How to Address a Letter to Germany

Recipient’s name Street name + house number Postal code + City GERMANY (if sending internationally)

Follow this format whether sending personal or business mail.

Choose an example

DE
0.95€

Hans Müller

Hauptstraße 12 house no. after street

10115 Berlin 5-digit postal code

GERMANY for international mail

DE
0.95€

Firma Beispiel GmbH

z. Hd. Hans Müller = “attn. of”

Friedrichstraße 55

10117 Berlin

GERMANY

z. Hd. stands for zu Händen — meaning “to the attention of.” Use it when writing to a specific person at a company.

DE
0.95€

Anna Schmidt

Berliner Allee 8

2. OG links 2nd floor, left

40212 Düsseldorf

GERMANY

Common abbreviations: EG = ground floor · 1. OG = 1st floor · links = left · rechts = right · Mitte = middle

Key rules to remember

🏠

Street, then house number

Write Hauptstraße 12, not 12 Hauptstraße.

🔢

5-digit postal code

Goes on the same line as the city, before it.

✈️

GERMANY in capitals

Add on the last line only when mailing from outside Germany.

🏢

No state needed

German addresses don’t require a state or Bundesland.

Key Points

House number comes after the street name (opposite of some other countries)
Postal code (Postleitzahl/PLZ) is 5 digits, placed before the city on the same line
If sending from abroad, add GERMANY (or DEUTSCHLAND) on the last line in capitals
No need to write the state/region for most mail
For apartments, a floor or apartment number can be added on a second line after the name (e.g., 2. OG links meaning 2nd floor, left)

For a business letter, add the company name above or below the person’s name:

Firma Beispiel GmbH
z. Hd. Hans Müller
Hauptstraße 12
10115 Berlin
GERMANY

z. Hd. stands for zu Händen (“to the attention of”).