UAE Postal Code Lookup: Find the Correct Code for Your Address

A UAE postal-code lookup should start with the specific property and emirate, not with a generic city code. Different emirates use different addressing systems, so the correct result may be an actual postal code, a Makani number, or another official address identifier.

Abu Dhabi’s Onwani system includes address-specific postal codes. Sharjah has a documented local five-digit postal-code system. Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain use Makani as part of their local addressing environment.

The goal is to identify the system that applies to the property and use the identifier that system actually provides.

Can You Look Up a Postal Code in the UAE?

Yes, but not through one identical nationwide lookup method.

A UAE lookup generally falls into one of three situations:

  • An actual postal code can be retrieved, as with Abu Dhabi Onwani addresses.
  • A local postal-code system exists, but current public verification may be limited, as with Sharjah.
  • The relevant official lookup returns a geographic or address identifier rather than a conventional postcode, as with Makani in several emirates.

This distinction matters because a search for “UAE postal code” does not always end with a five-digit number.

UAE Postal Code Lookup by Emirate

Use the emirate to determine which lookup path applies.

EmirateMain Lookup PathLikely Result
Abu DhabiOnwani / MyLandAddress-specific postal code and full address
SharjahSharjah Postal Code SystemFive-digit postal code where authoritatively verifiable
DubaiMakani / local addressingGeographic location or building-entrance identifier
AjmanMakani + Comprehensive AddressingMakani and official property-address data
Ras Al KhaimahMakani / local addressingGeographic address data
FujairahMakani / local addressingGeographic address data
Umm Al QuwainMakani / local addressingGeographic address data

This table is a routing guide, not a list of universal emirate codes. If the relevant system does not return a conventional postcode, do not replace the missing value with an assumed city-wide number.

How to Look Up an Abu Dhabi Postal Code

Abu Dhabi provides the clearest current example of an address-specific postal-code lookup through Onwani.

An Onwani address can include:

  • Building Number
  • Street Name
  • City Name
  • Area
  • Postal Code

An official example is:

26, Al Seray Street, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi 23251

In this address, 23251 is part of the Onwani address record. It should not be interpreted as the universal postal code for Abu Dhabi or Khalifa City.

Find the Postal Code From an Abu Dhabi Address

To retrieve the code associated with a property:

  1. Open the official Onwani address search.
  2. Search for the property, address or location.
  3. Select the correct building or parcel.
  4. Review the complete Onwani address.
  5. Use the postal code shown for that property.

Use the exact address whenever possible rather than borrowing a code from a nearby property.

Can You Search Abu Dhabi by Postal Code?

Yes, where supported by MyLand’s ZIP Code search.

This allows the lookup to work in the opposite direction. If you already have an Abu Dhabi postal code, the system can be used to locate related address or location information where that search is supported.

How Does Sharjah Postal Code Lookup Work?

Sharjah has a documented five-digit postal-code system linked to GIS, with codes assigned to plots as part of its local addressing framework.

The system expanded beyond its initial pilot areas, and historical lookup tools allowed locations to be searched using these codes.

The important distinction is current verification. As of the research for this page, a clearly maintained 2026 Sharjah-government public lookup interface comparable to Abu Dhabi’s Onwani was not verified.

That means the existence of the system should not be confused with the reliability of every postcode table found online.

For a specific Sharjah property:

  • verify the code through a current authoritative Sharjah source where available;
  • make sure it corresponds to the actual plot or address;
  • avoid unsupported neighborhood postcode tables;
  • do not replace an unverified code with 00000;
  • do not substitute Makani for a Sharjah postal code.

Sharjah is therefore a case where the postal-code system is documented, but individual codes still require careful source verification.

How Do Address Lookups Work in the Makani Emirates?

In Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, someone searching for a “postal code” may actually need a Makani number or official local address record.

Makani identifies a precise geographic location or building entrance. It is useful for locating and verifying a property, but it is not the same data element as a postal code.

Dubai

For Dubai, the relevant official location identifier is commonly the property’s Makani number.

A Makani number is a 10-digit geographic identifier associated with a precise building entrance or location. It can be used to find, verify and share the property location.

If you need to identify one for a specific building, you can find the building’s Makani number rather than treating a generic postcode from an online list as the property’s address code.

Ajman

Ajman combines Makani with a more detailed Comprehensive Addressing Request for official property information.

Depending on the address, the resulting record can contain:

  • city;
  • sector;
  • neighborhood;
  • Makani number;
  • house number;
  • street name;
  • coordinates.

For an Ajman property, the useful lookup result may therefore be the official address record rather than a conventional postcode.

Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain

These three emirates are also included in the current Makani addressing environment.

A property lookup may therefore return Makani or related local address data rather than a conventional postal code. Use the identifier according to its actual function instead of relabeling it as a postcode.

