Looking up a city PIN code is easy because cities have well-known post offices. Villages are harder: most villages do not have a PIN code of their own. They are served by a branch post office (B.O), and the branch office uses the PIN code of the sub office (S.O) it reports to. Find the branch office, and you have the code.
Why villages share PIN codes
India Post’s directory lists 131,631 branch offices — most of the country’s 157,056 post offices — but only 19,299 PIN codes. One code can cover many branch offices. For example, PIN code 515631 in Anantapur district covers Tadimarri S.O and fourteen branch offices in the surrounding villages. Some rural codes cover more than seventy offices. Our guide to HO, SO and BO offices explains the structure.
Method 1: find the branch office by name
Many branch offices are named after the village they serve. Type the village name into the search. If a branch office with that name appears, open it: the page shows its PIN code, its district and the sub office it shares the code with. Check the district matches — village names repeat across India.
Method 2: go through the district
If your village has no post office of its own, it is served by a branch office in a nearby village. Open your state in the directory, then your district. The district page lists every PIN code with all the offices that share it. Look for the branch office in the nearest village, or the sub office in the nearest small town.
Method 3: detect it from where you are
If you are in the village now, detect the PIN code from your location. The result also lists nearby post offices, which helps when the village sits between two delivery areas. On a phone, do this outdoors for the best accuracy.
Method 4: ask locally
- The postman or Gramin Dak Sevak who delivers in the village knows the code.
- Old letters, bank passbooks, ration cards or electricity bills for village addresses usually show it.
- The gram panchayat office will know which branch office serves the village.
Writing the village address
Include the village, the branch office and the sub office, then the district, state and PIN code — for example: "Peddakotla Village, Peddakotla B.O, Tadimarri S.O, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh - 515631". Naming the branch office matters because the PIN code alone does not say which of the many villages under it is meant. See how to write an Indian address for more examples.
Branch offices are sometimes merged, renamed or moved to a different sub office. If a code matters for an official document, confirm it on indiapost.gov.in or with the local post office.
FAQ
My village is listed under two PIN codes. Which is right?
Large villages, or villages split between two branch offices, can appear under more than one code. Use the code of the branch office that actually delivers to your part of the village — the local postman can tell you.
Can I use the nearest town’s PIN code for my village?
Only if your village is served by that town’s sub office. Often it is served by a different branch office under a different code, and using the town’s code adds a sorting step.
Does a new village or colony get a PIN code automatically?
No. New settlements are attached to an existing branch or sub office and use its code. A new code is created only when India Post opens a new delivery office.