Having the correct zip code on your mail can be the difference between your mother getting her birthday card on time or late. The zip code is also helpful when using online maps for driving directions. Finding the right zip code is easier than ever with various options, both online and off. Depending on the information you have to conduct your search, one option may be more helpful than another.
Look in your local phone book. Most include the postal codes for towns and cities in the region covered by the book.
Purchase a United States zip code directory. These contain zip codes according to streets, post offices and towns. If you have a street address, this option can provide not only the zip code, but also the four-digit extension that the United States Postal Service now uses.
Log on to the United States Postal Service website (usps.com) and use the "Find a Zip Code" locating option. This service allows you to search using a full street address, just the city and state or a company name (for which you will also need the street address). The company and street address options will include the four-digit extension which makes the mailing process more efficient. (See Reference 1)
Visit your local library. If you do not have a phone book, zip code directory or access to the Internet, most library branches will have some, if not all, of these items for you to use.
Take your mail to your neighborhood post office. If you have only one or two pieces of mail, the clerk may find the zip codes for you.
Consult a zip code map if you do not need a postal code for a specific address. These maps can provide the zip codes for a general area of a state. (See Reference 2)
