Singapore’s Postal Code

Posted by Tan Wee Kiat under National History
(16) Comments • (20089) Reads • Permalink

Some of our older readers may recall that in earlier years Singapore had a 2-digit postal code.

For example, the Katong area had a postal code of 15. This 2-digit code is still used in newspaper classifications for properties for sale/rent. Thus, if you are interested in properties in the Katong area, you should look under Section 15-16 in the Properties for sale in the Classified Ads of the Straits Times.

When did we change from a 2-digit system to the 6-digit system that is used at present?

The answer is that we did not change from 2-digits to 6-digits straight off. There was an intermediate stage of a 4-digit post code for several years. Where’s the evidence for this, you say?

Here is the evidence on tiny pieces of paper called stamps.

The first stamp shows that in 1979, the postal code changed from 2-digit to 4-digit numbers (no relation to 4-D numbers, I think). Thus, the Katong postal code number for Marine Parade changed from 15 to 1544.

In 1995, the coding system was improved to identify individual buildings and houses using a unique 6-digit number for each structure. For example, the postal code of Marine Parade Community Library is 449282.

If you happen to live in a HDB apartment, you will see that your block number forms the last 3 digits of the 6-digit code.

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(16) Comments

Posted by: Rambling Librarian
Posted on: June 8th, 2006

By my time I moved to a HDB apartment as a child, it was already 4 digit code (as in the late 1970s). As you wrote, the 6 digit postal code was introduced in '95, so I think the 4 digit code was more than "interim".

Posted by: sparklette
Posted on: June 9th, 2006

I only knew of the 4-digit postal code system that had already been in use when I was born. Never knew the 2-digit system existed!

Posted by: chunsee
Posted on: June 9th, 2006

Funny; I can remember the 2-digit postal code of my kampong off Lorong Chuan which was 19, the 4-figure postal code of my present house, but not the one I stayed in for 10 years in between.

Posted by: layyoong
Posted on: June 9th, 2006

I only remember the 4 digit code. Mine was 1543 (Katong). I wonder what the rationale is to use the last 2 digits for the new 6 digit postal code. Some claim it was to diffuse the elitism of certain districts (like 9,10,11) over others but seriously...that has not worked if you just look at the property section in the classads!

Posted by: py
Posted on: June 9th, 2006

I never knew that the 2-digit system existed either. Now I think I can infer why there's some places are referred as the district 10...

Posted by: vickoo
Posted on: June 9th, 2006

Wee Kiat, why do the postal district numbers always have an even number of digits, i.e. 2-digit, 4-digit and 6-digit? (Incidentally, was there a time when Singapore had no postal districts, i.e. 0-digit?) Could it be a mere coincidence or was it superstition on the part of the postal authority? You know, the Chinese believe that 'Good things always come in pairs'.

Posted by: Tan Wee Kiat
Posted on: June 10th, 2006

Hi! py, >can infer why there

Hi! Vickoo, >Could it be a mere coincidence or was it superstition on the part of the postal authority?< Apologies, I really don't know the reason. Hope someone from Singpost reads your comment and responds. Incidentally, Singapore is a very small country and has a 6-digit code. Much bigger countries like USA and Australia have less digits. If my memory is correct, USA has a 5-digit code and Australia has a 4-digit code. Regards, Wee Kiat

Posted by: cynosureofitall
Posted on: June 13th, 2006

Actually, while the more commonly used US zip code is five digits, they have a 4-digit sub zipcode that identify smaller areas (e.g. a specific road).

Posted by: amy
Posted on: June 13th, 2006

Let me speculate (and hope I don't say something stupid). My old postal code was 0512. As Wee Kiat says, 05=Pasir Panjang area, so 12 probably denotes the Clementi portion of Pasir Panjang district. My new postal code is 120201. So, 12=Clementi 201=Block number.

Posted by: eyesopen
Posted on: January 13th, 2009

2 digit postal code. Wow i like it.

Posted by: Jameel
Posted on: December 11th, 2009

Now it is easier to know the correct addresses. Good move

Posted by: Derek
Posted on: February 17th, 2010

The growth of Singapore over the past 50 years is an amazing success story that all Singaporeans can be proud of. The postal code system had to develop to cope with that growth. The old 2 digit code was initially converted to a four digit code because Singapore Post had to open additional delivery bases to cope with growth in the number of addresses served, and the expansion in the number of Post Office boxes. It served the purpose described by amy above by subduividing the old 2 digit districts into the smaller geographical areas served by the new delivery bases. When the new 6 digit code was introduced in 1995 the first two digits of the old code became redundant and were dropped. The last four digits were introduced to create a unique identifier for each and every building in the country. For HDB blocks these last four digits included the block number to make it as easy as possible for people to remember and for businesses and government departments to add when they had to update their address databases to indluce the new codes. The new 6 digit code allows Singpost to use automated systems to sort the mail to the sequence of the postperson's delivery beat (Previously all mail had to be sorted by hand to the beat and then again by hand to the sequence of delivery within the beat). As a result of the change Singapore now has the most advanced postal sorting and delivery system in the world - yet another thing for Singaporean's to take pride in. In 1992 I was engaged by Singapore Post to help design and plan the implementation of the 6 digit postal system it is certainly something I am very proud to have done.

Just a foot note to cover Wee Kat's ietm about US postcodes. To achieve the same result as Singapore's Postcode system the US Postal Service has added a further 4 publically used digits to the 5 digit zip code and big mailers have to add a further 2 digits to provide a unique building identifier. (They call this zip plus four plus 2 coding) The US equivalent of Sinagpore's 6 digit code is 11 digits long - the public usage rate of the first 9 digits is quite low !

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Posted on: October 21st, 2010

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