UDPRN: Unique Delivery Point Reference Number

The UDPRN code was introduced by Royal Mail in 2004 and inserted into the Postcode Address File. It is a unique code used to identify a delivery point (i.e. premise) in PAF.

Ideal Postcodes allows queries for premises by UDPRN via the /udprn endpoint.

Some key features are:

• Simple, unique reference number for each Delivery Point
• Far less likely to be reused than the existing PAF Keys
• 8-character numeric code
• A new UDPRN is automatically assigned to each new Delivery Point added to PAF

Why Is It Useful?

Since UDPRN values are a consistent identifier for a given delivery point in PAF, if stored, it can be used to retrieve the most recent information for a given premise in case any of its addressing information has changed.

It can also be used to test for a decommissioned or demolished premise.

Retrieving UDPRN

We provide direct access to UDPRN in our API to pull out individual premises.

Requests are as simple as:

https://api.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/v1/udprn/012345678

A single address object is returned in the result attribute:

{
  "result": {
    "postcode": "ID1 1QD",
    "postcode_inward": "IQD",
    "postcode_outward": "ID1",
    "post_town": "LONDON",
    "dependant_locality": "",
    "double_dependant_locality": "",
    "thoroughfare": "Barons Court Road",
    "dependant_thoroughfare": "",
    "building_number": "2",
    "building_name": "",
    "sub_building_name": "",
    "po_box": "",
    "department_name": "",
    "organisation_name": "",
    "udprn": 25962203,
    "umprn": "",
    "postcode_type": "S",
    "su_organisation_indicator": "",
    "delivery_point_suffix": "1G",
    "line_1": "2 Barons Court Road",
    "line_2": "",
    "line_3": "",
    "premise": "2",
    "county": "Greater London",
    "administrative_county": "",
    "postal_county": "",
    "traditional_county": "Greater London",
    "district": "Hammersmith and Fulham",
    "ward": "North End",
    "country": "England",
    "longitude": -0.208644362766368,
    "latitude": 51.4899488390558,
    "eastings": 524466,
    "northings": 178299
  },
  "code": 2000,
  "message": "Success"
}

More information can be found in our UDPRN code documentation or try it below with our JavaScript client.