Street naming and numbering guidance

For all applications you will need to:

filled out the applicant's details
have provided the declaration signed by the owner of the property
provide a site location plan with the property clearly outlined in red (a copy of the HM Land Registry Title Deeds Plan is preferable)

Addition of a property name or property name changes

If your property has a postal number and you would like to add or change a property name you will need to complete section 1 of the application form.

House names alone are not favoured by local authorities and the emergency services. A property number identifies the location of a property on a road. If you wish to add a name, you must continue to keep the house number prominently displayed on the property and continue to quote the number on all correspondence. The house number is the primary identifier for a property, the addition of a property name is secondary to the primary address. It is therefore essential to continue to use the postal number in correspondence.

We will check the suitability of your proposed name and will then send all the details to the Royal Mail who will check their database to ensure there are no other similarly named properties within the same vicinity that could cause problems with locating the property. They will amend the name on their database and will tell us when this has been updated. This process generally takes five working days.

For any properties that were not allocated postal numbers when first built, the name becomes the primary identifier for the property and is listed on the Royal Mail database. Named-only properties are generally located in rural areas.

Amendment of existing postal addresses

If a postal address requires amending you will need to complete section 1 of the application form.

Examples of amendments:

removal of a business name
spelling of a property name
access to the property has changed and is accessed by a different road

Official registration of postal address for an existing unregistered property

If you are experiencing problems applying for utility services, mortgages, credit cards, insurance and deliveries, it could be your property does not have an official registered postal address. All credit checks require the registration of a postal address.

When a property is officially registered the postal address is confirmed and entered into the Royal Mail database. It is the Royal Mail database that all other organisations purchase address information to update their databases.

If you believe your property has not been registered with an official postal address, you will need to complete section 2 of the application form.

The property may have been given an unofficial postal number or name, but it is our responsibility to issue an official postal address following the statutory procedure.

If the unregistered property has been built on a street where all the other properties have been issued with a postal number, then a postal number will be issued to the property.

A property number identifies the location of a property on a road. You may add a name to a numbered property, but the house number must be displayed on the property and the number used in all correspondence. The house number is the primary identifier for a property; the addition of a property name is secondary to the primary address. It is therefore essential to continue to use the postal number in correspondence.

Registration of an individual new build

To officially register a new build you will need to complete section 2 of the application form. Please include a site location plan with the boundary clearly outlined in red and a block layout plan to show the footprint of the new building.

Postal addresses for new builds under construction are registered on the Royal Mail ‘Not yet built’ (NYB) Database. This database holds the ‘reserved’ postal addresses until the Royal Mail are advised to transfer them to their ‘live’ database known as the Postcode Address File (PAF). Only occupied properties which are receiving the delivery of mail are listed on the ‘live’ PAF and they can be viewed on the Royal Mail Website.

Unless we are advised the property is occupied the postal address for a new build will be registered on the Royal Mail’s ‘reserved’ postal address ‘Not yet built’ database.

Registration of a new development

To officially register a new development you will need to complete section 3 of the application form. Please include a site plan with the application site clearly outlined in red and a block layout plan with each unit clearly labelled with a plot number to identify each separate building.

If the new development incorporates a block of flats, please provide floor plans for each floor and identify each of the individual units with plot numbers.

For the registration of new roads on the development please see the guidance notes under the section headed ‘Creation of a new street’.

If the development is an infill site on an existing street where possible we will issue consecutive postal numbers that may include suffixes to fit in with the existing numbering scheme to avoid any duplication of postal numbers. If there is not a logical numbering scheme available and suffix letters are not appropriate sub names may be issued to blocks of flats or a terrace of houses.

A plot to postal schedule will be drawn up and sent to the Royal Mail and the emergency services to approve the new postal addresses.

Postal addresses for new developments under construction are registered on the Royal Mail ‘Not yet built’ (NYB) Database. This database holds the ‘reserved’ postal addresses until the Royal Mail are advised to transfer them to their ‘live’ database known as the PAF. Only occupied properties which are receiving the delivery of mail are listed on the ‘live’ PAF and they can be viewed on the Royal Mail Website.

The Royal Mail will issue postcodes and will let us know once the postal addresses have been registered on their database. This process generally takes five working days.

