Stamp out mailing errors: The ultimate guide to USPS address validation

For businesses, USPS address validation means making sure you have accurate addresses for customers. This reduces failed deliveries and costs associated with returned mail. It also enhances customer satisfaction by ensuring deliveries are made on time - and to the right place.

But is it the right option for every business? In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of USPS address validation, and how to choose the right option for you.

What is USPS address validation?

USPS address validation is a service provided by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ensure that mailing addresses are accurate, standardized, and deliverable.

The process involves comparing a given address against the USPS database of valid addresses to verify its authenticity. The service can correct minor errors, standardize formatting to meet USPS guidelines, and identify potential issues that might prevent successful mail delivery.

For businesses and individuals, USPS address validation is an essential tool to minimize the risk of undelivered mail, reduce wasted postage costs, and improve the efficiency of deliveries.

To check address validity with USPS, the process typically involves checking for elements like street names, house or apartment numbers, city names, ZIP Codes, and other critical components of an address. If the input address has discrepancies with the stored version of the address—such as missing or incorrect information—the system may suggest corrections or flag the address as undeliverable.

USPS address validation can be accessed through various platforms, including online tools, APIs, and third-party services that integrate the USPS database for seamless validation during e-commerce checkouts, customer onboarding, or bulk mail processing.

Do businesses need USPS address validation?

USPS address validation software helps to ensure the accuracy and deliverability of your mail, for both personal or business purposes. But it may not be the right option for your type of business and the products or services you provide.

Address verification services ensure your business doesn’t suffer from undelivered mail, wasted time, increased costs for re-sending items, and potential customer dissatisfaction. Every business needs a tool, but which is the best tool for address validation? USPS is just one of the options.

Pros of USPS address validation

To validate USPS address services, let’s first discuss the pros.

• - USPS address validation directly leverages the official USPS database, ensuring a high level of accuracy for verifying and standardizing US addresses.
• Free - USPS has free options available for basic validation needs.
• Can be integrated - USPS offers APIs that integrate into websites, e-commerce platforms, and CRM systems, with some input needed from your in house developers.
• Trusted - As the official postal service, USPS provides a trusted, government-backed validation system.

Cons of USPS address validation

To validate USPS address validation, and whether it’s right for your business, let’s consider the cons.

• Limited to US addresses - There is no USPS international address validation. USPS address validation only supports US addresses. So if you want your business to grow beyond the US, you will need a better solution.
• While USPS validation ensures accurate and deliverable addresses, its features can be less comprehensive. There are no advanced tools included, such as geocoding, email verification, and predictive address suggestions during user input.
• Lack of user-friendly interfaces - USPS address validation tools, particularly APIs, can be less intuitive to set up and use compared to modern third-party platforms. The documentation and support might require more technical expertise, potentially increasing implementation time and effort.
• Limited customization - USPS validation may not be as flexible for businesses requiring tailored solutions, such as custom formatting for addresses or integration with non-standard workflows.
• No enrichment or additional data - USPS doesn’t provide enriched data, such as demographic information, business identifiers, or property details, which could add value to customer profiles.
• Potential latency for high volume usage - Speed and performance can be slower during  bulk address validation.

How to know if USPS address validation is right for your business

USPS address validation is a powerful and reliable tool for ensuring accurate delivery to US addresses, but whether it’s the right fit for your business depends on your specific needs. If your operations are primarily domestic, require compliance with USPS mailing standards, or would benefit from a free solution without a need to scale, USPS validation is an excellent choice. It’s particularly suited for small to medium-sized businesses or those primarily using USPS for shipping and marketing campaigns.

However, if your business operates internationally, requires advanced features like geocoding, enriched data, or highly customized workflows, a third-party service may better meet your needs. Also make sure to consider your technical resources—if you need a user-friendly platform with robust integration options,Loqate’s Address Verify offers a smoother implementation process, fast look-ups, enriched data, international address verification and much more.

USPS Address Validation FAQs

Is USPS address validation free?

Yes, USPS offers free address validation tools, such as the USPS ZIP Code Lookup and Address Information APIs, for basic validation needs. However, advanced features or high-volume usage may better suit paid solutions like Loqate’s Address Verify.

Does USPS have an API for address validation?

Yes, there is a USPS API for address validation called the USPS Address Validation API (part of the Web Tools API suite). It allows businesses to verify, standardize, and correct US addresses programmatically, making it ideal for integration into e-commerce platforms or CRM systems. However, it is only useful if you only want to ship to the US.

How much does USPS address validation cost?

USPS address validation is free for basic use, such as through their online tools or USPS API for address validation. However, if you need high-volume processing or advanced features, you may incur costs from third-party providers that integrate USPS data.

How to validate address with USPS?

To validate an address with USPS, you can use their free online tools like the USPS ZIP Code Lookup or integrate their USPS Address Validation API into your system. Simply enter the address, and USPS will verify it, correct errors, and standardize the format for deliverability.

Loqate helps businesses around the world verify customer addresses by combining our global datasets with best in class technology. Our easy to integrate API helps our customers verify customer data at the point of capture.Find out more about how Loqate address verification solutions can help your business.