If your customer's country doesn't use postal codes, leave the postal code field blank whenever your shipping tool allows it. Then make the rest of the address complete: the street address, the city, the state or region if the country has one, and a phone number for the recipient. Without a code to sort by, those details are what get the parcel to the door.

If a form won't accept a blank, don't make up a code that looks real, and don't borrow one from a neighboring country. The section on validation errors below covers what to do instead.

How to write the address on an international label

USPS Publication 28 sets the format for international addresses. The parts that matter here:

The recipient's name, street address and city go on the lines above the country.
If the destination uses postal codes, the code goes before the last line. Never put it on the country line.
The last line shows only the country name, written in full with no abbreviations, and preferably in capital letters.

For a destination with no postal code, the city line simply has no code on it.

What UPS, USPS and FedEx expect

UPS

UPS publishes a list of countries and territories that require a postal code. Canada, Australia, Germany, France, India and Japan are on it. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jamaica, the Bahamas and Hong Kong are not. If your destination isn't on the list, UPS doesn't require a postal code.

USPS

Follow the Publication 28 format above. If the destination uses postal codes, get the right one from your customer and put it before the country line. If it doesn't, leave the code off.

FedEx

FedEx's developer documentation says some countries it ships to don't require a postal code, and that the state code or city name is enough for them.

What to do if the form won't accept a blank

Some label tools and checkouts insist on a postal code even for countries that don't use them. FedEx's developer documentation covers this case: if a validation error comes up for a country that doesn't use ZIP codes, it suggests entering "00000" as a replacement postal code.

Treat that as a fix for a validation error, not the default. The guidance comes from FedEx, so if you're shipping with another carrier, check its rules before you use a placeholder. Never type in a real-looking code or one from a nearby country, because it points to an actual place that isn't your customer's. After the placeholder goes in, double-check the city spelling and the phone number, because the courier works from them when there is no code.

Is 00000 a real ZIP code?

No. FedEx describes "00000" as a false postal code that "does not exist." It's a way past a form that demands a value, not part of anyone's address.

Confirm the address with your customer

When there's no postal code, the rest of the address has to do more work. Before you buy the label, ask your customer to confirm how the city is spelled, the full street address (including a nearby landmark if that's how addresses work locally), and a phone number the courier can call. A short message now is easier than dealing with a delivery exception later.

The same applies if you're the one filling in a checkout: if it asks for a postal code and your country doesn't use one, leave it blank if you can, or ask the seller what to enter.

What Zip Code Should I Use When a Country Does Not Use Postal Codes?