Stop Getting Return Mail

Do you get a lot of return mail?  Are your addresses correct?  Does your client/member/customer know where they live?

Having a complete and standardized address in the correct format, abbreviations, and punctuations will help expedite delivery of your mail and reduce the amount return mail you receive.

First, let’s discuss what a complete address is.

The Postal Service defines a complete address as one that has all the address elements necessary to allow an exact match with the current Postal Service ZIP+4 and City State files to obtain the finest level of ZIP+4 and delivery point codes for the delivery address.

A complete and correct address consists of three basic lines of information: Recipient Line, Delivery Address Line, and City, State, and ZIP.

Name of recipient
Street number and name of street space apartment or suite number
City space St space Zip Code

Example of a correct address:	Example of a bad address:
JANE L MILLER 1960 W. CHELSEA AVE STE 2006R ALLENTOWN PA 18104	JANE L MILLER 1960 WEST CHELSEA AVE SUITE 2006R ALENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA 18104
	WEST and SUITE should be abbreviated as W and STE, respectively. PENNSYLVANIA should be abbreviated as PA

If you have two lines for the recipient, such as the name of recipient and company name, the attention line should be placed above the company line.

Name of recipient
Company (if any)
Street number and name of street space apartment or suite number
City space St space Zip Code

If the complete delivery address line cannot fit above the city, state, and zip, place the secondary address information, such as suite, apt #, etc., above the delivery address line.

Name of recipient
Company (if any)
Apartment or suite number
Street number and name of street
City space St space Zip Code

Example of a correct address:	Example of a bad address:
JANE L MILLER MILLER ASSOCIATES 1960 W. CHELSEA AVE STE 2006R ALLENTOWN PA 18104	JANE L MILLER MILLER ASSOC. 1960 WEST CHELSEA AVE SUITE 2006R ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA 18104
	ASSOC. should be spelled out. WEST and SUITE should be abbreviated as W and STE, respectively. PENNSYLVANIA should be abbreviated as PA

Second, let’s review what a standardized address is.

The USPS definition of a standardized address is “one that is fully spelled out, abbreviated using the Postal Service™ standard abbreviations. 

When addresses are standardized, it improves the mailing process.  When combining multiple lists and needing to merge/purge addresses, it is hard to eliminate duplicate addresses when different formats and abbreviations are used, or if the street suffix is left off.

Spell city names in their entirety. When abbreviations must be used, use only the approved 13–character abbreviations provided in the City State file.

For your reference, here is the link for the USPS Street Suffix Abbreviations.

Here is the link for the USPS 2 letter state abbreviation.

To give your mail the best possible chance at being quickly and properly delivered, it is best to follow the guidelines provided by the United States Postal Service. Doing this will ensure the most success.

Contact us if you have questions or want additional information.