Even if you find the address on an online map, you still should use other verification methods to make sure it’s correct. Just because an address is mappable doesn’t mean it’s deliverable. Additionally, some addresses my have P. O. boxes, or have a shipping address that differs from the street address. However, finding the address on an online map can be helpful if you’re just trying to figure out how to get to a location, but don’t necessarily need to mail something there.
As with online maps, the information you get this way won’t necessarily tell you if you can deliver mail to that address. However, it will give you the correct street address for that location in most instances. Keep in mind that if a residence may be identified using a metes and bounds or parcel number rather than a street address. To find public records about a particular residential property, look for the local government records office. In the United States, this typically is the county recorder’s or county clerk’s office.
For example, if you want to check a residential address in the United Kingdom, you can type the part of the address you know into the Postcode finder at royalmail. com. The system will auto-suggest completion of the address as you type. If you see the correct location, simply click on it and you will see the full, standard address used to deliver mail to that location. The UK online system is limited to 50 searches per day, and is only available for individuals who occasionally need to verify an address. If you have a business that has more extensive address verification needs, you can contact the Royal Mail regarding other address management products they have available.
This can be helpful if you need to check a residential address before you mail something there. For example, if you sold an item on an online auction site and want to verify the address of the buyer before you ship it, you could use one of these demos. There are several data companies who have certified systems that will verify US mailing addresses. Some of these, such as Experian Data Quality, will verify international addresses as well.
For example, in the US the word “street” is commonly abbreviated “St,” while the word “suite” (as in an office suite) is abbreviated “ste. " If you use just the letter “S,” it will be interpreted as the direction “south. " Some words may have more than one common abbreviation, but they would only have one standard abbreviation for postal purposes. For example, the word “avenue” may be abbreviated “avn,” but the U. S. Postal Service (USPS) standardized abbreviation is “AVE. " Even if you know the abbreviations for your own country, you may want to double-check before you send mail to an address in another country.
Pay close attention to words with more than one spelling, or words that are homophones. For example, you may have heard an address and believe the street name is “Pike’s Peak Road,” but it could be “Pike Speak Road” or “Pike’s Peek Road. " You also want to verify whether compound road names are one word or two separate words. For example, a residence could be located on “Creek Side Drive” or on “Creekside Drive. "
For example, if you’re mailing a letter to New York City, you should use the default city and state if at all possible, which is “New York NY. " If you address your envelope to “New York City NY” or “Manhattan NY,” your letter will likely still reach its intended destination, but it may be delayed. [8] X Research source If you’re mailing a letter to another country, you may be able to address the letter in English or in the language of that country. In some instances, this may result in a different city name.
From the USPS website at usps. com, click on the “quick tools” menu bar to find the “Look Up a ZIP Code” page. You can find a ZIP Code by entering all or part of the residential address you have, or you can type in a ZIP Code to find the default city name you should use to mail letters or packages there.
The US postal service guidelines require the person’s name to be on the top line of the address block. Below that is any information required to direct the mail internally, such as a suite number or a job title. The next portion of the address block in a US address (and the address block of most countries) is the street address. From this point on, the address moves from the smallest point to the largest point that you need to identify. For example, if you’re mailing a package internationally from Australia to the United States, you would start with the person’s name, then provide their street address on the next line. The third line of the address would provide the city, state, and ZIP code, and then you would include the country’s name (“U. S. A. " or “United States of America”) on the last line. If you were mailing an item domestically within the United States, you would not need to include the country’s name. However, you would still need to include the city, state, and ZIP code, regardless of where you’re mailing the item from.
The NCOA system is designed for business owners, not private individuals. You must complete a registration form if you want to use the NCOA system. However, the system is free to use. This system can help you find the addresses of customers who may have moved, provided they registered the change of address with the USPS.
You typically can contact the country’s postal service to find out if they certify or register these services. Be wary of a company that claims to verify residential addresses, but is not certified by the national postal authority. It may be a front for a scam that’s just trying to harvest addresses. Especially if you plan to subscribe to a service, which can involve a significant investment, make sure you investigate the company thoroughly and are sure that they’ll provide the services you want and are legitimate and respected in the industry.
Most of these services charge a monthly or annual subscription fee, so you should compare the fees along with the services provided to decide which service will best meet the needs of your business or organization. Be sure to account for growth. Some services, such as SmartyStreets, offer the ability to check a limited number of addresses for free each month. Additional domestic addresses or international addresses will cost you a monthly fee.
The cost for these services varies depending on the volume of sales or address you need to have checked each month, as well as whether you want the service to check international addresses or domestic addresses only. An integrated verification service can save you time and money if you anticipate a larger volume of business, but may not be cost-effective if you have a small online shop that only processes a small number of orders. Outsourcing your payment services to another company also may include address verification services.
