National Address Mandate 2026: A Full FAQ Guide for Merchants & Consumers

Effective January 1, 2026

Beginning January 2026, every shipment delivered in Saudi Arabia must include the official National Address, an eight-character alphanumeric code that identifies each residential and commercial location in the Kingdom. This guide brings together all merchant FAQs and all consumer FAQs in one document.

PART 1: National Address FAQs For E-commerce Merchants

1. What is the National Address mandate?

A Transport General Authority (TGA) regulation in Saudi Arabia requiring all shipments to include the official eight-character National Address.
Couriers cannot complete delivery without it starting January 1, 2026.

2. What does the National Address look like?

An eight-character alphanumeric code.
Example: RNMA7272.
It represents the region, sector, and exact building.

3. Who is affected by this mandate?

All merchants, businesses, government entities, and platforms shipping to or within Saudi Arabia.

4. Why must merchants collect the National Address?

Because it ensures:

Accurate delivery
Faster courier routing
Fewer failed attempts
Lower RTO
Lower operational costs
Compliance with the mandate

5. Are there penalties for not collecting the National Address?

Yes. Non-compliant shipments may face:

Extra courier fees
Address correction surcharges
Operational penalties depending on the carrier
Rejected shipments
Full RTO costs charged to the merchant

The financial impact of non-compliance is significant even before penalties are applied.

6. What happens if a merchant ships an order without the National Address?

The shipment may be:

Rejected by the courier
Delayed or held
Returned to sender at merchant cost
Marked as non-deliverable
Repeated non-compliance may trigger stricter carrier-level actions.

7. Does the mandate apply to all order types?

Yes:

COD
Prepaid
Domestic shipments
International shipments into Saudi Arabia

8. Do returns and pickups require the National Address?

Yes. Reverse logistics workflows also depend on it.

Platform-Specific FAQs

9. Does Salla support the National Address?

Yes. Salla supports the national address natively, please contact Salla directly for more details.

10. Does Zid support the mandate?

Yes. Zid does support the National address mandate, please contact Zid directly for more details.

11. Does Shopify support the National Address?

Yes but not natively. Merchants must:

Add a custom field through the Checkout Editor
Use checkout extensions or apps
Add validation
Map the field to Salasa via API

12. How do I add the National Address on Shopify?

Add a required custom field
Install a validation app if needed
Map the field as an order attribute
Include it in all API calls to Salasa

13. Does WooCommerce support it?

Not natively. Merchants must:

Add a mandatory custom field
Use a validation plugin
Map it to order metadata
Sync via 3PL integrations

14. Does Magento support the National Address?

Yes, with developer setup:

Add a required field
Build validation logic
Store the field in customer/order entities
Push via API to 3PLs or couriers

15. What if my website is custom-built?

You must:

Add a required National Address field
Validate the eight-character format
Store it in order records
Pass it through API integrations
Fully test the workflow before 1st January 2026

Implementation & Process FAQs

16. What is the best format for collecting the National Address?

Required text field
Exactly eight characters
Letters + numbers only
No spaces
Example: RJAD5821
Tooltip + link to SPL lookup

17. How can merchants validate the National Address?

Enforce eight characters
Reject symbols/spaces
Case-insensitive
Optional region-code validation through API

18. Where should merchants store the National Address?

Customer profile
Order metadata
CRM
OMS
Export files shared with carriers or 3PLs

19. How can merchants help customers find their National Address?

Add SPL lookup link at checkout
Insert tooltips
Show a sample code
Add a help section
Send reminders via SMS/WhatsApp
Educate via social media

20. How can merchants reduce National Address errors?

Real-time validation
Highlight incorrect formats
Reject incomplete codes
Add a document explaining the steps

Salasa-Specific Support FAQs

21. How is Salasa helping merchants comply?

We provide:

National Address API validation
Dashboard flags for missing codes
Automatic customer follow-ups
Full integration support
Help Center guides
Merchant onboarding and training
Updated workflows for the 2026 regulation

22. What should merchants do before January 2026?

Update checkout flows
Add validation
Train support teams
Educate customers
Confirm platform compatibility
Test integration with Salasa
Prepare communications for customers

PART 2: Consumer FAQ

1. What is the National Address?

A unique eight-character code that identifies your exact home, office, or building.
Example: RNMA7272.

2. Why do I need it when ordering online?

Because from January 2026, couriers cannot deliver without it.
It ensures:

Faster deliveries
Accurate drop-off
Fewer calls from drivers
Fewer failed attempts
Reliable returns and pickups

3. What happens if I place an order without a National Address?

Your shipment may be delayed, held, or returned to the merchant.
Couriers cannot deliver without the code.

4. I’m traveling to Saudi Arabia. Can I place online orders without having a National Address?

Yes — but you must provide a valid National Address for the location where you want the delivery.
Travelers can use:

Their hotel’s National Address
The National Address of friends or family
A workplace or coworking space that accepts parcels

Couriers cannot deliver to map pins, hotel names without codes, or temporary meeting points.

5. How can I find my National Address?

Method 1 — SPL Portal

Method 2 — Absher App

Services → National Address → copy the code.

Method 3 — SPL Mobile App

Method 4 — SPL Branch

For users unable to retrieve it digitally.

6. Can people in the same home share one National Address?

Yes. Everyone in the same apartment, villa, or building uses the same code.

7. Is the National Address the same as a building number?

No. It is an official coded identifier.

8. Is it safe to share my National Address?

Yes. It contains no personal information.

9. Can I use my workplace for deliveries?

Yes — if someone is available to receive your order.

10. How do I know if my National Address is correct?

A valid code:

Is eight characters
Appears in SPL or Absher
Matches your registered location

11. What if I enter the wrong National Address?

Delivery may fail or be delayed.
Carriers or Salasa may contact you to confirm.

12. Do I still need to send a Google Maps pin?

No. The National Address replaces map pins and written descriptions.

Conclusion

The National Address mandate transforms how deliveries work in Saudi Arabia.

From January 2026, every order for both merchants and consumers must include the official eight-character National Address. Non-compliance can lead to rejected shipments, delays, and operational losses.

Salasa is fully prepared to support merchants and shoppers through this transition with validation tools, platform integrations, training, and clear guidance.