Address validation or address verification is the process of checking a postal address to see if it is valid. Verifying addresses is an essential part of the mass mailing process, reducing waste and saving money for the sender. Addresses are checked against a database (often based on guidelines provided by the postal service of the country where the address resides or from the Universal Postal Union or UPU, a UN agency) to see if it matches the entry in the database. If the address in question matches it is considered validated and is a real address.
Anchor Software’s Address Verification Solutions (MaxCASS OS, MaxCASS Plus, and AddressPro) provide our customers with the latest technology to implement our solutions in virtually any environment. Our solutions ensure your addresses are clean, current, and correct according to USPS standards. Anchor has the experience and the technology to help our customers achieve the best results.
Address verification is essentially a check to make sure an address is real and deliverable. There are two main parts to the address validation process:
1. Address Parsing and Standardization: Parsing is breaking down an address into its basic elements such as house number, street name, city, state, and ZIP Code™ – among others. Once the address is parsed and all the necessary components are present, the address is standardized. The standardization process includes correcting misspellings, adding missing elements such as ZIP codes or street suffixes, and converting to official USPS abbreviations. For example, “Bronw Street” would be corrected to “BROWN ST”, or Pennsylvania would be changed to PA.
2. Verification: Once the standardization process is complete, the address is compared to the official database to see if there’s a match. If the match exists in the database, the address is considered validated. If there’s no match it is invalid, but just because an address is labeled invalid doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not a real address. Some addresses may not exist, for example, a fake address, an address of a building that does not exist, or an address that has so many mistakes that it cannot be corrected. Some addresses, however, may simply not be registered in the database. These could be new buildings or subdivisions that just aren’t in the database yet, or are vacant, or buildings with no occupants. These addresses exist, but since they don’t receive mail they aren’t registered and therefore can’t be validated.
The Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS™) is the USPS-mandated system for assessing and certifying the accuracy of address validation software. While CASS is open to any organization seeking address-matching system evaluation, the majority of users acquire CASS-certified software from third-party vendors. CASS Certification must be renewed annually with the USPS to meet current CASS Certification cycle requirements and the USPS maintains a list of CASS Certified products and vendors on their website. The USPS implemented its most recent version of CASS, Cycle O, in 2023.
More Information about international address validation can be found here:
In today’s world, accurate address data is crucial for a surprising number of reasons, impacting everything from business efficiency to public safety.
By using an address verification tool, businesses can validate mailing addresses, standardize formats (like correcting “St.” to “Street”), and even append missing data (like apartment numbers). This ensures your mailings reach the intended recipient, reducing Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) rates and improving the sender’s reputation.
Here’s why having the right addresses matters:
Accurate address data is your roadmap to customer success. It ensures your mail arrives on target, building trust and stronger relationships. With a variety of address verification services available, businesses of all sizes can benefit. So why wait? Simply enter your address data and watch your UAA rates plummet, ensuring your mailings are delivered successfully every time.
Address verification might seem like a simple process, but it holds surprising power for businesses and organizations. By ensuring accurate addresses, address verification unlocks a range of benefits:
1. Streamlined Operations and Cost Savings
2. Enhanced Customer Experience:
3. Fraud Prevention and Security:
4. Targeted Marketing and Analytics:
Don’t let invalid addresses hinder your business. Take advantage of free or paid address verification services to validate your data and unlock the power of successful deliveries.
Increased Employee Productivity: Spend less time on mailing management and more time on strategic initiatives.
Improved Communication & Collaboration: Break down communication silos and foster a collaborative work environment.
Automates Manual Work: Instead of manually correcting and formatting addresses one by one, Anchor Software’s Address solutions does the heavy lifting. This frees up your staff for other tasks.
Reduced Costs: Streamline IT processes.
Enhanced Customer Service: Respond to inquiries faster and deliver exceptional customer service.
Saves on Printing Costs: Fewer returned mailings means less wasted paper and printing costs.
Improves Data Quality: Clean, standardized data is essential for accurate reporting and analytics across your business.
Scalability & Growth: Our on-premise, SaaS, and cloud-based solutions scale with your business, accommodating new employees and future growth.
