An apartment address is a tricky thing. You can spend your whole life writing them one way and still have your doubts. Have you been doing it wrong all along? Show
This is where the United States Postal Service (USPS) swoops in to rescue mailers from confusion. When it comes to mail, their recommendations are as good as gold. Writing an address with an apartment numberUSPS asks senders to write an apartment address on three lines like you would for many other standard addresses. The apartment number goes on the second address line:
For example, the address format for an apartment in Tampa, FL would look like this: JIM HAWKINS 1099 TREASURE ST APT 600 TAMPA FL 33602 If you can’t comfortably squeeze all that information onto the second line, you can write the apartment number on the third line. Then, move the city, state, and ZIP code to a new fourth line, like this: JIM HAWKINS 1099 TREASURE ST APT 600 TAMPA FL 33602 You might need to clarify which apartment building the unit is located in. Add the building number or letter like this: JIM HAWKINS 1099 TREASURE ST BLDG E APT 600 TAMPA FL 33602 That second line is getting crowded. Remember, you can move any secondary information down to a new line if you can’t fit it all on one line. That’s the building and apartment information in the example above. You may also need to address someone who’s part of a company based in an apartment, room, suite, or another type of rental home unit. In that case, you’d add the company name to its own second line, then shift the last two lines down. JIM HAWKINS SEAWARD OUTFITTERS 1099 TREASURE ST APT 600 TAMPA FL 33602 Apartment address format guidelinesWondering why these addresses are written in all caps? Capital letters give postal sorting machines a near guarantee of recognizing an address. That’s especially true when they’re printed, but it applies to handwritten addresses too. Using caps lock isn’t the only recommendation USPS has. Try to stick to these guidelines next time you write an apartment address:
What should be abbreviated?Some of the most common USPS-approved abbreviations are:
The word unit isn’t abbreviated, so you’d just write UNIT or Unit. If you use a pound sign (#) instead of a designator like the ones above, add a space before and after the pound sign. As always, capital letters are preferred. If you opt for the alternative, only capitalize the first letter of the abbreviation, and again, don’t use punctuation.
Do I really need to use capital letters and no abbreviations?You don’t need to capitalize and abbreviate. Personal mail guidelines are more relaxed than business mail rules, so the post office isn’t going to send you angry letters if you ignore their suggestions. But they might send your mail back to you. That said, capitalizing and skipping punctuation still reduces the risk of a mishap, which means a more seamless experience for your mail and the postal employees who handle it. If you decide to skip these guidelines, a letter to an apartment in Pittsburgh, PA might be addressed like this: Jane Bennet 1795 Pemberly Drive, Apt. 227 Pittsburgh, PA 15212 This envelope or package will probably still reach its destination. But you’re taking a small risk that a sorting machine reads it the wrong way. Should I include the ZIP+4 code?If you know the complete nine-digit ZIP code or want to look it up, adding it to the apartment address never hurts. Add it if you have it, but the standard five-digit ZIP code is usually fine too. A full ZIP code, complete with ZIP+4 code would be formatted like this: JANE BENNET 1795 PEMBERLEY DR APT 227 PITTSBURGH PA 15212-9713 The ZIP+4 code specifies a driver’s exact delivery route. Adding it to the final line can reduce the chance of mishaps en route, and it might even shave a day or two off your delivery time. Apartment addresses are flexibleSo you sent mail to an apartment address but didn’t follow one of the recommended methods above. Don’t sweat it. As long as you include the essential elements of the complete address, the postal service will almost certainly get your mail where it needs to go. But next time you need to mail a last-minute birthday card, try to follow USPS guidelines as closely as you can. It could make the difference between “happy birthday” and “happy belated birthday.” Where do you put the unit number in an address?Secondary address unit designators, such as APARTMENT or SUITE, are required to be printed on the mailpiece for address locations containing secondary unit designators. The preferred location is at the end of the Delivery Address Line.
How do you write an address with an apartment number in Canada?Put information such as title or floor above the street address. Put a hyphen between the unit/suite/apartment number and the street number. Don't use the # symbol.
How do you address a manila envelope for an apartment?Generally, you will write the apartment or suite number on the same line as the street address, preceded by the abbreviation "Apt." or a hash sign.
How do you properly address an envelope?Addressing Envelopes/Packages. Recipient's name.. Business's name (if applicable). Street address (with apartment or suite number). City, State and ZIP code (on the same line)*. Country*. |