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Postal codes in Canada
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<p>A Canadian postal code is a seven-character <a href="/facts/String_(computer_science)/4ChJu5WS">string</a>, specifically, 3 printable characters, followed by a space character, followed by 3 printable characters. The postal code is necessary in forming a complete postal address in <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a>. Canada's <a href="/facts/Postal_code/5Kckdr9M">postal codes</a> are <a href="/facts/Alphanumeric/ytA9RSIv">alphanumeric</a>. They are in the format <i>A1A 1A1</i>, where <i>A</i> is a letter and <i>1</i> is a digit, with a space separating the third and fourth characters. As of October 2019, there were 876,445 postal codes, using <i>forward sortation areas</i> (FSAs), from A0A in <a href="/facts/Newfoundland_(island)/PdfPl9ca">Newfoundland</a> to Y1A in <a href="/facts/Yukon/JAGCCGCW">Yukon</a>. </p><p><a href="/facts/Canada_Post/uymMHkyt">Canada Post</a> provides a postal code look-up tool on its website and via its mobile application, and sells hard-copy directories and <a href="/facts/CD-ROM/JwuaYLJv">CD-ROMs</a>. Many vendors also sell validation tools, which allow customers to properly match addresses and postal codes. Hard-copy directories can also be consulted in all post offices, and some libraries. </p><p>In writing out the postal address for a location within Canada, the postal code follows the <a href="/facts/Canadian_postal_abbreviations_for_provinces_and_territories/vjsMykTa">abbreviation for the province or territory</a>. </p> <a href="/facts/List_of_V_postal_codes_of_Canada/WvlaMuVl">BC</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_T_postal_codes_of_Canada/j7aDf1He">AB</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_S_postal_codes_of_Canada/FD6PJRmQ">SK</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_R_postal_codes_of_Canada/1pU3trLF">MB</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_P_postal_codes_of_Canada/C4o8RWk9">ON</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_G_postal_codes_of_Canada/7bsXHBGm">QC</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_E_postal_codes_of_Canada/meCH664C">NB</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_C_postal_codes_of_Canada/wYC6zDoK">PE</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_B_postal_codes_of_Canada/WnjqS68e">NS</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_A_postal_codes_of_Canada/84yGHlq5">NL</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_Y_postal_codes_of_Canada/8g3pGldY">YT</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_X_postal_codes_of_Canada/RT6cL6aa">NT</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_X_postal_codes_of_Canada/RT6cL6aa">NU</a> Postal codes by province and territory