Vietnam's new addresses after the 2025 province merger: how to write and look them up
Updated · 4 min read
Since 1 July 2025, Vietnamese administrative addresses have only two levels: the commune, ward or special zone, and the province or centrally run city, with 34 provinces and no more districts. A new address reads: house number, street, commune or ward, province or city.
This guide is about writing and looking up new addresses in everyday work: on photos, in reports, on delivery slips. Whether a document already issued must be changed is decided by the authority that issued it; follow its official guidance.
Which levels does a new Vietnamese address have?
The new structure has only:
- Province level: 34 provinces and centrally run cities.
- Commune level: communes, wards and special zones, 3,321 units.
The district level (urban districts, rural districts, towns and provincial cities) is gone. Many communes and wards were merged and renamed, so your old ward may now have a different name or be part of a larger one.
How do I write a new-structure address correctly?
Smallest to largest, with the district left out entirely:
- Old: 12 Tràng Tiền, Phường Tràng Tiền, Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội.
- New: 12 Tràng Tiền, Phường Hoàn Kiếm, Thành phố Hà Nội.
Common mistakes: keeping "Quận" or "Huyện" in the middle; pairing a new ward name with an old district; using the name of a province that has been merged into another. The merger is about administrative units; house numbers and street names do not change because of it.
Where can I look up my new commune or ward?
A few quick options:
- The VNeID app: in your electronic ID card details, the place of residence shows the address updated to the new boundaries.
- Government lookup sites such as sapnhap.bando.com.vn: enter an old province or commune to see the new unit.
- Notices and administrative maps published by the provincial or city People's Committee.
When an old commune was split between several new ones, a name lookup is not enough: you need to know which side of the new boundary the exact spot is on. Then a map with boundaries, or the GPS position of the place itself, is the reliable way.
Why do maps and older apps still show the old address?
Many apps take addresses from a map service, and map services update administrative data on their own schedule. For some time after 1 July 2025 you may still see "Quận" or an old province name on maps, in delivery apps and on photos from timestamp cameras.
On work photos such as acceptance, delivery or inspection photos, an old address invites confusion, especially when the recipient checks it against a contract or invoice that uses the new one.
How do I check the address on work photos?
- Read the address line before shooting, if your camera shows it on the viewfinder.
- If you see "Quận", "Huyện" or an old province name, do not file that photo; note the correct address or change how the address is written.
- Right at the border between two communes, the result depends on GPS accuracy. Move towards the middle of the area, or add the coordinates.
- In reports, use one format for the whole project, e.g. always "Phường X, Thành phố Y".
Should photos taken before 1 July 2025 get the new address?
No. A photo records what was true when it was taken; an old-style address on a 2024 photo was correct at the time. Changing the stamp on an old photo only makes it harder for the viewer to tell what is original.
If an old photo goes into a new record, put the matching new address in the caption or the report instead, e.g. "Taken 15/03/2024 at Phường Tràng Tiền, Quận Hoàn Kiếm (now Phường Hoàn Kiếm, Thành phố Hà Nội)". The reader sees both, and the original stays intact.