Community Chat

[gardenman]

I was just tracking a Fed-Ex package and was surprised to see they had eleven digits for my zip code. A bit of Googling around has shown that the last two digits are the "delivery point code." It's not typically printed in a readable form but is instead encoded in the barcode that gets printed on mail. Fed-Ex is apparently printing it in a readable form on their tracking site. Interesting. The delivery point code ranges from 00-99 and it's typically the last two numbers of your street address. (It is in my case also.) I had no idea there was such a thing. I was very confused when I saw the longer-than-normal zip code for my house.  

[Patriot3]

Interesting.  I'll have to be aware of this next time I receive a package and check.

[Mj12]

Not new.

[shaggygirl]

My mail and packages all come with either just the original 5 or sometimes 9 numbers in my zip code. When it's 9 it's the original 5 then a dash then 4 more.

[aroc3435]

@gardenman   Thank you for posting this.  I was not aware of this interesting fact.  I do know and use the zip plus four codes faithfully.  

Laughing at least once each day and learning at least  one new thing daily helps to keep us young.

Best,

aroc3435

Washington, DC

[ID2]

Anything to narrow down the address is a good thing. Our address is exactly the same as a cute little shop 4 1/2 miles away. The only difference is ours is North and theirs is South. Many times we have big semi trucks pulling up to make their delivery and we have to tell them its the South address. We MUST use the 4 digit code with our zip.

[lovesrecess]

Our street name is very similar to two other streets in some suburbs close by. Same name, but one is “drive” another is “ lane” and one is “circle”. Very confusing for delivery people and you can guess how many times we get someone else’s pkg or mail. If they would read the name of the city, it would help! I don’t think the longer zip code would help.

[Toppers3]

I knew about it too, but I've hardly seen it.

From what I understood, I always thought that the extra four digits added on were enough to have your mail more accurately delivered to you.

[chickenbutt]

I did not know that.  I wonder how you find out what those extra digits are.  I'll have to watch for it.  I only have a UPS parcel coming today and it just uses the five-digit zip.

[september]

Nine digits...yes.  Don't have any idea what my 11 digit zip code might be