UK postcodes

Contents 1 Regex UK Postcode for Validation 2 UK Postcode Regex PHP 3 UK postcode Format 3.1 Rules 3.2 Postcode areas

UK Postcode Regex PHP

(([A-PR-UW-Z]{1}[A-IK-Y]?)([0-9]?[A-HJKS-UW]?[ABEHMNPRVWXY]?|[0-9]?[0-9]?))\s?([0-9]{1}[ABD-HJLNP-UW-Z]{2})

Example of how to validate UK Postal code with Regular Expression

<?php

$pc = "RG9 2BG"; # POSTCODE

preg_match("/^(([A-PR-UW-Z]{1}[A-IK-Y]?)([0-9]?[A-HJKS-UW]?[ABEHMNPRVWXY]?|[0-9]?[0-9]?))\s?([0-9]{1}[ABD-HJLNP-UW-Z]{2})$/i",strtoupper($pc),$postcode);

print_r($postcode,true);

?>

Output

Array
(
[0] => RG9 2AR
[1] => RG9
[2] => RG
[3] => 9
[4] => 2AR
)

UK postcode Format

Format	Example Postcode
AN NAA	M1 1AA
ANN NAA	M60 1NW
AAN NAA	CR2 6XH
AANN NAA	DN55 1PT
ANA NAA	W1A 1HQ
AANA NAA	EC1A 1BB

Rules

• The letters Q, V and X are not used in the first position.
• The letters I, J and Z are not used in the second position.
• The only letters to appear in the third position are A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, S, T, U and W.
• The only letters to appear in the fourth position are A, B, E, H, M, N, P, R, V, W, X and Y.
• The second half of the Postcode is always consistent numeric, alpha, alpha format and the letters
• C, I, K, M, O and V are never used.
• GIR 0AA is a Postcode that was issued historically and does not confirm to current rules on valid postcode formats; it is however, still in use.
• These conventions may change in the future if operationally required.

Postcode areas

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