Creation of a new street

We aim to name new roads with local geographical, historical, or cultural relevance in accordance with the street naming and numbering policy.

Developers may wish to propose a name and we ask for reasons behind the proposal. Suggestions will be considered in line with the above criteria before being submitted for consultation with either the parish council or ward councillors, dependent on whether the development site is rural or urban.

Consultation can take up to a month or longer depending on when the matter is discussed by the parish council or ward councillors. Please leave plenty of time to register your development.

The name of the new road will also have to be approved by the emergency services and the Royal Mail.

Conversion of property into flats

We must be contacted as soon as work has started to register the conversion of a property into flats, do not wait until the properties are occupied.

Until the flats have been registered with the Royal Mail, they do not have official postal addresses. It can cause unnecessary problems for the residents regarding their mortgages, home insurance and household services if the flats are issued with unofficial flat numbers by the owner/developer that may later have to be changed when registered with official postal numbers and addresses.

To officially register the conversion of an existing property into flats you will need to complete section 3 of the application form. Your application must also include a layout plan showing any associated garages, entrances etc and floor plans with each unit numbered with a plot number for ease of identification.

We will require information on the converted property’s delivery points. This information determines how the address records are listed on the Royal Mail database. A property with one communal entrance and delivery point is listed as a multi-occupancy and one main postal address will be listed on the Royal Mail website with the flats held behind this one address.

Flats with individual delivery points will be listed individually on the Royal Mail website. Please provide details in the additional information section of the application form if the property is to have one communal entrance and delivery point (letterbox) or if each flat will have an individual letterbox.

The applicant may wish to propose a numbering scheme for the flats, but we will make the final decision following the street naming and numbering policy. Postal numbering is issued in a clockwise direction from the first flat on the left after entering the main entrance door and working upwards floor by floor.

Postal addresses for properties under conversion are registered on the Royal Mail ‘Not yet built’ (NYB) Database. This database holds the ‘reserved’ postal addresses until the Royal Mail are advised to transfer them to their ‘live’ database known as the PAF. Only occupied properties which are receiving the delivery of mail are listed on the ‘live’ PAF and they can be viewed on the Royal Mail Website.

Unless we are advised the flats are already occupied the postal addresses will be registered on the Royal Mail’s ‘reserved’ postal address ‘Not yet built’ database.

Renumbering of a development site or block of flats

In rare circumstances, the re-issue of postal addresses on a previously numbered development or a re-furbished block of flats (where the layout of the flats has been altered) may be required. We must be notified so any alterations to postal addresses can be officially registered, and the statutory authorities notified.

You need to let us know as soon as possible. Do not wait until the properties are occupied.

Your letter should include an explanation of why renumbering is required, a layout plan indicating the existing numbering of the units and a copy of the new layout plan showing any proposed numbering of units you may wish to suggest. For blocks of flats, floor plans are also required.

Renaming an existing street name

Renaming an existing street is avoided unless the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. It is only considered as a last resort when:

there is confusion over a street’s name
a group of residents are unhappy with their street name

It should be considered that the renaming of a street can be very disruptive and will cause all individuals to have to change all their personal address details.

It is the responsibility of those requesting the change to canvass all the residents of the street and conduct a ballot on the issue. This will ensure that all the resident's views are considered and the results need to be sent to us.

To change a street name we require 100% support from the residents of the street.

Consultations with the parish council/ward councillors, emergency services and the Royal Mail will be undertaken before a decision is made. This is a very time-consuming process and can be very emotive for those involved and should therefore only be contemplated as a last resort.

What happens next

We will send the details of the new and amended postal addresses to the Royal Mail who will update their database accordingly and let us know once this has been actioned. This process generally takes five working days.

We will notify the statutory authorities of the new postal address details and will also write to you to confirm the registration has been completed.

The NLPG (National Land and Property Gazetteer) will also be updated with the new address details

Making a reserved postal address 'live'

To make a new postal address live, please contact the Royal Mail on 03456 01110 and select option key 3 for the maintenance team. Advise the operator that you wish to make a ‘reserved’ address ‘live’ on their PAF. You will need to provide the postcode and then confirm the new postal address. The Royal Mail will advise you the address will show on their website in 24-48 hours.