|
Here
are some fast facts to remember when mailing items:
The only FIVE Valid Ancillary Endorsements that the post office will accept
are listed below:
"Address Service Requested"
"Forwarding Service Requested"
"Temporary Forwarding Service Requested"
"Change Service Requested"
"Return Service Requested"
If it doesn't have one of the above exact ancillary endorsements it's
invalid.
Envelopes
(Standard Sizes):
• The maximum size for an envelope to be mailed is 6-1/8 inches by 11-1/2
inches.
• The minimum is 3-1/2 inches by 5 inches.
• The largest postcard size you can send for 24¢ is 4.25" x 6".
Postcards larger than this size will require regular letter rate postage
of 39¢.
Postcards:
Size
• The maximum size for a postcard is 4-1/4 inches by 6 inches.
• The minimum is 3-1/2 inches by 5 inches.
• Sizes below that can not be mailed.
• Sizes above the maximum incur a surcharge.
• To stay within rates for standard letter-sized mail, a postcard can
be no larger than 6-1/8-inches tall and 11.5-inches long.
• If its aspect ratio (length divided by height) does not fall between
1 to 1.3 and 1 to 2.5 inclusive you will be charged regular postage plus
surcharge. (Example: a square envelope or postcard that measures
6 inches x 6 inches would be charged regular postage plus surcharge.)
This is considered Non-Standard Mail.
Nonstandard First-Class Mail and Third-Class Mail Size Limits.
A piece of First-Class Mail or Third Class Single Piece Rate Mail is nonstandard
if it exceeds any of the following size and weight limits:
• Its length exceeds 11-1/2 inches.
• Its height exceeds 6-1/8 inches.
• Its thickness exceeds 1/4 inches.
• It weights 1 ounce or less
• Its aspect ratio (length divided by height) does not fall between 1
to 1.3 and 1 to 2.5, inclusive.
Thickness
• Postcard thickness should be from .007-.016-inch.
Paper
Quality
• Paper should be a smooth surface to avoid smudged or broken lettering
on your address and message. Certain types of coated paper or plastic
papers should be avoided if the surface of the sheet is so glossy that
it can prevent a postal-applied barcode from drying within one second.
Incompatible
Materials and Sealing Methods
Certain types of materials must be considered incompatible with
postal automation because they cannot be successfully transported at high-speed
or won't allow the quality printing of a postal code.
• dark fibers, fluorescent or background patterns
• covering should have sufficient opacity to prevent extraneous printing
on the inside of the mail piece from showing through in the OCR read area
or barcode clear zone.
• paper with other than a smooth surface should be avoided if the texture
adversely affects print quality.
• clasps, staples, string, buttons and similar protrusions should be avoided
as methods of closing of letter mail.
• edge of letter mail should not be notched, scalloped or curved.
Address
Printing Guidelines
Simple sans serif are recommended for printing the delivery address
because they are more easily read by OCRs. As a general rule, type
styles defined as light, bold, extended, or condensed should not be used.
Italic, BOLD, extended, condensed, highly-stylized and script-like
styles should also be avoided.
Type
Sizes
OCRs will read type sizes between 8-18 points. The recommended type
size is 10-12 point.
Word Spacing
To separate words, the OCR requires a space which is at least equal to
the width of one full size character, such as a capital M. Spacing
between words should not exceed five full character spaces. This
includes spacing between the state abbreviation and the ZIP Code or ZIP+4
code.
Line Spacing
The OCR needs a space of at least 2 points between address lines.
Print Quality
Address characters should be clean, sharp, dark and uniformly printed.
Smudges, fill-ins, voids (inking gaps) within characters and extraneous
ink outside character boundaries (splatter) can adversely affect OCR processing.
Two-Letter State Abbreviations
Alabama AL |
Alaska AK |
Arizona AZ |
Arkansas AR |
California CA |
Colorado CO |
Connecticut CT |
Delaware DE |
Florida FL |
Georgia GA |
Hawaii HI |
Idaho ID |
Illinois IL |
Indiana IN |
Iowa IA |
Kansas KS |
Kentucky KY |
Louisiana LA |
Maine ME |
Maryland MD |
Massachusetts MA |
Michigan MI |
Minnesota MN |
Mississippi MS |
Missouri MO |
Montana MT |
Nebraska NE |
Nevada NV |
New Hampshire NH |
New Jersey NJ |
New Mexico NM |
New York NY |
North Carolina NC |
North Dakota ND |
Ohio OH |
Oklahoma OK |
Oregon OR |
Pennsylvania PA |
Puerto Rico PR |
Rhode Island RI |
South Carolina SC |
South Dakota SD |
Tennessee TN |
Texas TX |
Utah UT |
Virginia VA |
Vermont VT |
Virgin Islands VI |
Washington WA |
West Virginia WV |
Wisconsin WI |
Wyoming WY |
Secondary
