How to Write an Address on an Envelope (USA)

Properly addressing an envelope ensures your mail reaches its intended destination promptly and accurately. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has specific guidelines for formatting addresses on envelopes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing an address for mailing within the USA.

1. Understand the Layout of an Envelope

The front of the envelope is divided into two main areas:

• Recipient’s Address: Placed in the center.
• Return Address: Placed in the upper-left corner.

2. Formatting the Recipient’s Address

The recipient’s address should follow this format:

[Recipient Name]
[Street Address or P.O. Box]
[City, State ZIP Code]

Example:

1John Smith  
2123 Main Street  
3Springfield, IL 62704

Tips:

• Use a complete and accurate street address.
• Write the apartment, suite, or unit number on the same line as the street address (if applicable), separated by a comma:
  123 Main Street, Apt 4B.
• Include the ZIP+4 Code for faster delivery (e.g., 62704-1234).

3. Adding the Return Address

The return address goes in the top-left corner of the envelope. It follows the same format as the recipient’s address:

[Your Name]
[Your Street Address or P.O. Box]
[Your City, State ZIP Code]

Example:

1Jane Doe  
2456 Elm Street  
3Austin, TX 78701

If the mail cannot be delivered, the USPS will use the return address to send it back to you.

4. Placement of the Addresses

• Recipient’s Address: Centered on the front of the envelope. Leave space around the address for postal markings and barcodes.
• Return Address: Top-left corner of the envelope.
• Postage Stamp: Place the stamp in the upper-right corner.

5. Writing the State and ZIP Code

• State: Use the two-letter USPS abbreviation (e.g., CA for California, TX for Texas).
• ZIP Code: Always include the 5-digit ZIP code. For faster delivery, use the 9-digit ZIP+4 format (e.g., 62704-1234).

List of Common State Abbreviations:

• California: CA
• New York: NY
• Texas: TX
• Florida: FL
• Illinois: IL

6. Addressing Special Cases

Apartments or Units:

Write the apartment or unit number after the street address, separated by a comma:

1Mary Jones  
2789 Pine Avenue, Apt 3C  
3Los Angeles, CA 90015

Businesses:

Include the business name above the recipient’s name:

1ABC Corp  
2Attn: John Doe  
31001 Market Street  
4Denver, CO 80202

P.O. Boxes:

Replace the street address with the P.O. Box number:

1Sarah Lee  
2P.O. Box 123  
3Nashville, TN 37214

7. Using Capital Letters (Optional but Recommended)

For better readability, especially by postal machines, write the entire address in capital letters with no punctuation.

Example:

1JOHN SMITH  
2123 MAIN STREET  
3SPRINGFIELD IL 62704

8. Proofreading the Address

• Double-check the spelling of names, street names, and city names.
• Ensure the ZIP code matches the city and state.
• Confirm the return address is correct.

9. Special Mailing Situations

• International Mail: Use the same format for the recipient’s name and street address, but include the destination country in uppercase on the last line.
• Military Mail: For APO/FPO addresses, use the following format:

  1Rank/Name  
  2Unit or Box Number  
  3APO, AE 09012
  

Example of a Fully Addressed Envelope

1Jane Doe                          [STAMP]  
2456 Elm Street                    [   ]  
3Austin, TX 78701  
4--------------------------------------------  
5John Smith  
6123 Main Street  
7Springfield, IL 62704  

Conclusion

Writing an address on an envelope in the USA is straightforward when you follow USPS guidelines. By formatting it correctly and placing the return and recipient’s addresses in their designated spots, you ensure your mail reaches its destination without delays.

 1
 2
 3```markdown
 4# How to Write an Address on an Envelope (USA)
 5
 6Properly addressing an envelope ensures your mail reaches its intended destination promptly and accurately. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has specific guidelines for formatting addresses on envelopes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing an address for mailing within the USA.
 7
 8---
 9
10## 1. Understand the Layout of an Envelope
11
12The front of the envelope is divided into two main areas:
13- **Recipient’s Address:** Placed in the center.
14- **Return Address:** Placed in the upper-left corner.
15
16---
17
18## 2. Formatting the Recipient’s Address
19
20The recipient’s address should follow this format:

[Recipient Name]
[Street Address or P.O. Box]
[City, State ZIP Code]

1
2### Example:

John Smith
123 Main Street
Springfield, IL 62704

 1
 2### Tips:
 3- Use a complete and accurate street address.  
 4- Write the apartment, suite, or unit number on the same line as the street address (if applicable), separated by a comma:  
 5  `123 Main Street, Apt 4B`.
 6- Include the ZIP+4 Code for faster delivery (e.g., `62704-1234`).
 7
 8---
 9
10## 3. Adding the Return Address
11
12The return address goes in the top-left corner of the envelope. It follows the same format as the recipient’s address:

[Your Name]
[Your Street Address or P.O. Box]
[Your City, State ZIP Code]

1
2### Example:

Jane Doe
456 Elm Street
Austin, TX 78701

 1
 2If the mail cannot be delivered, the USPS will use the return address to send it back to you.
 3
 4---
 5
 6## 4. Placement of the Addresses
 7
 8- **Recipient’s Address:** Centered on the front of the envelope. Leave space around the address for postal markings and barcodes.  
 9- **Return Address:** Top-left corner of the envelope.  
10- **Postage Stamp:** Place the stamp in the upper-right corner.
11
12---
13
14## 5. Writing the State and ZIP Code
15
16- **State:** Use the two-letter USPS abbreviation (e.g., `CA` for California, `TX` for Texas).  
17- **ZIP Code:** Always include the 5-digit ZIP code. For faster delivery, use the 9-digit ZIP+4 format (e.g., `62704-1234`).
18
19### List of Common State Abbreviations:
20- California: `CA`  
21- New York: `NY`  
22- Texas: `TX`  
23- Florida: `FL`  
24- Illinois: `IL`
25
26---
27
28## 6. Addressing Special Cases
29
30### Apartments or Units:
31Write the apartment or unit number after the street address, separated by a comma:  

Mary Jones
789 Pine Avenue, Apt 3C
Los Angeles, CA 90015

1
2### Businesses:
3Include the business name above the recipient’s name:  

ABC Corp
Attn: John Doe
1001 Market Street
Denver, CO 80202

1
2### P.O. Boxes:
3Replace the street address with the P.O. Box number:  

Sarah Lee
P.O. Box 123
Nashville, TN 37214

1
2---
3
4## 7. Using Capital Letters (Optional but Recommended)
5
6For better readability, especially by postal machines, write the entire address in capital letters with no punctuation.
7
8### Example:

JOHN SMITH
123 MAIN STREET
SPRINGFIELD IL 62704

 1
 2---
 3
 4## 8. Proofreading the Address
 5
 6- Double-check the spelling of names, street names, and city names.  
 7- Ensure the ZIP code matches the city and state.  
 8- Confirm the return address is correct.
 9
10---
11
12## 9. Special Mailing Situations
13
14- **International Mail:** Use the same format for the recipient’s name and street address, but include the destination country in uppercase on the last line.  
15- **Military Mail:** For APO/FPO addresses, use the following format:  

Rank/Name
Unit or Box Number
APO, AE 09012

1
2---
3
4## Example of a Fully Addressed Envelope

Jane Doe [STAMP]
456 Elm Street [ ]
Austin, TX 78701

John Smith
123 Main Street
Springfield, IL 62704

1
2---
3
4## Conclusion
5
6Writing an address on an envelope in the USA is straightforward when you follow USPS guidelines. By formatting it correctly and placing the return and recipient’s addresses in their designated spots, you ensure your mail reaches its destination without delays.

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