Using an Eircode

When you receive an Eircode notification letter it means a new Eircode has been assigned to your address. It also means the Eircode Finder has been updated with the new address and Eircode. You should take note of the Eircode contained in the letter so that you can refer to it easily when you need to.

Notification letters are only sent when an Eircode is first assigned, it is possible that a previous occupier received the notification letter for your current address. An Eircode notification letter is not required to use an Eircode. All Eircodes can be found on the Eircode Finder - a public website that allows you to search for Eircodes by address or map. You can also print your Eircode from the Eircode Finder.

You can start using an Eircode as soon as it is assigned.

An Eircode should be added to your address as follows.

As Eircode is very new, many retailers and organisations are busy updating their systems to recognise and accept an Eircode. Overtime, you will see more organisations requesting an Eircode and accepting it.

Examples of when and how and Eircode can be used are included below

An Eircode can be used:

• as part of the postal address when sending letters or parcels
• in the Eircode or postcode field when completing online or paper forms

When:

• Shopping online – as part of your delivery address or to autofill your address
• Ordering items for delivery – for example furniture, whitegoods or fuel
• Ordering food for delivery – for example takeaway or supermarket shopping
• Filling out forms online – for example making applications or signing up for information
• Checking utilities and services available in your area – for example broadband
• Finding a location you are traveling to

It can help if you:

• give an Eircode to emergency services as it may help them find your location faster
• give an Eircode to service providers as it may help them identify services available in your area
• give an Eircode to service providers or tradespeople as it may help them to find your location
• give an Eircode to friends or family as it may help them find your location
• ask for an Eircode if you are traveling somewhere to help you find the location

Using an Eircode when sending a letter or parcel

An Eircode should be placed at the end of an address, just below the County. 

If you are writing to a person in Ireland from overseas, the Eircode should go between the County and Country details.

When using the Eircode to post letters or parcels it should be used with a complete postal address. An Post recommends that you use the Postal Address and an Eircode for posting items as an incorrect or incomplete address may lead to delay, mis-delivery or non-delivery of mail.

Using an Eircode online or paper forms

When providing details online or filling out forms you may be prompted for an Eircode as part of your address details or you may be asked for your Eircode to autofill your address which you then confirm.

Companies are advised to provide a specific field called Eircode with spaces for seven characters. Some forms and websites may not provide an Eircode field but they may allow you to enter the Eircode in the existing postcode field.

Online forms may accept the Eircode either as two separate parts with a space between the Routing Key and Unique Identifier for example A65 F4E2 or as one single seven-character string for example A65F4E2.

Using an Eircode is not mandatory however, an Eircode may help the organsation find your location or delivery person find your address. It also may help the organsation tell the difference between your address and other addresses which are the same or very similar.

For more information about the benefits of using Eircode please visit the benefits page.