Formatting street addresses

Learning Objectives Correctly format a standard US street address for mailing according to USPS guidelines. Identify and apply standard USPS abbreviations for street suffixes, directional indicators, and state names. Properly punctuate and place secondary unit designators, such as apartment or suite numbers. Differentiate between formatting an address for a mailing envelope versus integrating an address into a formal sentence. Analyze the rhetorical effect of including specific addresses in literary texts to establish setting or develop character. Synthesize address formatting rules to create error-free addresses for various contexts, such as business letters and college applications. Ever wonder if that college application or thank-you note actually reached its destination?...

TermDefinitionExample Recipient LineThe first line of an address block that identifies the intended recipient by name, and often, title or organization.MS EMILY DICKINSON or AMHERST COLLEGE Delivery Address LineThe line containing the civic number (house or building number) and the street name.280 MAIN ST Last LineThe final line of a domestic address, containing the city, the two-letter state abbreviation, and the ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code.AMHERST MA 01002-5000 Secondary Unit DesignatorAn official USPS abbreviation that specifies a location within a building, such as an apartment, suite, or floor.APT (Apartment), STE (Suite), FL (Floor). For example: 123 OAK AVE STE 450 Street SuffixThe abbreviated word following the street name that identifies the type of street.ST (Street), AVE (Avenue), B...

USPS Mailing Address Standard RECIPIENT DELIVERY ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP For mailing purposes, the USPS prefers addresses printed in all capital letters with no punctuation (except the hyphen in a ZIP+4 code). Use standard USPS abbreviations for street suffixes and states to ensure efficient machine reading and delivery. In-Text Address Convention Number Street Name, City, State Zip Code When writing an address within a sentence, use standard sentence case capitalization. Use a comma to separate the street address from the city, and another comma to separate the city from the state. It is conventional to place a comma after the state if the sentence continues. Placement of Secondary Units Place secondary unit designators (e.g., APT, STE) at the end of the Delivery Addre...