Laos, officially known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country located in the heart of mainland Southeast Asia. It shares its borders with China to the north, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar to the northwest. This central position gives Laos strategic regional importance, acting as a natural crossroads for trade and culture.

People within the country write the address formats differently when mailing. While Laos has an official postal system, it is not uniformly developed or strictly standardized, particularly in rural areas. Many regions rely more on local knowledge and informal delivery methods than on a formal, uniform addressing structure. As a result, people may adapt the format depending on what works best in their area.

In cities like Vientiane or Luang Prabang, people are more likely to use house numbers, street names, and postal codes, sometimes even in a Western-style format. In contrast, rural areas may use only village names, districts, and provinces, without detailed street information, because streets are often unnamed or unmarked.

Moreover, there are different types of addresses, each with its specific element requirements. If you need to mail a client or customer in Laos but are unsure of the correct address format, we can assist you. We have listed all the different types of addresses, along with their formats and examples.

Recipient Name

In the first line, write the recipient’s full name. If you are sending the mail to a business, the company name will appear in the first line. Write the person’s name and department in the second and third lines. Add ATTN. in front of the person’s name to ensure the internal mail distribution system sends the mail to the correct office and desk.

Street Address

In the second line, write the building number followed by the street name of the residential or business address. If the recipient uses a P.O. box, write “P.O. BOX” followed by the box number.

Postal Code and District
Write the name of the city where the person lives. Some of the major cities in

Country Name

Write the name of the country in the last line. When sending international mail to Laos, write the name in capital letters.

Residential Address Format

Write the recipient’s name, street address, P.O. box number, postal code, district, and country name. Except for district and avenue names, every address element will be listed on a separate line.

Rural Address Format
Typically, the streets in rural areas of Laos do not have a formal name. In this case, write the name of the village or the settlement, followed by the nearest larger town or city. Add the remaining address elements in the same manner as the residential address.

Business Address Format

Instead of the recipient’s name in the residential address, write the company’s name in the first line. Write the person’s name on the second line and add their department on the third line.

International Address Format for NGOs and Organizations

Write the organization’s name in the first line and the specific department in the second line. Place all the other address components, except the recipient’s name, in the same way as the residential address.

P.O. Box Address Format

Instead of the street address, write the term “P.O. box” and then the box number in the residential address.

Military Address Format

The address format follows the same structure as the residential address format, except for the first two lines. In the first line, write the rank and full name of the person. In the second line, write the military unit number.

Government Office Address Format

Instead of the recipient’s name, write the office and department names in the residential address on the first and second lines.

Address Format for Multiple Recipients

If you want to mail multiple people in the same household or business, write each name on a separate line for the residential and business addresses.

Address Format for Courier Services

If you send mail using courier services like DHL or FedEx, add the recipient’s contact details in the last line of the residential address. Delivery agents can contact them if they are unable to locate the address.

Lao Post, officially known as the Lao Postal Service and now operating as Post Laos Co., Ltd., is the national postal provider of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Lao Post offers a comprehensive range of services, including standard letter mail, registered mail, express mail service (EMS), parcel delivery, freight services, and payment services such as postal remittances. 

It operates an app called “Post-X” for online tracking and payment and maintains service points throughout the country. Thanks to its integration into the Universal Postal Union and regional courier networks, Lao Post facilitates connections with neighboring countries and the global postal system.

You have learned how to structure the address format for a recipient in Laos. However, you need a verified address to ensure your address reaches the intended recipient. The PostGrid Address Verification solution verifies, standardizes, and offers real-time address autocomplete suggestions. Whether you need to verify a single address or a bulk of addresses, we provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date addresses in sync with the official postal service providers for over 245 countries and territories. 

If you are curious about the format used in any other country, visit our global address format page to learn about the formats followed in countries worldwide.