Browse by situation
Address types
Some destinations use a different address format entirely, not just an extra line. One page per type, with the lines written out so you can match yours exactly.
- 01How to address a business envelopeStandard format, return address sizing rules, and how to align a letter so the address shows correctly through a window envelope.7 min
- 02How to address an envelope internationallyThe one universal rule, plus real format examples for eight countries where postal code placement and address order genuinely differ.8 min
- 03How to address mail to APO, FPO and DPOWhat APO, FPO and DPO mean, which region code goes with which part of the world, and the lines you must leave off.8 min
- 04How to address an envelope to a PO BoxThe PO Box format, why you should never put a street address and a box number on the same envelope, and how PMB is different.7 min
- 05How to address an envelope to a rural routeThe RR and box number format, why your rural address might already have a real street address you have never used, and how highway contract routes are different.6 min
Questions people ask
Does the Postal Service really read from the bottom up?
Yes. The last line is city, state and ZIP, and the line directly above it is treated as the delivery line. Everything above that is read as extra information.