A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR US MAIL
Write the recipient’s address in the lower center, your return address in the upper left, and place postage in the upper right.
Use three lines: name, street address or PO Box, then city, state, and ZIP Code. Keep the lines left-aligned.
JAMIE TAYLOR 48 OAK STREET BOSTON MA 02108
ALEX MORGAN 124 MAPLE LANE SPRINGFIELD IL 62704
US address formats
Apartment & PO Box examples
Address inputs stay in your browser
01 / FIND YOUR FORMAT
Choose the example that matches your mail.
All addresses below are fictional, unverified demo data.
For a home or business with a street address. Fictional demo only; do not mail to this address.
ALEX MORGAN 124 MAPLE LANE SPRINGFIELD IL 62704
Write the name first, the street address next, and the city, two-letter state abbreviation, and ZIP Code last. Keep every line left-aligned.
Include the unit that identifies the destination. Fictional demo only; do not mail to this address.
ALEX MORGAN 124 MAPLE LANE APT 4B SPRINGFIELD IL 62704
Put APT or STE and the unit number at the end of the street line. If that line will not fit, move the unit information to the line immediately above it.
For delivery to a USPS Post Office Box. Fictional demo only; do not mail to this address.
ALEX MORGAN PO BOX 124 SPRINGFIELD IL 62704
Use PO BOX followed by the box number in place of a street address. Use the city, state, and ZIP Code supplied for that box.
02 / MAKE IT YOURS
Fill in the details. See the layout.
Copy the address when you’re ready.
For common street, apartment, and PO Box addresses in the 50 US states and Washington, DC. This tool checks formatting only; it does not verify an address or guarantee delivery.
Your inputs are processed here, without uploading or saving them. Privacy details
Your recipient’s address
will appear here.
Layout preview only. Wrapped lines are not a physical-size or print-ready layout.
Sample data loaded. These fictional addresses are not verified for delivery.
One or more lines are long. The preview wraps them to keep the full text visible. Check that each line fits legibly on your actual envelope; place a unit line above the street line if it cannot fit beside it.
Add an address to see your formatted text.
Clipboard access is unavailable. Select this text and use your device’s Copy command (Ctrl+C or ⌘C).
No address lookup, city/ZIP matching, or postage calculation. See supported formats.
03 / BEFORE YOU SEND
Make it easy to read,
and easy to get there.
Write the full name or business name, followed by the street address. For a PO Box, use PO BOX and the box number instead of a street line.
Add APT, STE, or UNIT and the number at the end of the street line. If it won’t fit, put the unit on the line immediately above the street address.
Use the two-letter state abbreviation and your correct ZIP Code. Keep a leading zero. Use ZIP+4 when you know it; don’t guess the extra digits.
Left-align each address block. Add your return address in the upper left and the correct postage in the upper right. Uppercase is recommended by USPS; readable mixed case is also acceptable.
04 / THE SMALL DETAILS
A little more help
before your letter goes out.
Put it in the upper-left corner on the address side of the envelope. It gives USPS a destination for undeliverable mail. Some mail classes and services require a return address; the builder’s optional setting does not override those rules.
USPS DMM 602, sections 1.5–1.6Place postage in the upper-right corner of the envelope. The Postage label in this guide only shows its position; it is not valid postage. Check USPS for the postage your letter needs.
USPS: How to Send a Letter, Step 3Use the correct unit type, such as APT or STE, followed by the unit number at the end of the street line. If it will not fit, place the unit information on the line immediately above the street address.
USPS Publication 28, section 213Write the recipient’s name, then PO BOX and the box number, then the city, state, and ZIP Code. Use the mailing details provided by the recipient. This builder handles a PO Box as an alternative to a street address.
USPS Publication 28, section 281USPS recommends including ZIP+4 whenever possible. Use it when you know the correct code; never invent the extra four digits. This builder accepts a five-digit ZIP Code or the 12345-6789 format and does not look up ZIP Codes.
USPS: How to Send a Letter, Address Format TipsNo. It arranges your input and checks basic field formats. It does not confirm that an address exists, match a city to a ZIP Code, or guarantee delivery. USPS prefers uppercase; lowercase can be acceptable when it meets postal readability guidelines. Capital letters are a formatting preference, not verification.
USPS Publication 28, section 212 (letter case)Our explanations are independently written. For current rules and special cases, go directly to USPS.