Address Unit Indicators
|
Apartment APT |
Building BLDG |
Floor FL |
Suite STE |
|
Room RM |
Department DEPT |
Street
Designations Abbreviation
| Alley
ALY |
Annex
ANX |
Arcade
ARC |
Avenue
AVE |
| Bayou
BYU |
Beach
BCH |
Bend
BND |
Bluff
BLF |
| Bottom
BTM |
Boulevard
BLVD |
Branch
BR |
Bridge
BRG |
| Brook
BRK |
Burg
BG |
Bypass
BYP |
Camp
CP |
| Canyon
CYN |
Cape
CPE |
Causeway
CSWY |
Center
CTR |
| Circle
CIR |
Cliffs
CLFS |
Club
CLB |
Corner
COR |
| Corners
CORS |
Course
CRSE |
Court
CT |
Courts
CTS |
| Cove
CV |
Creek
CRK |
Crescent
CRES |
Crossing
XING |
| Dale
DL |
Dam
DM |
Divide
DV |
Drive
DR |
| Estates
EST |
Expressway
EXPY |
Extension
EXT |
Extension
EXT |
| Fall
FALL |
Falls
FLS |
Ferry
FRY |
Field
FLD |
| Flats
FLT |
Ford
FRD |
Forest
FRST |
Forge
FRG |
| Fork
FRK |
Forks
FRKS |
Fort
FT |
Freeway
FWY |
| Gardens
GDNS |
Gateway
GTWY |
Glen
GLN |
Green
GRN |
| Grove
GRV |
Harbor
HBR |
Haven
HVN |
Heights
HTS |
| Highway
HWY |
Hill
HL |
Hills
HLS |
Hollow
HOLW |
| Inlet
INLT |
Island
IS |
Islands
ISS |
Isle
ISLE |
| Junction
JCT |
Key
KY |
Knolls
KNLS |
Lake
LK |
| Lakes
LKS |
Landing
LNDG |
Lane
LN |
Light
LGT |
| Loaf
LF |
Locks
LCKS |
Lodge
LDG |
Loop
LOOP |
| Mall
MALL |
Manor
MNR |
Meadows
MDWS |
Mill
ML |
| Mills
MLS |
Mission
MSN |
Mount
MT |
Mountain
MTN |
| Neck
NCK |
Orchard
ORCH |
Oval
OVAL |
Park
PARK |
| Parkway
PKY |
Pass
PASS |
Path
PATH |
Pike
PIKE |
| Pines
PNES |
Place
PL |
Plain
PLN |
Plaza
PLZ |
| Point
PT |
Port
PRT |
Prairie
PR |
Radial
RADL |
| Ranch
RNCH |
Rapids
RPDS |
Rest
RST |
Ridge
RDG |
| River
RIV |
Road
RD |
Row
ROW |
Run
RUN |
| Shoal
SHL |
Shoals
SHLS |
Shore
SHR |
Shores
SHRS |
| Spring
SPG |
Springs
SPGS |
Spur
SPUR |
Square
SQ |
| Station
STA |
Stravenue
STRA |
Stream
STRM |
Street
ST |
| Summit
SMT |
Terrace
TER |
Trace
TRCE |
Track
TRAK |
| Trail
TRL |
Trailer
TRLR |
Tunnel
TUNL |
Turnpike
TPKE |
| Union
UN |
Valley
VLY |
Viaduct
VIA |
View
VW |
| Village
VLG |
Ville
VL |
Vista
VIS |
Walk
WALK |
| Way
WAY |
Wells
WLS |
Addressing
Address
Format
| (OPTIONAL) |
Non-Address
Data |
 |
FEL01225-66H |
| (OPTIONAL) |
Information/Attention |
|
MARY
DURST |
|
Name
of Recipient |
|
MARY
DURST WEB DEVELOPMENT |
|
Delivery
Address |
|
317
W ELM |
|
Post
Office, State, ZIP |
|
LAKE
CITY MN 55041 |
Post Office,
State and ZIP Code Line:
For domestic mail, the post office (city), state and ZIP Code or ZIP+4
code should appear, in that order, as the bottom line of the address.
If all three
elements cannot fit on one line, the ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code may be placed
on the line immediately below the post office and state, aligned with
the left edge of the address block. The standard two-letter state abbreviation
should also be used.
Delivery
Address Line:
The line immediately above the bottom line is the Delivery Address
Line. The street address, post office box number, rural route number and
box number, or highway contract number and box number should appear on
this line. Mail addressed to the occupants of multi-unit buildings should
include the apartment, suite, or room number (or other unit designation)
immediately after the street address. If necessary to reduce the length
of the Delivery Address line, the apartment number or other designator
should be place don the line immediately above the Delivery Address Line.
When use of a building name is necessary, it should also be placed on
the line immediately above.
Dual Addressing:
Dual delivery addresses, such as a street address and a post office box,
are not recommended. If dual addressing is used, one delivery designation
should be placed on the Delivery Address Line and the other on the line
immediately above. The mail will be delivered to the address on the
Delivery Address Line. The ZIP Code, ZIP+4 code, or delivery point
code should always reflect the address shown on the Delivery Address Line.
Name
of Recipient Line:
The name of the intended recipient (business or individual) should
appear on the line above the Delivery Address Line. This should be the
third, fourth, or fifth line from the bottom, depending on possible overflow
from the Delivery Address Line because of dual addressing as a department
within a company.
Information/Attention
Line:
The line above the Name of Recipient Line is optional for additional
address information. It can be used to direct mail to a specific person
or provide other information that will facilitate delivery, such as the
name of a department within a company.
Foreign
Addresses:
Mail addressed to foreign countries should include the country name
in capital letters (no abbreviations) as the only information on the bottom
line. For example:
MR THOMAS
CLARK
117 RUSSELL DRIVE
LONDON WIP7HQ
ENGLAND |
