How to Write an Address on an Envelope
Write the name of the recipient on the first line., Place the letter in care of someone else (optional)., Write the street address or post office box number on the second line., Write the city, state, and ZIP code on the third line., If you're...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write the name of the recipient on the first line.
The first line should contain the name of the person who will be receiving the letter.
How you write the name should depend on how he or she likes to be addressed.
If, for instance, you know your aunt prefers a certain level of anonymity, you could simply list her as "P.
Jones," instead of "Polly Jones." Include any necessary titles.
You can probably skip titles for close friends and family members, but you might consider including them for government officials, military personnel, doctors, professors, or elderly people.
For instance, if you were addressing a letter to your elderly aunt Polly who was widowed many years ago, you might call her "Mrs.
Polly Jones."
If you're sending someone a letter to an address where he or she does not regularly reside, it might be wise to include a "care of" or "courtesy of" line below the name.
Write "c/o" before the name of the person who does live there, the hotel, the hostel, etc.
For instance, if your aunt Polly is staying with a cousin for a few weeks and you're sending her a letter there, you might write "c/o Henry Roth" below her name. , If you're writing a street address, be sure to include any directional notation (such as "400 West" instead of simply "400") or apartment numbers.
If the street address and apartment number are so long that they don't fit on one line, just write the apartment number on the line below the street address.
For example, if your friend lives on 50 Oakland Avenue in apartment #206, write, "50 Oakland Ave, #206." You can use some abbreviations for the type of street it is, as long as you use them correctly.
You can write blvd instead of boulevard, ctr instead of center, ct instead of court, dr instead of drive, ln instead of lane and so on.If you're addressing a letter using a PO box, there's no need to include the street address of the post office.
Based on the ZIP code, the postal service will know where the PO box is. , The state should be abbreviated with two letters, not spelled out.
You can use a 9-digit ZIP code, though you don't have to.
Five digits should be enough. , If you're sending a letter from outside the US, you'll need to change your format slightly.
Write the city and state on one line, "United States of America" on the line beneath that, and the ZIP code on the last line. , -
Step 2: Place the letter in care of someone else (optional).
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Step 3: Write the street address or post office box number on the second line.
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Step 4: Write the city
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Step 5: and ZIP code on the third line.
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Step 6: If you're mailing from another country
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Step 7: write "United States" on the address.
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Step 8: Finished.
Detailed Guide
The first line should contain the name of the person who will be receiving the letter.
How you write the name should depend on how he or she likes to be addressed.
If, for instance, you know your aunt prefers a certain level of anonymity, you could simply list her as "P.
Jones," instead of "Polly Jones." Include any necessary titles.
You can probably skip titles for close friends and family members, but you might consider including them for government officials, military personnel, doctors, professors, or elderly people.
For instance, if you were addressing a letter to your elderly aunt Polly who was widowed many years ago, you might call her "Mrs.
Polly Jones."
If you're sending someone a letter to an address where he or she does not regularly reside, it might be wise to include a "care of" or "courtesy of" line below the name.
Write "c/o" before the name of the person who does live there, the hotel, the hostel, etc.
For instance, if your aunt Polly is staying with a cousin for a few weeks and you're sending her a letter there, you might write "c/o Henry Roth" below her name. , If you're writing a street address, be sure to include any directional notation (such as "400 West" instead of simply "400") or apartment numbers.
If the street address and apartment number are so long that they don't fit on one line, just write the apartment number on the line below the street address.
For example, if your friend lives on 50 Oakland Avenue in apartment #206, write, "50 Oakland Ave, #206." You can use some abbreviations for the type of street it is, as long as you use them correctly.
You can write blvd instead of boulevard, ctr instead of center, ct instead of court, dr instead of drive, ln instead of lane and so on.If you're addressing a letter using a PO box, there's no need to include the street address of the post office.
Based on the ZIP code, the postal service will know where the PO box is. , The state should be abbreviated with two letters, not spelled out.
You can use a 9-digit ZIP code, though you don't have to.
Five digits should be enough. , If you're sending a letter from outside the US, you'll need to change your format slightly.
Write the city and state on one line, "United States of America" on the line beneath that, and the ZIP code on the last line. ,
About the Author
Jacqueline Reed
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Jacqueline Reed brings 8 years of hands-on experience to every article. Jacqueline believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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