Overview
The USPS® added a number of new DPV flags and footnotes for Cycle O. In the process of doing this, the definitions of some existing DPV footnotes have changed, specifically the BB and CC footnotes. This can lead to some confusion because the DPV footnotes that are returned for a certain class of addresses have changed between Cycle N and Cycle O, and the new Cycle O footnotes appear to be contradictory when compared to Cycle N.
One of the reasons for the additions and changes in the DPV footnotes is to provide better information about addresses that appear to have extraneous and/or incorrect secondary information (e.g. apartment and suite numbers). In some cases, if there is extraneous and/or incorrect secondary information, the USPS does not have enough information to accurately deliver to the address. However, in other cases, the USPS does have all the necessary information to accurately deliver to the address. This document will cover the changes that were made in Cycle O to clarify these address scenarios and to help better identify when an address is truly deliverable by USPS standards.
Under Cycle N DPV rules, if an address is provided with secondary information, and that secondary information is not DPV confirmed, then there was no indication of whether or not secondary information is required for USPS mail delivery at that address. The Cycle O footnotes and flags have been modified to identify when extra secondary information is either required or not required for USPS mail delivery at a given address.
Definitions for DPV Footnotes and Flags for Cycle O
The following is a detailed description of the Cycle O definitions for the DPV footnotes and flags that are referenced in this document. The differences between Cycle N and Cycle O are also outlined in this section.
The Main DPV Validation Flag (A flag)
Note: The definition of the DPV A flag did not change in Cycle O. Addresses coded with Cycle N and Cycle O CASS software will get the same value for this flag.
The Enhanced DPV flag can have the following values:
- Y: The address was DPV confirmed for primary and secondary numbers (if present).
- S: A DPV match was made to the primary number, but the secondary number could not be validated.
- D: A DPV match was made to the primary number of a multi-unit building, but no secondary number was present.
- N: The address failed to DPV confirm, the primary number missing or not confirmed.
The Enhanced DPV Validation Flag
The Enhanced DPV flag was added in CASS Cycle O to accommodate an industry request for additional address information.
The Enhanced DPV flag can have the following values:
- Y: The address was DPV confirmed for primary and secondary numbers necessary to determine a valid USPS mail delivery.
This is different than the value of Y in the DPV A flag above, because if the USPS data identifies that an invalid secondary number is not required for delivery, this Enhanced flag will contain a Y, whereas the A flag above will contain an S. - D: The address was DPV confirmed for the primary number only. Secondary information was required but missing.
- S: The address was DPV confirmed for the primary number only, the secondary number information was present but not confirmed or a single trailing alpha on a primary number was dropped to make a DPV match, and secondary information is required for valid mail delivery.
This is different than the value of S in the DPV A flag above, because the DPV A flag does not differentiate between whether or not the provided secondary information in the address is required for delivery. - N: The address failed to DPV confirm, primary number missing or not confirmed.
- R: The address confirmed but assigned to phantom Carrier Routes R777 and R779, and USPS deliver is not provided.
- Blank: The address was not presented to DPV.
Footnote AA
Note: The definition of the Footnote AA did not change in Cycle O.
A match was made to the USPS ZIP+4 file. This does not mean that the address actually exists, it just means that the address has been standardized using the USPS ZIP+4 data fields.
Footnote BB
A DPV match occurred using all the components of the address (primary and secondary number) that are required for USPS mail delivery.
Under Cycle N, this footnote was defined to just identify when the primary and secondary numbers are matched in the DPV database.
Under Cycle O, this definition was modified to allow for this footnote to be assigned when the provided secondary information is not DPV confirmed, but it is not required for USPS delivery.
Footnote CC
A DPV match occurred with the primary number only. A secondary number was present on the input address but was not validated by DPV. In addition, a secondary number is not required for the USPS to make deliveries to this address. This footnote will correspond with an S in the DPV A flag, and a Y in the DPV Enhanced flag.
Under Cycle N, if an address contains secondary information that is not DPV confirmed, then this footnote would be assigne. This means that footnotes BB and CC were mutually exclusive (i.e. only one of them can be set at the same time.
Under Cycle O, this footnote definition was modified to only be assigned when the secondary information is not required for USPS mail delivery. This means that the address is still valid for mail delivery (and will get a BB footnote assigned), but that it also contains unneeded secondary information (so the CC footnote will also be assigned).
Footnote C1
A DPV match occurred with the primary number only. A secondary number was present on the input address but was not validated by DPV. In addition, a secondary number is required for the USPS to make deliveries to this address. This footnote will correspond with an S in the DPV A flag, and an S in the DPV Enhanced flag.
This footnote was added in Cycle O to replace the CC footnote when an address has invalid secondary, and secondary information is required for delivery.
Address Examples
The following examples are used in this document to help clarify these changes:
- 166 POPLAR AVE APT 5
MEMPHIS TN 38103
Apt 5 is not a valid secondary number, and secondary numbers are not required for delivery.
