If you searched for how to find ZIP code Tuscaloosa address details, or the same for a Northport address, the most reliable method is to enter the full street address in the U.S. Postal Service’s ZIP Code Lookup. It returns the standardized address, the five-digit ZIP code and the ZIP+4. Guessing from a neighborhood name, a map or a nearby business often produces the wrong code, because several Tuscaloosa and Northport ZIP codes meet along major roads.
This how-to walks through the lookup, the city names USPS expects, special formats for University of Alabama and PO-box mail, and the tools you should not use for addressing.
Find ZIP code: Tuscaloosa address lookup with USPS, step by step
- Open the USPS ZIP Code Lookup and choose the option to search by address.
- Enter the street number and street name exactly, including directional parts such as “NE” or “E.” Many Tuscaloosa addresses, such as those in the Holt area, include a directional like “NE,” and leaving it off can produce no match or the wrong match.
- Add the apartment, suite or unit number if there is one. It can change the ZIP+4.
- Enter the city and state. Use Tuscaloosa, Northport or Coker, depending on how the address was given to you, and let USPS correct it if needed.
- Read the standardized result. Copy the city name, ZIP code and ZIP+4 exactly as USPS returns them.
Repeat these steps whenever you need to find ZIP code Tuscaloosa address details for a new contact, rather than reusing a code from an old envelope. If the lookup returns no match, the address may be new construction, may be missing a directional, or may use a street name that has changed. Ask the recipient to confirm the address from a recent piece of delivered mail.
What the ZIP+4 adds
The four digits after the hyphen narrow delivery to a specific block face, building or group of boxes. They are optional for most personal mail, but using them helps business mailings and campus mail sort correctly.
Use the city name USPS recognizes
Each ZIP code has a primary city name. Third-party ZIP directories, which are useful as a cross-check, list these names as ones to avoid on the last line of an address:
- “Skyland” for 35405. Skyland Boulevard is a real road and a post office name, but the mailing city for 35405 is Tuscaloosa.
- “N Port,” “North Port” or “Nport” for 35473, 35475 and 35476. Spell out Northport as one word.
- “University Of Al” for 35487. Use Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.
- “Tusc” for 35402 and “Veterans Hospital” for 35401.
Cottondale (35453) and Coker (35452) have their own ZIP codes and are not alternate names for a Tuscaloosa or Northport ZIP. Because the USPS city-by-ZIP tool could not be read directly for this guide, treat this list as a directory-based reminder and let the USPS lookup have the final word.
Quick reference: the ZIP codes you will see
| ZIP | Mailing city | Type | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35401 | Tuscaloosa | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35404 | Tuscaloosa | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35405 | Tuscaloosa | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35406 | Tuscaloosa | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35473 | Northport | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35475 | Northport | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35476 | Northport | Standard | Street addresses |
| 35402 | Tuscaloosa | PO Box | PO boxes only |
| 35403 | Tuscaloosa | PO Box | PO boxes only |
| 35407 | Tuscaloosa | PO Box | PO boxes only |
| 35486 | Tuscaloosa | PO Box | PO boxes only |
| 35487 | Tuscaloosa | Unique (University of Alabama) | UA institutional and campus mail |
| 35452 | Coker | Standard (adjacent) | Coker-area street addresses |
The Northport ZIP codes guide explains how 35473, 35475 and 35476 differ, and the Coker 35452 page explains why that ZIP is served by the Northport post office without being part of Northport.
When one road carries more than one ZIP code
Long roads in Tuscaloosa and Northport can cross from one ZIP code into another. A street name alone, especially on a major corridor, does not tell you the ZIP code. Two businesses on the same named road can have different ZIP codes depending on their house numbers. Always look up the full address, including the number, rather than copying the ZIP from a neighbor or a different business on the same road.
The same caution applies to neighborhood names. Informal names do not follow ZIP lines, and some neighborhoods straddle two codes. The Tuscaloosa and Northport ZIP code map guide shows where the approximate lines fall and why a map is only a starting point.
Addressing mail to the University of Alabama
The University of Alabama uses its own unique ZIP code, 35487, for campus mail. UA Campus Mail’s departmental template lists the department name, street address, box number and city line. For a department with Box 870268, the last two lines read:
Box 870268
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0268
Campus Mail’s template fills the ZIP+4 with the last four digits of the box number. Students use a different format, published by UA Campus Mail and UA Housing:
Name
1831 University Station
MSC # (six digits)
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0002
UA Housing advises against addressing packages to a residence hall. A department’s mailing box is not a visitor address, either. Many UA offices publish a street address with 35401 for directions, so use 35487 for mail and the office’s own directions page for driving. The full explanation is in the University of Alabama ZIP code 35487 guide.
PO boxes use their own ZIP codes
If someone gives you a PO box, use the ZIP code assigned to that box, not the ZIP code of their home. Tuscaloosa has four PO-box ZIP codes: 35402, 35403, 35407 and 35486. A box address should not be mixed with a street address on the same line. The Tuscaloosa PO box ZIP codes explainer covers how those codes work.
Tools that should not be used for addressing
The Census Bureau publishes ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), which are generalized areas built from census blocks to approximate ZIP codes for statistics. The Census Bureau notes that USPS ZIP codes are delivery routes and points, not drawn areas. ZCTA maps are helpful for understanding roughly where a code falls, but they are not an addressing tool.
Online map pins, ride-share apps and search snippets can also show outdated or approximate ZIP codes. Treat them as hints. For a mailing address, USPS is the authority. For questions about city limits or schools, which ZIP codes cannot answer, see the guide to mailing addresses vs. city limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to find the zip code for a Tuscaloosa address?
Enter the full street address, including the house number and any directional such as NE, in the USPS ZIP Code Lookup. It returns the standardized ZIP code and ZIP+4.
Can I use “Skyland” as the city for 35405?
Directories list Skyland as a name to avoid for 35405. Use Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 unless USPS returns something different for the specific address.
What ZIP code do I use for a UA student?
On-campus students use 1831 University Station, their MSC number, and Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0002, according to UA Housing.
Is a Northport ZIP code proof that a home is in Northport?
No. A ZIP code only reflects mail delivery. City limits and school zones have to be checked separately.
Facts in this guide were checked against the sources below on October 10, 2026. Addresses, programs and boundaries can change; confirm with the official source before relying on them.
Sources
- USPS — ZIP Code Lookup (accessed October 10, 2026)
- The University of Alabama, Campus Mail Services — Send and Receive Mail (departmental address template) (accessed October 10, 2026)
- The University of Alabama, Campus Mail Services — Student Mail FAQs (accessed October 10, 2026)
- The University of Alabama, Housing and Residential Communities — Mail and Deliveries (accessed October 10, 2026)
- The University of Alabama, Office of the Registrar — Locations (accessed October 10, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau — ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) (accessed October 10, 2026)
- USPS Office of Inspector General — Northport Post Office report 24-125-2-R24 (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Zip-Codes.com — Tuscaloosa, AL ZIP codes (cross-check) (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Zip-Codes.com — Northport, AL ZIP codes (cross-check) (accessed October 10, 2026)
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