Macau, officially known as the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, is a small yet vibrant territory on the southern coast of China. Geographically, it is situated on the western side of the Pearl River Delta. 

Despite covering a small area, Macau’s address format varies widely. This is due to its historical, linguistic, and administrative background, which blends Portuguese and Chinese influences. This dual heritage, combined with practical conventions adopted over time, has led to inconsistencies in how people format addresses.

Locals who primarily speak Cantonese and read Chinese might write addresses in the Chinese format, which places broader location elements first, followed by more specific ones. In contrast, Portuguese-style formatting, which is often used in legal documents or postal systems, follows the Western convention of starting with particular location elements and ending with the broader ones.

Moreover, there are different types of addresses, each with its specific element requirements. If you want to send mail to a client or customer in Macau but are unsure of the correct address format, we can help 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. Respectively. 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.

Thoroughfare Type, Name, and Number

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

Floor Number and Apartment Name

In the third line, write the floor number and the apartment name where the recipient lives.

Village/Town/District Name

Write the name of the village, town, or district where the person lives. Some of the central districts in Macau are Taipa, Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Santo António, Santo Lázaro, and Santo Lourenço.

Country Name

Write the name of the country in the last line. If you send international mail to Macau, write the name in capital letters.

Residential Address Format

Write the recipient’s name, street address, P.O. box number, district, avenue, city, province, postal code, 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 Macau 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 “P.O. box” and the box number in the residential address.

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 call them if they are unable to locate the address.

Correios de Macau, officially known as the Macau Post and Telecommunications Bureau, was established on March 1, 1884, and operates under the authority of the Government of Macau. It is responsible for postal services and, historically, telecommunications regulation. 

Today, it operates a network of 16 post offices, in addition to numerous self-service kiosks, across Macau’s Peninsula, Taipa, and Coloane. It offers a wide range of mail and parcel services. These include Standard Correspondence, Parcel Services, Express Mail Service (EMS), ePosting, and Registered Mail.

You have learned how to structure the address format for a recipient in Macau. 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 or bulk address, 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.