London Postcodes Include:
- SE10: Greenwich
- SE15: Peckham
- SE18: Woolwich
- SE21: Dulwich
- SE23: Forest Hill
After the first half of the postcode, e.g. SE15, you would add the second part of the postcode. E.g. SE15 4PE for Costa Street, Peckham, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for South East London here!
South West London Postcodes
South West London covers areas such as Westminster, Brixton, Battersea, Clapham, South Kensington and Wimbledon.
Some of the South West London Postcodes Include:
- SW1: Westminster (further specific postcodes for smaller geographic areas: SW1A, SW1E, SW1H, SW1P, SW1V, SW1W, SW1X, SW1Y)
- SW2: Brixton
- SW3: Chelsea
- SW4: Clapham
- SW7: South Kensington
- SW11: Battersea
- SW16: Streatham
- SW19: Wimbledon
After the first part of the postcode, e.g. SW3, you would add the second part of the postcode, which narrows down the geographic area to the street-level. E.g SW3 3DJ for Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for South West London here!
West London Postcodes
West London covers areas such as Paddington, Acton, Chiswick, Kensington, and Notting Hill.
Some of the West London Postcodes Include:
- W1C: Oxford Street
- W1B: Regent Street
- W2: Paddington
- W3: Acton
- W4: Chiswick
- W5: Ealing
- W6: Hammersmith
- W8: Kensington
- W11: Notting Hill
- W12: Sheperd’s Bush
After the first part of the postcode, e.g. W3, you would add the second part of the postcode, which narrows down the geographic area to the street-level. E.g. W11 2ND for Stanley Gardens, Notting Hill, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for West London here!
North West London Postcodes
North West London covers areas such as Camden, Hampstead, Kentish Town and St. John’s Wood.
Some of the North West London Postcodes Include:
- NW1: Camden, Regent’s Park, Euston,
- NW2: Cricklewood
- NW3: Hampstead
- NW5: Kentish Town
- NW6: Kilburn
- NW8: St. John’s Wood
After the first part of the postcode, e.g. NW1, you would add the second part of the postcode, which narrows down the geographic area to the street-level. E.g. NW1 8BF for Hawley Mews, Camden, London, England.
➡️ Find the postcodes for North West London here!
How to Send a Mail to London
If you are sending a mail to friends and family in London, the easiest way to figure out their address (including postcodes) is to ask them. You can also use the Royal Mail’s postcode finder.
How to Address a Letter to England
When addressing a letter London or England, you can use the below format. It is the valid address format for all of UK.
Name of the recipient (person or company name)
House Number, Street Name
City
Postal Code
Country
For example, it would be as:
Jane Doe
119-121 Oxford Street
London
W1D 2HP
UK
FAQs: Postal Codes and Zip Codes for London UK
What is a 5-digit Zip Code in the UK?
Postal codes are the equivalent of zip codes in the UK. While the USA uses zip codes for mail delivery, the UK uses postal codes.
In simple terms, both zip codes and postal codes serve the same purpose, it is just called in a different way.
The UK postal codes are usually made of 5-7 digits, and are alphanumeric, meaning that they can include both numbers and letter.
For example, the equivalent of a 5 digit zip code for London (UK) would be a 5-7 digit alphanumeric postal code. E.g. EC3N 4AB for Tower Hill in London, England.
What is a valid Zip Code in the UK?
A valid zip code in the UK generally includes 5-7 digits, both numbers and letters.
A zip code is referred to as the postal code in the UK, but it serves the same aim as the zip code: that is to support the mail delivery service and locate addresses more easily.
How do you write a Zip code in London?
To write a zip code (called as the postal code in the UK), you have to include two parts: the outward and inwards codes.
The outward code marks the geographic location in London, while the inward code specifies a smaller area (such as a street), within the geographic area.
For example, you can format a London postcode the following way:
First Part (Outward Code): Letter (Large Geographic Area) + Number (specifying smaller area within the geographic location). E.g. SW3
Second Part (Inward Code): Number + 2 letters (specifying the street). E.g. 3DJ
Thus, the full postcode would be SW3 3DJ for Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, England.
What is the postcode for London?
There are many postcodes for London, each specifying a small geographic area, down to the street-level.
Some examples of postcodes for London are:
- WC2E 7HQ for Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London, England
- N1 2RY for Gaskin Street, Islington, London, England
- E8 2DJ for Arcola Street, Hackney, London, England
- SE15 4PE for Costa Street, Peckham, London, England
- SW3 3DJ for Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, England
- W11 2ND for Stanley Gardens, Notting Hill, London, England
How do you write the postcode for London?
When formatting the London postcodes, the most important is that they have two parts: outward and inward codes.
The outward codes specify the geographic location within London (such as north, east, west or south). While the inward code specifies the exact area within the geographic location.
Ultimately, each postcode represents a different street and area in London, which helps the mail to be delivered efficiently.
How do I send a mail from the USA to UK?
To send a mail from the USA to the UK, you have different options, such as to use USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL.
Depending on your letter/package, it is best to check out each service and see which company (USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL) offer better prices and delivery time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Greater London has over 180,488 postcodes, but figuring out the system is not too bad.
People who live in London know their postcodes and if you have to send a mail to someone in London, the best thing is to ask the person directly for their postcode.
In simple terms, both zip codes and postal codes serve the same purpose, it is just called in a different way.
The only difference is that zip codes are used in the USA and the Philippines, and postal codes are used in all other countries, including the UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
The London postcodes usually have 5-7 digits and are alphanumeric, meaning that they include both numbers and letters. The postcodes help define the location of the address, down to specific streets in London.
When formatting the London postcodes, the most important is that they have two parts: outward and inward codes.
The outward codes specify the geographic location within London (such as north, east, south or west). While the inward code specifies the exact area within the geographic location.
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