Malawi is a landlocked country located in southeastern Africa. It is known for its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and the vast Lake Malawi, which dominates much of the country’s eastern border. To the north and northeast, it shares a border with Tanzania; to the west, it is bordered by Zambia. To the east, south, and southwest, it shares a long boundary with Mozambique.

People within the country write addresses differently. One of the main reasons is the limited development of a formal street-naming and house-numbering system across much of the country. 

In many parts of Malawi, particularly in rural areas and informal urban settlements, streets often lack names or are not marked, and houses lack unique numbers. As a result, people rely more on descriptive or location-based references rather than formal addresses. 

Moreover, there are different types of addresses, each with its specific element requirements. If you need to mail a client or customer in Malawi 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 second line after the premise name or number. Write the department in the third line. 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 Locality

Write the six-digit postal code. In the same line, write the name of the city/town where the person lives. Some famous cities in Malawi are Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, and Zomba.

Country Name

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

Residential Address Format

Write the recipient’s name, street address, P.O. box number, postal code, locality, and country name.

Rural Address Format

The recipient’s name will come in the first line. Write the section number and name in the second line. In the third and fourth lines, add the sub-locality/village and locality name. Write the postal code and province name in the fifth line.

Business Address Format

In the first line, write the recipient’s name. Add the premise and the organization’s name in the second line. In the third line, write the name of the department where the person works. In the fourth line, write the building number and street name. The locality name will come in the fifth line. Place the remaining address components in the same way as the residential address.

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 call them if they are unable to locate the address.

Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) serves as Malawi’s national postal service and statutory national operator, overseeing both mail delivery and a suite of ancillary services. Beyond the traditional delivery of letters and parcels, Malawi Posts Corporation has diversified into multiple services. These include courier and express mail, P.O. box rentals, financial services, philatelic offerings, and even Post Bus transport services. 

You have learned how to structure the address format for a recipient in Malawi. 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.