Germany Postleitzahl (PLZ) validator
How the Postleitzahl (PLZ) format works
- Format
- 5 digits
- Example
- 10115
Things to watch for
- Format-only check — does not confirm the PLZ actually exists
- Always exactly 5 digits with no separators
^[0-9]{5}$A German Postleitzahl (PLZ) is the 5-digit postcode Deutsche Post uses to route mail, written directly before the city name — for example 10115 Berlin. Anyone validating a shipping address, a checkout form, or a database of German customer records needs the PLZ to at least be the right length and shape before it’s used downstream.
Because a PLZ is a plain 5-digit run with no separator or letter to anchor against, a dropped or duplicated digit is easy to miss visually while producing a code that still looks entirely plausible. Catching that at the point of entry is cheaper than a parcel misrouted to the wrong Leitzone.
How this validator works
This tool checks that the input is exactly 5 digits with no letters, spaces, or hyphens — the format Deutsche Post has used nationwide since German reunification standardized the system in 1993 — entirely in your browser, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A PLZ carries no check digit, so a correctly shaped 5-digit string is the most a client-side tool can confirm — not that Deutsche Post has assigned it to a real town, street, or delivery office. Confirming that requires Deutsche Post’s own PLZ lookup.
Scope: this page and tool cover PLZ format validation only — not address lookup, Leitzone matching, or confirming a code is currently in use.
Postleitzahl (PLZ) FAQ
What does PLZ stand for?
PLZ is short for Postleitzahl, literally 'postal routing number' — Germany's 5-digit postcode, written directly before the city name (e.g. 10115 Berlin) rather than after it as in many other countries.
Does the first digit of a PLZ mean anything?
Yes — Deutsche Post groups the country into ten broad routing zones (Leitzonen) numbered 0 through 9, and the leading digit of a PLZ tells you which zone an address falls in. Each zone spans a wide swath of the country, not a single city, so it's a coarse routing hint rather than a precise location marker.
Does a correctly formatted PLZ mean it actually exists?
No. This tool only confirms the string is exactly 5 digits — it doesn't check the PLZ against Deutsche Post's actual assignment list. Confirming a PLZ is real and seeing which city or district it covers requires Deutsche Post's own PLZ lookup.