Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has stated that the failure of the service provider to use the national address of the beneficiaries when providing postal services is considered a violation, punishable with a fine amounting to SR5000.

According to the executive regulations of the Postal Law, the penalty came into effect from the beginning of May 2023. This aims to ensure the application of the best practices and improving the beneficiaries’ experience, and setting up appropriate legal mechanisms to protect and develop postal activities and services, as well as to upgrade their quality level.

The authority stressed the importance of using the abbreviated national address consisting of four letters and four digits, which represents a system for identifying the beneficiary’s location officially and accurately in accordance with international standards and specifications.

The PTA indicated that the Short National Address services, which include both individuals and businesses, are provided free of charge and are characterized by their coverage of all regions of the Kingdom with high accuracy — up to one square meter. The system qualifies the beneficiary or user to obtain 10 addresses in various parts of the world through the global service. The National Short Address services are characterized by facilitating and expediting the arrival of shipments and orders to the beneficiary without the need to contact delivery agents.

The authority said the abbreviated national address includes a number indicating the beneficiary’s building location, letters expressing the area code, the branch code as well as the department code, and finally a distinguished letter.

It said that the beneficiaries can know their abbreviated national addresses by visiting the postal website of SPL Online through: accounts.splonline.com.sa, or by contacting the Virtual Assistant Maha on the WhatsApp number: 966-112898888.