Cycle N DPV A flag: S
Cycle O DPV A flag: S
Cycle O Enhanced flag: Y
Cycle N DPV footnotes: AA, CC
Cycle O DPV footnotes: AA, BB, CC
- 127 MADISON AVE APT 5
MEMPHIS TN 38103
Apt 5 is not a valid secondary number, and secondary numbers are required for delivery.
Cycle N DPV A flag: S
Cycle O DPV A flag: S
Cycle O Enhanced flag: S
Cycle N DPV footnotes: AA, CC
Cycle O DPV footnotes: AA, C1
Address Scenario 1: Secondary information is in the input address, and it is invalid, but it is not required for USPS delivery.
Consider an address that is a single delivery at 166 POPLAR AVE. As far as the USPS is concerned, this address does not have any secondary deliveries (like apartments or suites), so the mail is delivered to that address.
The change in DPV footnotes for Cycle O happens when the input address has some extra secondary information attached to it, e.g. 166 POPLAR AVE APT 5. The secondary information (Apt 5) is not present in the DPV database, but it is also not needed for the USPS to deliver mail to this address. The new DPV footnotes and definitions have been updated to clarify this situation.
The following DPV output shows the differences between Cycle N and Cycle O after processing the example address, with highlighted changes to the footnote definitions in the Cycle O section:
Cycle N:
- 166 POPLAR AVE APT 5 / MEMPHIS TN 38103
- DPV footnotes: AA, CC
- DPV A flag: S (corresponds with DPV footnote CC)
- Under Cycle N, footnote AA means “The address matched to the USPS ZIP+4 database.”
- Under Cycle N, footnote BB means “A DPV match occurred using all the components of the address (primary and secondary number).” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, this address does not get a BB footnote under Cycle N rules.
- Under Cycle N, footnote CC means “DPV matched the primary number, not the secondary number.” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, but the primary did, this address has the CC footnote set under Cycle N rules.
Cycle O:
- 166 POPLAR AVE APT 5 / MEMPHIS TN 38103
- DPV footnotes: AA, BB, CC
- DPV A flag: S (corresponds with DPV footnote CC)
- DPV Enhanced flag: Y (corresponds with DPV footnote BB)
- Under Cycle O, footnote AA means “The address matched to the USPS ZIP+4 database.” This did not change in Cycle O.
- Under Cycle O, footnote BB means “A DPV match occurred using all the components of the address necessary to determine a valid USPS delivery.” Since the primary number did DPV confirm, under Cycle O DPV rules this address has the BB footnote set because the extraneous secondary number was determined to not be necessary for USPS mail delivery.
- Under Cycle O, footnote CC means “DPV matched the primary number, not the secondary number, and the secondary is not required for mail delivery.” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, but the primary did, under Cycle O DPV rules this address also has the CC footnote set to indicate that there is extra information in the address, but the USPS does not need that for valid mail delivery.
Address Scenario 2: Secondary information is in the input address, and it is invalid, and secondary information is required for USPS delivery.
Another scenario to look at is when there is a building that does have secondary deliveries (like an apartment or office building), and the input address contains an invalid secondary number. For example, consider an address that is an apartment building at 127 MADISON AVE. This building has valid deliveries for apartments 201 through 402.
The following DPV output shows the differences between Cycle N and Cycle O after processing the example address 127 MADISON AVE APT 5, where Apt 5 is not a valid unit in the building:
Cycle N:
- 127 MADISON AVE APT 5 / MEMPHIS TN 38103
- DPV footnotes: AA, CC
- DPV A flag: S (corresponds with DPV footnote CC)
- Under Cycle N, footnote AA means “The address matched to the USPS ZIP+4 database.”
- Under Cycle N, footnote BB means “A DPV match occurred using all the components of the address (primary and secondary number).” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, this address does not get a BB footnote under Cycle N rules.
- Under Cycle N, footnote CC means “DPV matched the primary number, not the secondary number.” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, but the primary did, this address has the CC footnote set under Cycle N rules.
Cycle O:
- 127 MADISON AVE APT 5 / MEMPHIS TN 38103
- DPV footnotes: AA, C1
- DPV A flag: S (corresponds with DPV footnote C1)
- DPV Enhanced flag: S (corresponds with DPV footnote C1)
- Under Cycle O, footnote AA means “The address matched to the USPS ZIP+4 database.” This did not change in Cycle O.
- Under Cycle O, footnote BB means “A DPV match occurred using all the components of the address necessary to determine a valid USPS delivery.” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, but a valid secondary number is required for USPS delivery, this address does not get a BB footnote under Cycle O rules.
- Under Cycle O, the new footnote C1 means “DPV matched the primary number, not the secondary number, and a secondary number is required for mail delivery.” Since the secondary number did not DPV confirm, but the primary did, under Cycle O rules this address has the C1 footnote set to indicate that there is incorrect secondary information in the address and that USPS needs valid secondary information to make a mail delivery.
