Last updated: October 28, 2026
Here is how to address an envelope: write the recipient’s name, street address, and city, state and ZIP Code on three lines in the lower center of the front. Put your return address in the top left corner and the stamp in the top right corner. Print clearly, ideally in capital letters, with no commas or periods.
This guide follows the U.S. Postal Service’s letter-mailing instructions and its addressing standard, Publication 28. All names and addresses in the examples are made up.
Contents
- How to address an envelope step by step
- Envelope address format and example
- Where the return address and stamp go
- How to address an envelope with an apartment number
- How to address an envelope to a PO box
- How to address an envelope to a person at a business
- How to address an envelope in care of someone
- How to address an envelope to a married couple or family
- How to address an envelope to Canada or another country
- Street abbreviations to use
- Frequently asked questions
How to address an envelope step by step
- Write your return address in the top left corner.
- Write the delivery address in the lower center. Line 1 is the recipient’s name, line 2 is the street address and unit number, and line 3 is the city, state abbreviation and ZIP Code.
- Add the country on a final line only if the letter is going outside the United States.
- Put the stamp in the top right corner. One Forever stamp covers a standard letter up to 1 ounce.
- Check it. Use a pen or permanent marker, keep the left edges of each line aligned, and use the ZIP+4 Code if you know it.
Envelope address format and example
USPS Publication 28 says to give every line a uniform left margin and that uppercase letters are preferred, although clear lowercase is acceptable. Here is the standard envelope address format:
| Line | What goes on it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recipient’s full name or company | MS JANE SMITH |
| 2 | Street number, street name and unit | 123 MAPLE AVE APT 4B |
| 3 | City, two-letter state and ZIP Code | SPRINGFIELD IL 62704-1234 |
| 4 (international only) | Country name in full | CANADA |
On the last line, Publication 28 asks for at least one space between the city, state and ZIP Code, and two spaces before the ZIP Code are preferred. Commas are optional, and USPS’s consumer guidance says to leave them out.
Where the return address and stamp go
The return address goes in the top left corner, so undeliverable mail can come back to you. The stamp goes in the top right corner, and the delivery address sits in the bottom center. USPS also notes that the delivery address must be on the same side as the postage.
JOHN DOE
45 OAK ST
MADISON WI 53703
If you are mailing a payment, our guide on how to write a check covers filling out the check before it goes in the envelope.
How to address an envelope with an apartment number
Put the apartment number at the end of the street address line, not on its own line. Publication 28 says secondary unit designators such as APT or STE are required when an address has them, and the preferred spot is the end of the delivery address line. If it will not fit, put the unit on the line directly above the street address.
MR CARLOS RIVERA
200 PINE ST APT 12
SEATTLE WA 98101
If you use the pound sign (#), leave a space after it, as in 200 PINE ST # 12. Common designators:
| Unit type | USPS abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Apartment | APT |
| Suite | STE |
| Unit | UNIT |
| Building | BLDG |
| Floor | FL |
| Room | RM |
How to address an envelope to a PO box
Publication 28 says a Post Office Box should be written as PO BOX followed by the number, with no periods. Words such as CALLER, BIN, LOCKBOX or DRAWER should be changed to PO BOX.
MS ANNA LEE
PO BOX 1234
AUSTIN TX 78767
Some post offices let box holders use the post office’s street address with the box number written as a unit, for example 100 MAIN ST UNIT 1234. Use that form only if the recipient gave it to you.
How to address an envelope to a person at a business
To send mail to a specific person at a company, add an attention line. Publication 28 places the attention line above the firm name:
ATTN MARIA GOMEZ
ACME SUPPLY CO
500 COMMERCE BLVD STE 300
DENVER CO 80202
How to address an envelope in care of someone
Use “c/o” (in care of) when the recipient does not normally get mail at that address, such as a guest staying with family. Put the recipient on the first line and C/O plus the name of the person or business that lives there on the second line:
MR SAM PATEL
C/O DAVID KIM
78 ELM DR
COLUMBUS OH 43215
How to address an envelope to a married couple or family
The post office only needs a name it can match to the address, so the format here is a matter of etiquette, not postal rules. Common choices for invitations and holiday cards:
- Couple with the same last name: MR AND MRS JAMES TAYLOR, or JAMES AND LINDA TAYLOR.
- Couple with different last names: MS LINDA PARK AND MR JAMES TAYLOR, on one line or two.
- A whole family: THE TAYLOR FAMILY, or THE TAYLORS.
- Family with named children: list the adults on line 1 and the children on line 2, then the street address.
How to address an envelope to Canada or another country
For international mail, USPS says the bottom line should show only the country name, written in full and preferably in capital letters, with no postal code on that line.
For Canada, Canada Post’s addressing guidelines ask for uppercase letters, the two-letter province abbreviation, one space between the city and province, and two spaces between the province and the postal code. The postal code has a space in the middle and no hyphen. Canada Post also prefers a hyphen between the unit and street number instead of the # sign.
MS EMILY CHEN
10-123 MAIN ST
OTTAWA ON K1A 0B1
CANADA
Street abbreviations to use
These abbreviations come from the official USPS street suffix table:
| Street type | USPS abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Street | ST |
| Avenue | AVE |
| Road | RD |
| Boulevard | BLVD |
| Drive | DR |
| Lane | LN |
| Court | CT |
| Place | PL |
| Circle | CIR |
| Parkway | PKWY |
| Highway | HWY |
| Terrace | TER |
State names use the two-letter postal codes, such as NY, CA and TX. Before a holiday, it also helps to check whether the post office is open; for example, see USPS hours on Labor Day and post office hours on Columbus Day. Mailing official forms has its own rules, as in our answer on renewing a child’s passport by mail.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the stamp go on an envelope?
The stamp goes in the upper right corner of the envelope, on the same side as the delivery address. USPS lists a First-Class Mail Forever stamp at $0.82 for a standard 1-ounce letter.
Where do you put the return address on an envelope?
Write the return address in the top left corner of the front of the envelope, with your name, street address and city, state and ZIP Code on separate lines.
Do you put a comma between city and state on an envelope?
You do not need to. USPS recommends leaving out commas and periods; just put at least one space between the city, the two-letter state abbreviation and the ZIP Code.
Can I use # for an apartment number?
Yes, but USPS prefers the correct designator, such as APT or STE, when it is known. If you use the pound sign, leave a space between # and the number.
How do you address an envelope to a PO box?
Put the recipient’s name on the first line, PO BOX and the box number on the second line, and the city, state and ZIP Code on the last line.
Does it matter if I write an address in lowercase?
Lowercase is acceptable if it is clear and readable, but USPS says uppercase letters are preferred on every line of the address block.
Sources
- USPS: How to Send a Letter
- USPS Publication 28: Postal Addressing Standards
- USPS Publication 28, Appendix C1: Street Suffix Abbreviations
- Canada Post: How to address letters and parcels
Image: “Stamped envelope addressed to Capt. M. Patterson,” 1861–1865, Gladstone Collection of African American Photographs, Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized.
