{"id":38066,"date":"2026-02-18T11:35:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endereco.de\/?p=38066"},"modified":"2026-02-18T11:49:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:49:22","slug":"shipping-to-spain-how-to-address-your-shipments-correctly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.endereco.de\/en\/allgemeine_news\/versand-nach-spanien-so-adressierst-du-deine-sendungen-richtig\/","title":{"rendered":"Shipping to Spain: how to address your shipments correctly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone sending parcels to Spain as an online retailer quickly realizes: a missing floor, an incorrect zip code or an incomplete address and the shipment ends up in the return instead of with the recipient. Spanish addresses follow their own rules, which differ from German standards in key respects.<\/p>\n

This guide shows you step by step what is important: from the correct structure and regional differences to the most common mistakes.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

The basic structure of a Spanish address<\/h2>\n

A complete Spanish address consists of several essential elements. These must be entered in a specific order.

<\/p>\n

The individual address components in detail<\/h3>\n

Line 1: Recipient name with salutation<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Spain, recipients are traditionally given a courtesy salutation.<\/p>\n

Male recipients receive the abbreviation \u201eDn\u201c (Don), female recipients \u201eDna\u201c (Do\u00f1a).
Sres.\u201e is used for married couples. (Se\u00f1ores).

<\/p>\n

Line 2: Street, house number, floor and apartment location<\/strong><\/p>\n

The street is introduced with \u201eC\/\u201c, which stands for \u201eCalle\u201c (street).<\/p>\n

This is followed by the street name, the house number and - very importantly - the floor and apartment location in the same line.<\/p>\n

In practice, \u201eCalle\u201c is often omitted so that only the street name is given.
Other road types, on the other hand, are always indicated by their designation:<\/p>\n

\u201eAvda.\u201c or \u201eAv.\u201c for Avenida (avenue)
\u201ePza.\u201c for plaza (square)
\u201eCtra.\u201c for Carretera (country road)<\/p>\n

According to the addressing guidelines of the Spanish postal service provider Correos Espa\u00f1a<\/a>, commas are used to separate the main components of an address: between the street and house number and between the house number and the apartment details (floor and location).<\/p>\n

Correct spelling according to the official standard: C\/ Gran V\u00eda, 28, 3\u00b0 dcha<\/strong><\/p>\n

In practice, the first comma between the street and house number is often omitted. However, the comma between the house number and the additional information must be entered.<\/p>\n

Source:<\/strong> Wikilengua - Ortotipograf\u00eda en correos<\/a>

<\/p>\n

Floor and apartment location:<\/strong> The floor number is essential and often more important than the name! And there is a simple reason for this: in Spain, there are often no nameplates on letterboxes and doorbells, as family members can have different surnames. Without a floor number, delivery can therefore be impossible or severely delayed because the deliverer does not know exactly where to drop off the item.<\/p>\n

The order of the information:<\/strong> The street and house number are followed by the floor and then the apartment location.<\/p>\n

The floor is specified as follows:<\/p>\n

First floor:<\/strong> \u201ebajo\u201c or the abbreviation \u201eBJ\u201c (or in full \u201ePlanta baja\u201c)
Higher floors:<\/strong> Number with degree symbol, e.g. \u201e3\u00b0\u201c for the third floor<\/p>\n

The position of the apartment is given as:<\/p>\n

\u201edcha\u201c (derecha) = right
\u201eizqu\u201c (izquierda) = left
\u201ecentro\u201c = center<\/p>\n

Alternatively, letters are also often used: A, B, C, D etc.<\/p>\n

A complete specification could therefore read:<\/p>\n

\u201eC\/ Gran V\u00eda, 28, 3\u00b0 dcha\u201c \u2192 3rd floor, right
\u201eAvda. del Mediterr\u00e1neo, 45, 2\u00b0 B\u201c \u2192 2nd floor, apartment B

<\/p>\n

Line 3: Postal code and city<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Spanish zip code consists of five digits and is written before the city name.
The province can optionally follow in capital letters, but is not mandatory.<\/p>\n


Line 4: Province (optional, but recommended)<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the official Spanish address structure, the province follows in a separate line.<\/p>\n

Since the postal code already encodes the province (the first two digits), this information is practically optional. However, it is listed in official guidelines as part of the full address.<\/p>\n

It is therefore advisable for German retailers to specify the province if the customer supplies it.<\/p>\n


Line 5: Country<\/strong><\/p>\n

For international shipments, \u201eSPAIN\u201c, \u201eESPA\u00d1A\u201c or \u201eSPAIN\u201c should be indicated.

