Benin, a West African nation along the Gulf of Guinea, boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage dating back to the mighty Kingdom of Dahomey. Today, the country functions as a key regional trade and economic hub. 

Despite urbanization, Benin’s addressing system blends formal and informal elements. Many locations, particularly in rural areas, lack well-defined street addresses, making P.O. boxes (Boîte Postale or BP) the preferred mailing method. The country’s postal network is managed by La Poste du Bénin, which oversees mail distribution across its 12 administrative departments. This guide provides an in-depth breakdown of Benin’s address format, covering residential, business, government, and international mailing standards.

Recipient Name

Always place the recipient’s full name on the first line. If sending mail to a business, write the company name first, followed by the recipient’s name or department.

Street Address or P.O. Box 

Write the street name and house/building of the residential or business address. Mention “B.P.” (Boîte Postale) and the appropriate Post box number. Many areas in Benin only rely on P.O. boxes.

City or Town and Postal Code 

Mention the name of the city or town where the recipient lives. Porto-Novo (the capital), Cotonou, Parakou, Abomey, Ouidah, and Bohicon. Benin operates a 5-digit postal code system, where the first two digits represent the department, and the last three indicate the specific area within the department.

Country Name

Write the country name in the last line. When sending international mail, always write the country’s name in capital letters.

Residential Address Format

For personal mail, include the recipient’s name, house number, street name or P.O. box, city or town, postal code, and country.

Rural Address Format

Rural areas in Benin might not have formal street names. Write the name of the village or commune, followed by the nearest major city and the country.

Business Address Format

Write the company’s name on the first line, followed by the recipient’s name or department. The rest will follow the standard Beninese address format.

International Address Format for NGOs and Organizations

Include the organization’s name, department, and location when sending mail to international organizations or NGOs in Benin. 

P.O. Box Address Format

Write “B.P.” (Boîte Postale) and the appropriate P.O. box number for addressing letters to a P.O. box.

Military Address Format

For military personnel stationed in Benin, mail is typically handled through the civilian postal system, with the addition of specific unit or base details to ensure proper delivery. You should stick to the country’s respective military postal system for foreign military personnel.

Government Office Address Format

Write the name of the office or department before the street address or P.O. box to send mail to government offices in Benin.

Address for Multiple Recipients Format

When sending mail to multiple individuals in the same household, list each recipient’s name on a separate line, followed by the shared address. If you are mailing to numerous employees at the same company, list their names separately under the company name and department.

Address Format for Courier Services

Adding a contact phone number improves delivery efficiency when using express courier services like DHL and FedEx.

La Poste du Bénin, the country’s national postal service provider, manages Benin’s postal system. Benin’s postal infrastructure has evolved significantly, influenced by its colonial past under French administration. Before achieving independence in 1960, Benin (formerly Dahomey) used French West Africa’s postal system, and its first postage stamps were issued as a French colony in 1899.

 The country primarily relies on P.O. boxes (Boîte Postale or BP) for mail distribution, as door-to-door delivery remains limited in many areas, especially outside urban centers. La Poste du Bénin provides various services, including standard mail delivery, express courier services, money transfers, and international shipments. In recent years, the rise of ecommerce and digital services has led to increased demand for reliable logistics and postal solutions, prompting ongoing modernization efforts in the sector. 

So you have learned how to structure the address format to a recipient in Benin. But to ensure your address is reaching the intended recipient, you need a verified address. PostGrid Address Verification solution verifies, standardizes, and offers address autocomplete suggestions in real-time. Whether you want to verify a single address or bulk addresses, we provide correct, complete, and up-to-date addresses in sync with the official postal service provider for over 245 countries and territories.

If you are curious about the format of any other country, visit our international address format page and learn the address format followed in countries around the world.