The Caribbean Netherlands are set to receive postal codes. The Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO), in collaboration with PostNL, has revised the covenant to facilitate this development. This step marks the beginning of efforts to establish a standardised system for address and building registration on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
In the BES islands, there is a pressing need for reliable address registration that includes postal codes. This improvement will enhance mail delivery and digital government services. Consequently, the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) and VRO have commissioned a study to determine the best approach. The recommendation is to establish a standardised registration system for addresses and buildings. This would be similar to the Basic Registration of Addresses and Buildings (BAG), but in a simplified form. Implementing this registration system is expected to take approximately two years.
Postal code series
In 2024, an online consultation was held to determine the postcode ‘format’. The decision was made to adopt the system used in the European part of the Netherlands, which consists of 4 numbers followed by 2 letters.
At VRO’s request, PostNL has reserved postal codes for use on the BES islands. This reservation requires an amendment to the postcode covenant, which has been published in the Staatscourant [Dutch].
Introduction of postal codes
The introduction of postal codes requires the establishment of an address and building registration system. Public entities from Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are collaborating with the ministries of VRO and BZK on this task. The design of the registry is set to begin in 2025. Development and implementation are expected to take two years. The register is expected to be in use by the end of 2026 at the earliest.
