Local authorities in England and Wales have a statutory duty to name streets and number/name properties in those streets.
Utility companies will not provide services until an address is registered with the Royal Mail.
For large developments, we recommend that you submit an application early in the development stage.
If you don't follow the rules for naming and numbering streets, you could face legal action. This is under Section 15 of the London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939.
A Street Naming and Numbering application is required to do any of the following:
- Name/number a new development
- Name/number a new build
- Name/number a converted property
- Re-name/number an existing property
- Remove an address of a demolished property
- Obtain a certificate of an official address
Adding a name or changing a name of a building
To add or change an existing name you will need to complete a Street Naming and Numbering application, providing a minimum of 2 names.
All names must go through a 28-day consultation with Royal Mail and Emergency Services.
Please ensure you read the Street Naming and Numbering Guidance.
Street Naming and Numbering fees
Below are the fees for applications made between 1st April 2025 and 31st March 2026.
| Application type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application for renaming an existing road with properties | £303.02 plus £43.14 per property |
| Naming or renaming of house / block of flats / commercial premises | £260.00 |
| Creation of a new road | £260.00 |
| Numbering: 1-5 units | £265.00 per unit |
| Numbering: 6-20 units | £45.00 per unit |
| Numbering: 21-50 units | £47.00 per unit |
| Numbering: 51 - 75 units | £50.00 per unit |
| Numbering over 75 units | £55.00 per unit |
| Certificate of naming/numbering/historic documents | £129.30 |
Apply for street name or numbering
Your application must include:
- application form
- payment made online for the relevant fee (shown above)
Any application for a new development, new build or conversion must also include:
- a site plan to show the external entrance to each affected property
- a floor plan to show the external entrance to each affected property
- a copy of planning approval
What happens next?
After you submit your application we will:
- Confirm that we have received your application within 5 working days. We will confirm if there are any missing documents or if we need more information.
- If you have proposed a name, we will check for duplication and send out the 28-day consultation to Royal Mail and emergency services. Once we have received all replies, we will contact you to advise on the outcome. If all names are rejected, a new 28-day consultation will need to be produced and sent out.
- Complete the official naming/numbering and produce the Confirmation Notice, and if relevant, Plot to Postal document.
- Forward the completed documents to you, Royal Mail, emergency services, VOA office, Council Tax and other internal departments.
- Royal Mail will add the addresses to their ‘not yet built’ system if the property is still under construction or their live ‘PAF’ system if the property is occupied.
- If the property is still under construction, you will then need to notify Royal Mail once the property is completed to add to PAF.
Street name and numbering guidance
For examples of good and bad street or property names, see our guides below:
Avoid duplications
Do not repeat street or property names already used in the local area. Changes such as changing 'street' to 'road', will likely be deemed enough to be accepted.
Keep names simple
Try and avoid names with more than three syllables. If you can, only submit them in special cases. Use 'Terrace' or 'Parade' for rows of buildings only on roads that are short of length. This is on roads that already have a name.
Avoid similar sounding names
Avoid having two similar sounding names in a local area. For example:
- Churchill Road or
- Birch Hill Road
Avoid misleading names
Avoid names that can be misleading. For example:
- Tip House
- Access Way
- Tennis Court
- Dead End Road
- No street or building name to start with 'The'.