Tuxia Guides · about 5 minutes
Complete Guide to Address Formats: 9 Countries
Keep getting rejected by a foreign address form? It is usually not the information — it is the format. Address order, state/province style and postcode length all differ by country. This guide covers 9 countries in one place.
🇺🇸 US address format, in full
US addresses run small to large:
Street address → City → State abbreviation → ZIP Code
1794 First Ave, Sioux City, IA 51156
Breakdown: 1794 First Ave (house number + street) / Sioux City (city) / IA (Iowa) / 51156 (ZIP Code)
- States use 2-letter abbreviations: California → CA, New York → NY, Texas → TX… full names usually work, but forms normally want the abbreviation;
- ZIP Codes are 5 digits: sometimes followed by -4 more (e.g. 51156-1234) — the first 5 are usually enough;
- City and ZIP must match: ZIP prefixes are tied to cities, and mismatches get rejected — our address generator keeps city and postcode consistent.
🗺️ Address formats across 9 countries
| Country | Full address example | Postcode rule |
| 🇨🇳 China | 广东省广州市天河区天河路128号 | 6 digits |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 1794 First Ave, Sioux City, IA 51156 | 5 digits (ZIP Code) |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 12 High St, London SW1A 1AA | Mixed letters and digits |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 804 King St, Toronto, ON M5V 2T6 | Alternating A1A 1A1 format |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 495 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3001 | 4 digits |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Schulstraße 12, 50667 Köln | 5 digits (postcode before city) |
| 🇫🇷 France | 74 Rue de la Paix, 69001 Lyon | 5 digits (postcode before city) |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 東京都渋谷区1丁目2番3号 | 7 digits (123-4567) |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 서울특별시 강남구 테헤란로 35 | 5 digits |
📮 Postcode basics
- Postcode length differs by country — check how many digits a form expects;
- In Germany and France the postcode goes before the city — the opposite of the US/UK habit, so do not flip it;
- UK and Canadian postcodes mix letters and digits with a space in the middle;
- In our generator, the city, region and postcode in one result always match (pick California and you only get Californian cities and 9xxxx ZIPs).
🧪 Tips for testing forms
- When testing validation logic, deliberately mistype one postcode digit and check the error message is accurate;
- Banks and payment sites validate strictly — a random address failing there is normal, it means their validation works;
- Use your real address when something actually needs to reach you; fake addresses are for testing and placeholders.
Open the address generator →
Related:FAQ