Methodology

Where the data comes from

Everything on PincodeDetails is built from the public India Post pincode directory, the official published list of postal index numbers and the post offices under them. From it we index 19,300 pincodes and 1,57,126 post offices across 731 districts and 36 states and union territories. PincodeDetails is an independent site, not affiliated with India Post; for official services use indiapost.gov.in.

Post office types: HO, SO, BO

Each office in the directory has a type, which we spell out on pincode pages:

• Head Post Office (HO): the main office of a postal division, offering the full range of services.
• Sub Post Office (SO): a full-service office, typically in towns and city neighbourhoods, reporting to a Head Post Office.
• Branch Post Office (BO): a smaller office, usually in a village, with limited services, reporting to a Sub or Head Post Office.

A delivery office delivers mail to addresses in its area. A non-delivery office accepts mail and offers counter services, but delivery for its area is handled by another office.

How the 6 digits break down

• 1st digit: one of 9 postal zones of India (1 and 2 north, 3 and 4 west, 5 and 6 south, 7 east, 8 covers Bihar and the north-east, 9 is Army Post Offices).
• 2nd digit: a sub-zone within that zone, usually mapping to a state or part of one.
• First 3 digits together: the sorting district, the regional hub where mail is routed and sorted.
• Last 3 digits: the specific delivery post office within the sorting district.

Locations and nearby pincodes

Where the directory gives coordinates for a pincode's offices, we place the pincode at their centroid, an approximate centre point, and show it on the map. 19,258 of 19,300 pincodes have such a location. The "nearby pincodes" on each page are computed as the straight-line distance between these pincode centroids, so distances are indicative, not door-to-door.

Pincode boundaries are approximate. India Post does not publish exact boundary polygons, and a locality can span more than one pincode. Always confirm with your full address.

Refreshes and corrections

The directory changes as offices open, close or merge, and we refresh our copy periodically from the public data. If a page here disagrees with what your local post office tells you, the post office is right, and we would like to know: use the form below or write to corrections@pincodedetails.in.