Yes, The Right Postal Procedures Can Speed Your Mail…And Save You Money!

Zip it: Zip coding, which is mandatory for bulk mail, can speed up delivery. Where sorting machines actually “read” zip codes, more mail per hour is speeded through at every operation station. Mail minus a zip code must be held for conventional sorting at slower speeds! Be sure, too, that your own zip code shows on your return address. And
for easy coding, use the National Zip Code Directory.

Addresses: For automatic machine sorting that gives you faster service, follow these simple rules:

1. City, State and Zip Code should appear in that sequence on bottom lines.
2. Delivery point must appear on the second line from the bottom, directly above the name of the city. If both a street address and post office box used, mail will be delivered to the location given on the line immediately above the city, state, and zip code.
3. Apartment, suite and room numbers should appear immediately after the street address on the right side.
4. Accounting numbers, subscription and presort codes should be entered on the line immediately above addressee’s name.
5. Lower right half of envelope must be kept free of printing or symbols.
6. Addresses should be placed at least 1" in from the left and right edge of the envelope and the bottom of the last line should be at least 5/8" up from the bottom edge of the envelope. The last line should be no more than 2 1/4" from the bottom edge of the envelope.
7. Using block-style type, address should be in uppercase letters without punctuation.
8. Window envelope inserts should show only address in window, with at least 1/4" between address and all four edges of envelope.

For detailed Postal Addressing Standards consult U.S. Postal Service Publication 123.