<\/p>\n\n

Examples of complete Spanish addresses<\/h2>\n

Example private address:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Name<\/strong><\/td>Dna Mar\u00eda Garc\u00eda L\u00f3pez<\/td><\/tr>
Street & house number with additional information<\/strong><\/td>C\/ Gran V\u00eda, 28, 3\u00b0 dcha<\/td><\/tr>
Zip code + city<\/strong><\/td>28013 Madrid<\/td><\/tr>
Province<\/strong> (optional)<\/td>Madrid<\/td><\/tr>
Country<\/strong><\/td>SPAIN \/ SPAIN<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Example business address:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name of the company<\/strong><\/td>Comercial Textil SA<\/td><\/tr>
Department, if applicable<\/strong> (optional, on a separate line)<\/td>Departamento de Log\u00edstica<\/td><\/tr>
Additional location information, if applicable<\/strong> (if necessary)<\/td>Pol\u00edgono Industrial Las Mercedes<\/td><\/tr>
Street, house number, floor\/apartment<\/strong><\/td>C\/ Industria, 12, Nave 4<\/td><\/tr>
Zip code + city<\/strong><\/td>41500 Alcal\u00e1 de Guada\u00edra<\/td><\/tr>
Province<\/strong> (optional)<\/td>Seville<\/td><\/tr>
Country<\/strong> (for international shipments)<\/td>SPAIN \/ SPAIN<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

For business addresses in industrial areas, additional location details (such as \u201ePol\u00edgono Industrial\u201c) and departments are given on separate lines. This structure corresponds to the official Spanish addressing guidelines. The province \u201eSevilla\u201c appears in a separate line after the zip code and city.<\/p>\n

Source: Wikilengua - Ortotipograf\u00eda en correos<\/a><\/p>\n

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Special feature: Spanish addresses without house number (\u201es\/n\u201c)<\/h2>\n

An important peculiarity of Spanish addresses is that not all buildings have a house number.
In many Spanish towns, the house numbering ends with the building boundary.<\/p>\n

Houses outside built-up areas, in rural areas, small villages or industrial areas often have no house number.<\/p>\n

In such cases, the abbreviation \u201es\/n\u201c (sin n\u00famero = without number) is used.
The address is then, for example: C\/ Real, s\/n<\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n

Special feature: Spanish addresses with kilometers<\/h2>\n

For addresses outside towns, the long-distance road with kilometers is often used.
The number of kilometers refers to the kilometer marker along the road and indicates the distance from the starting point.<\/p>\n

According to the CartoCiudad specification, this form of address is officially defined as \u201ePunto Kilom\u00e9trico\u201c (PK). CartoCiudad distinguishes between two address types: Addresses within towns with street and house number (portal). And addresses outside towns with a country road and kilometer marker (PK).<\/p>\n

Both address types are equivalent and are recognized by Correos and other Spanish authorities.<\/p>\n

Source: CartoCiudad<\/a> - Official address system of the Instituto Geogr\u00e1fico Nacional

<\/p>\n

In practice, there are two different variants:<\/p>\n

Variant 1: Kilometers only (no house number)<\/h3>\n

This is the most common case for buildings that are located directly on a country road and do not have an official house number. The mileage then replaces the house number:<\/p>\n\n\n

Name<\/strong><\/td>Finca Los Olivos<\/td><\/tr>
Road with km indication<\/strong><\/td>Ctra. Ronda-M\u00e1laga, km 23<\/td><\/tr>
Zip code + city<\/strong><\/td>29400 Ronda<\/td><\/tr>
Province<\/strong> (optional)<\/td>M\u00e1laga<\/td><\/tr>
Country<\/strong><\/td>SPAIN \/ SPAIN<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

The \u201es\/n\u201c can also be specified (e.g. \u201ekm 23, s\/n\u201c), but is not absolutely necessary, as the kilometer specification already makes it clear that there is no house number.

<\/p>\n

Variant 2: House number AND kilometer<\/h3>\n

In practice, it can happen that buildings in towns which are located on a main road have both details in their address.<\/p>\n

The building then has an official house number for the urban area and the kilometer is added as additional information about the location on the country road, usually in brackets:<\/p>\n\n\n

Name<\/strong><\/td>Hotel Costa del Sol<\/td><\/tr>
Street & house number<\/strong><\/td>Calle Congre, 3 (Carretera de las Marinas km 1)<\/td><\/tr>
Zip code + city<\/strong><\/td>03700 D\u00e9nia<\/td><\/tr>
Province<\/strong> (optional)<\/td>Alicante<\/td><\/tr>
Country<\/strong><\/td>SPAIN \/ SPAIN<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

Here the building has the house number 3 in Calle Congre (official postal address according to CartoCiudad), but is also located at kilometer 1 of the Carretera de las Marinas.<\/p>\n

Important for shipping:<\/strong> The official postal address is \u201eCalle Congre, 3\u201c - this is the address that must appear on the parcel. The km indication in brackets is an additional orientation aid (e.g. for navigation or to make it easier to find). However, it does not necessarily have to be indicated on the parcel.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Are you shipping to Spain and having problems with international addresses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Request API key now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Understanding the Spanish zip code system<\/h2>\n

Understanding Spanish zip codes is crucial for correct addressing and will help you avoid costly mistakes.

<\/p>\n

Structure of the five-digit zip code<\/h3>\n

The first two digits of the zip code indicate the province.
Originally, this numbering was alphabetical, as these examples show:<\/p>\n