National Address Mandate 2026: A Full FAQ Guide for Merchants

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 startingJanuary 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 shippingto or withinSaudi 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?

1. Add a required custom field

2. Install a validation app if needed

3. Map the field as an order attribute

4. 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

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.