Postal Code, Makani or P.O. Box: Which Identifier Do You Need?

Several identifiers may appear in a UAE address context, but they perform different jobs.

IdentifierWhat It Identifies
Postal codePostal-routing or address unit within the relevant postal system
Makani numberPrecise geographic location or building entrance
P.O. Box numberPostal mailbox or mailing destination
Building or villa numberPhysical premises
Full addressComplete property or location information

These values can coexist, but they should not be substituted for one another.

Is Makani a Postal Code?

No. Makani identifies a geographic location or building entrance. A postal code belongs to a postal-routing or addressing system.

If a service asks specifically for a postal code, do not automatically enter a Makani number unless that service explicitly tells you to provide it.

Is a P.O. Box Number a Postal Code?

No. A P.O. Box number identifies a postal mailbox or mailing destination.

It may form part of a UAE mailing address, but it is not the postal code assigned to the physical property. If your actual goal is receiving postal mail, the relevant next step is understanding how Emirates Post P.O. Boxes work.

What If You Need a UAE Postal Code for an Online Form?

A website containing a required ZIP code or postal code field does not prove that your property has a conventional postcode.

If the real problem is:

“The form will not let me continue without entering a value.”

then the task has changed from postal-code lookup to a form-entry decision.

The correct response can depend on:

  • the country selected in the form;
  • whether the field is mandatory;
  • whether the address has an assigned postal code;
  • how the website handles UAE addresses;
  • whether the system accepts a technical placeholder.

For that situation, check what to enter in the UAE postal-code field instead of treating a placeholder as the actual postcode for the property.

Is 00000 a UAE Postal Code?

00000 should not be treated as the postal code assigned to every UAE address.

No authoritative nationwide evidence establishes 00000 as a universal UAE postcode. Some websites or forms may accept it as a technical placeholder, but a value accepted by software is not automatically an address-assigned postal code.

The same caution applies to generic numbers such as:

  • 99999
  • 11111
  • 12345

These values should not be treated as genuine property postcodes unless they can be verified through the relevant authoritative system.

How Can You Verify a UAE Postal Code?

Verification should be tied to the specific property, not simply to an emirate, city or neighborhood name.

Useful address details can include:

  • emirate;
  • city or locality;
  • area or community;
  • street;
  • building or villa number;
  • apartment or unit where relevant;
  • existing local identifier such as Onwani or Makani.

A useful rule is:

Treat a number as the postal code for a UAE address only when it can be tied to an authoritative addressing system for that property.

Be cautious with postcode lists that:

  • assign one unsupported number to an entire city or neighborhood;
  • mix placeholders with actual address data;
  • give conflicting codes for the same location;
  • present Makani as a postcode;
  • provide no traceable authoritative source.

A precise-looking number is not evidence by itself.

Is UAE Postal Addressing Changing?

Yes. The UAE is moving toward greater integration of national address and postal data, but current emirate-level systems remain relevant during that transition.

Cabinet Resolution No. 130 of 2025 established the framework for a National Address Database. The resolution also preserves the addressing system used in each emirate until the requirements for transition to the national database are completed.

The UAE Cabinet then approved a Digital Postal Addressing System on April 23, 2026, supporting a broader move toward integrated postal, logistics and geospatial infrastructure.

These developments should not be interpreted as proof that one completed public UAE-wide postcode lookup has already replaced Onwani, Makani, Sharjah’s system or other local addressing services.

Until a unified public consumer lookup is officially available, use the authoritative system currently applicable to the property and emirate.

UAE Postal Code Lookup FAQs

These FAQs cover questions that may remain after identifying the relevant emirate system. They focus on situations where a visitor still needs to interpret or verify the result of a lookup.

Can I Find a UAE Postal Code Using Only the City Name?

Not reliably through one nationwide city-to-code system.

A city can contain many properties and address records, so the correct result may require the area, street, building or other property-level information.

Can Nearby Buildings Have Different Postal Codes?

They can where the local postal-addressing system assigns codes at a finer level. Do not assume a code found for one building applies to another unless the authoritative lookup confirms it.

What If the Lookup Does Not Return a Postal Code?

Do not automatically invent or borrow one.

The result may indicate that the relevant local system uses another address identifier, or that your actual task is mailing, formatting an address, or completing an online form rather than finding a conventional postcode.

Can I Use a Postal Code Found on a Third-Party Website?

Only after verifying it against an authoritative source for the relevant property.

Third-party tables can be useful as a starting point, but they should not override official address data, especially when different websites publish conflicting codes for the same location.

UAE Postal Code Lookup in Simple Terms

A UAE postal-code lookup depends on the property and emirate. Abu Dhabi provides address-specific Onwani postal codes, Sharjah has a documented local postal-code system, while several other emirates use Makani and other local address data.

Use the authoritative system for the actual property rather than selecting a generic code from an online list.