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Addressing Guidelines
It is important to make sure your mail is addressed clearly and accurately. Follow these tips to help ensure that your mail reaches its destination as quickly as possible:
USPS Mail Addressing Guidelines
When your mail has an accurate and complete address and ZIP Code, it speeds delivery and is more likely to reach the correct destination. The USPS diverts improperly addressed mail to a directory service for manual handling, which can slow delivery time significantly. Follow these guidelines to help ensure prompt delivery:
- Make sure all mail has a destination address and a return address:
Destination Address
Recipient’s Name
Recipient’s Street Address
Recipient’s City, State & ZIP Code
Return Address
Sender’s Name
Sender’s Street Address
Sender’s City, State & ZIP Code
- Place address in the proper block format: single-space the address
block and use only one or two spaces between the character groups and
between the state abbreviation and ZIP Code.
- Capitalize everything in the address.
- Eliminate punctuation.
- Use the correct two-letter state
abbreviations.
- Use the correct ZIP
Code.
- Type or machine-print all address information. Make sure print is
clear and sharp.
- Ensure address characters do not touch or overlap.
- Make sure the street address where you want the mail delivered appears
on the line immediately above the city, state, and ZIP Code line.
- Include floor, suite, and apartment numbers whenever possible. These
should be placed on the same line as the street address.
- Place the city, state, and ZIP Code in that order on the last line.
This must be the last line. Never place an “attention line,”
telephone number, or other entries after the ZIP Code line. The “attention
line” should be placed at the top.
- Do not abbreviate international addresses. Use the complete spelling
of a foreign city, province, or country. Place the name of the country
on the last line and use all capitals.
- When using window envelopes, the address must be visible through the
window. Make sure the address insert fits the envelope to prevent shifting.
Make sure the complete address is always visible, even if the insert
moves. Try to keep 1/4” clearance between the address and the window
edge.
- When addressing envelopes larger than regular letter-size envelopes,
always place the address lengthwise in the center of the envelope. Never
tape a letter envelope on the outside of a flat or package.
Common Problems to Avoid: address lines out of order, script typeface or handwriting, address not visible through window, address slanted, left margin not flush, nonaddress information below address line, characters touching, not enough contrast.
Campus Mail Addressing Guidelines
Use this format when addressing campus mail:
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
ROOM NO. BLDG. NAME
Campus Mail Envelopes: These envelopes are used for in-house or internal mailings. When using campus mail envelopes, the addressee’s name should always appear on the last line. Make sure that all previous markings have been crossed out. Do not skip lines and do not address between previous markings. Please return empty campus mail envelopes to Mailing & Addressing, 108 Hostetter Business Services Building, for recirculation.
Address Placement
Basic mail piece clear zones (unshaded).
Envelopes
Placement of the address on
the face of an envelope should conform to USPS specifications as shown
in the diagram above.
Labels
Labels for use on parcels, packages, or large envelopes should be addressed according to the USPS Mail Addressing Guidelines.
Two areas on an envelope will be read by machines: the OCR (Optical Character
Reader) Read Area and the Bar Code Read Area.
- The OCR Read Area is a minimum of 1” from the left to a minimum of
1” from the right and 5/8” from the bottom. (See diagram.)
- Only the name and address should appear in the OCR Read Area. If
any additional information is printed, it should be above the last
two lines of the address.
- The Bar Code Read Area starts at the lower right corner and extends
up 5/8” and left 4-3/4”. (See diagram.)
- No markings (print, lines, smudges, designs, etc.) should appear
in the Bar Code Read Area.
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