How Do You Format a US Mailing Address?

Most mailing addresses are dependent on ZIP Codes, which were created by the USPS in 1963 to facilitate delivering mail to its recipients. Choosing the right ZIP code for your mailing address is a critical part of making sure that your packages arrive on time and intact.

In most cases, a physical address will have an associated mailing address as well, and this is where the confusion often begins. A mailing address is usually used to deliver important business or personal communications that need to be sent quickly and reliably.

When you write the physical address, it’s important to include all of the relevant information in a format that will make it easy for USPS staff to process your package. This includes the full street name and house number (or flat number if applicable) as well as directional information, such as North, South, East or West.

If you live in an apartment or building with multiple units, it’s also a good idea to include the specific unit number as well. This will be useful if you’re sending an item through a delivery service that requires it, such as FedEx or UPS.

Depending on your office setup, you might want to also add the recipient’s department and work title alongside their suite or floor number. If you do this, be sure to use uppercase letters and leave one space between your city name and state abbreviation, and two spaces between your state abbreviation and your ZIP code.