In 2012, the government of Trinidad and Tobago approved the introduction of postal codes starting later that same year. In addition to the postal code implementation the country has embarked on a nationwide address improvement initiative adopting the Universal Postal Union (UPU) S-42 international standard of addressing. The UPU is an arm of the United Nations and is the coordinating body of postal services worldwide. The intent of this exercise is to correct poor addressing in Trinidad & Tobago and assign to each address a six-digit postal code. This change will result in the following: • All buildings will carry a building/civic number • Numbering will be sequential and logical • Less reliance on mile markers, lot numbers, lamp post numbers and "corner of" in addressing.

As announced in 2012, each code would be a six-digit number, with the first two digits indicating one of 72 postal districts (64 in Trinidad, eight in Tobago). It was piloted in Point Fortin in 2013 and later tested in four other Trinidad communities, as well as the island of Tobago. It is now launched as of 2021 throughout all of the regions and municipalities of Trinidad and throughout Tobago.

Example

According to Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, an envelope using the postcode may be properly addressed thus:

Mr. James Doe 71 Beechwood Road Goodside Gardens DIEGO MARTIN 150110 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO _______________________ Mrs. Jane Doe 21 Darcy Avenue Central Park Balmain COUVA 550214 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

In the example above, the digits "15" refer to the delivery office in Diego Martin; "01" to a certain delivery route served by that office; and "10" to a certain building or zone along that delivery route.

History Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation officially launched the system March 28, 2012, promising that residents and businesses would receive a postcard informing them of their new postal code "before the end of the year". In May 2016, the estimated completion date was given as "within a year or two."

In May 2011, TTPost said it planned to develop a postal code system in part because it is more efficient to sort mail using automated sorting machines, and in part because many areas in Trinidad and Tobago use vague or imprecise descriptive addresses based on "word of mouth and the use of landmarks". TTPost also said it also hoped develop a universal standard for addressing.

“Many of our business and residential addresses regularly include features such as lamp pole numbers, street addresses without a building number, lot numbers and mile markers and the phrase ‘corner of’ as means of identification," said Trinidad and Tobago Public Utilities Minister Nizam Baksh in 2013. “Such elements may be easily understood by those living in a community, but they not only make mail delivery tedious, but can also slow down the response of fire service and ambulance personnel who are responding to an emergency in the area."

Postal workers' representatives noted that along with increased efficiency in mail sorting, the system is expected to accompany a loss in mail sorter jobs. Advocates of the postal code system touted several side benefits. Classifying every address in a geographical postal code could aid in statistical analysis of crime and health care, for example.

List of Postal Districts

District Code and Name (First two digits of the postal code)

+ List of Postal Districts PD Code PD NAME 10 PORT OF SPAIN 11 CARENAGE 12 MARAVAL 13 UPPER SANTA CRUZ 14 LOWER SANTA CRUZ 15 DIEGO MARTIN 16 ST. ANNS 17 WOODBROOK 18 ST. JAMES 19 NEWTOWN 21 GONZALES 22 MARCANO QUARRY 23 MORVANT 24 BELMONT 25 SAN JUAN 26 LAVENTILLE 27 BLUNDELL 28 EL SOCORRO 29 SEALOTS 30 ARIMA 31 CUREPE 32 VALSAYN 33 TUNAPUNA 34 TACARIGUA 35 AROUCA 36 MALONEY 37 LA HORQUETTA 41 VALENCIA 42 GUAICO 43 CUMUTO 44 BICHE 45 SANGRE GRANDE 46 MANZANILLA 50 CHAGUANAS 51 CARONI 52 CUNUPIA 53 CARAPICHAIMA 54 CALIFORNIA 55 COUVA 56 CLAXTON BAY 57 GASPARILLO 58 TABAQUITE 59 WILLIAMSVILLE 60 SAN FERNANDO 61 MARABELLA 62 SOUTH OROPOUCHE 63 LA BREA 64 GUAPO 65 LA ROMAINE 66 CEDROS 67 PALO SECO 68 DEBE 69 FYZABAD 70 POINT FORTIN 71 PENAL 72 SIPARIA 73 SANTA FLORA 81 MAYARO 82 TABLELAND 83 NEW GRANT 84 BARRACKPORE 85 PRINCES TOWN 86 RIO CLARO87 MORUGA90 SCARBOROUGH91 CANAAN / BON ACCORD92 LES COTEAUX / GOLDEN LANE93 MORIAH95 ROXBOROUGH96 CASTARA97 SPEYSIDE98 CHARLOTTEVILLE

References