Address standardization

What is address standardization?

Address standardization is the first of three steps in the address data hygiene process. Once the addresses are standardized, the records are deduplicated. Then, address verification occurs. Address verification compares your addresses against the USPS database to ensure that the addresses are valid and deliverable.

Address Standardization and Deduplication

Addresses are first standardized, correcting spelling errors and formatting the data to meet USPS standards. Then the address records are deduplicated, identifying similar or identical records and removing the duplicates.

Address Standardization and Verification

Address standardization ensures that addresses are spelled and formatted correctly but does not guarantee that the addresses are valid or deliverable. Once the addresses are standardized and deduplicated, the address verification solution compares your addresses against the USPS database to validate the deliverability of the addresses. If information is incorrect or missing, address verification updates the records.

Address standardization is the process of correcting and formatting addresses to meet USPS standards.

Address standardization software:

• Fixes spelling errors
• Corrects abbreviations
• Formats capitalization to match the preferred format of the USPS
• Formats the ZIP code to ZIP + 4

Address standardization reduces costs on returned and undeliverable mail and helps ensure that you reach your target audience.

Examples of Address Standardization

Corrects Spelling Errors

Modifies Abbreviations to USPS Standards

Modifies Capitalization to USPS Standards

Formats the ZIP Code to the ZIP + 4 Code

Related links:

Read more about verifying addresses in real time.

Learn more about the best practices for regularly cleansing your address data.

Learn more about our deduplication and data-matching solution.