Global address verification checker

What does address validation mean? Address verification (also called address validation) is the process of running an address through a tool that checks with other master databases (like the USPS or other verified 3rd-party data) to see if the entered address matches. If a match is found, the address is considered valid.

In the validation process, the standardized version of the address is usually returned alongside a "valid match" result. Addresses entered can also have a partial match, where part of the address matches the database's address, but one part may be unconfirmed or contain errors.

Address validation verifies that a postal address exists, includes all necessary components for successful delivery, and is formatted according to postal service standards. This process corrects common errors, standardizes the format, and can fill in missing information by cross-referencing against official postal databases.

This means that the address entered doesn't match or even partially match a record out of all of the address databases we've consulted. This doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't a place where people live or work. (Although that's the case if the address is just a bogus one.) Sometimes this happens when a new address isn't in any existing databases yet.

So, USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc., can't validate your address? You might not be able to validate your address for 4 reasons:

1. You're living in a newly constructed building, and the address hasn't been added to the postal service's address database yet.
2. Elements of the entered address (like a ZIP Code or house number) contain typos or are misspelled.
3. Address components are missing (like a unit number or state), and so the validation results are a "no match" when performing an address check.
4. Your address lookup software isn't very accurate or up-to-date. This can be the case if you're using data quality tools other than Smarty's (we update our data monthly). In that case, your lookup might be a false negative (saying that your address isn't valid, when it is, but the authoritative database your tool is pulling from hasn't been updated to reflect that location's mailability).

Use address validation software to standardize your data. Postal address verification tools check addresses against a master database for a match, and the validation results will display the standardized address alongside broken-down address components, geographic coordinates, and enrichment data points surrounding it.

An example of a valid address is one with all the address parts present that matches an address in an authoritative database. Here's an address you can test out in our tool:

1476 Sandhill Rd
Orem UT 84058-7310

Hey. We work there!

By having separate APIs, we can give you better results regarding geo-location, redundancy, independent scalability, and traffic prioritization. Our APIs are supported with stellar docs and SDKs to make setting up a snap. But if you need help, we're here for you.

There isn't much difference between address validation and address verification. It's common practice to refer to address verification and address validation as the same thing. Technically, verification refers to checking against an authoritative database, while validation would confirm compliance with a customer's or project's requirements. In location data intelligence realms, verification and validation are commonly used interchangeably.

To verify or validate an address, you would simply compare it against an authoritative, trusted source, such as the USPS database, by entering it into a shipping address checker or address validation software. You can use Smarty's free address verification tool at the top of this page to verify or validate any address against not only the entire USPS database (Smarty is USPS CASS certified), but also Smarty's proprietary database of more than 20 million deliverable, non-postal addresses.

Not only will our tools verify the address, but they'll also enrich the data, telling you things like if your address is residential or commercial, fill in missing data points like a ZIP+4 Code, and verify whether or not you can send mail there.

Address validation software performs many functions, alongside just validating an address. The process calls on authoritative data sets to get the complete picture of an address using APIs. Here's how address validation works in a nutshell:

• Parsing: An address is divided into parts, such as house number, street name, city, and ZIP Code.
• Standardizing and correcting: Typos, misspellings, and formatting issues are corrected to ensure mailability to that address. (Without this step, delivery success is hit or miss, and checkout errors can occur in ecommerce practices.) In the U.S., this often means standardizing to the format required by the United States Postal Service (USPS), including using the proper ZIP+4 Code and secondary indicators like a unit number. Standardization includes normalization, such as applying proper casing and abbreviations.
• Completing: The system can infer and add missing information, such as a missing city or ZIP Code.
• Verifying deliverability: The service confirms that someone can deliver a package or letter to the specific address using protocols like USPS Delivery Point Validation (DPV).
• Geocoding: Some validation services (like ours here at Smarty) also assign latitude and longitude coordinates to the address, giving you the capability to perform geolocation-based analysis and mapping on your end.

Use this free address verifier (top of page) to cleanse, correct, standardize, normalize, validate, and verify addresses worldwide. To begin your address check or verification of an address, enter or paste your address in a single line or by components. Addresses entered in a single line will be parsed into address field components.

As you enter an address, valid, deliverable address predictions appear based on your location. Bad addresses are corrected if possible and standardized to the address format of the specified country. US addresses are verified against the USPS address database and Smarty's proprietary dataset of 20+ million non-postal addresses.

Checking if an address is correct is also known as address verification or validation. To check address validity, simply enter it into Smarty's free shipping address checker (address verifier) at the top of this page. Our US Address Verification also works as an address corrector as well, and footnotes returned with verification results will show you what needs to change in order to obtain a match. Select US Address Verification plans take it further—showing whether each component of an address was confirmed and what changes are needed to make it valid.

Yes, it does. Use Smarty's Single Address Verification Tool at the top of the page to not only verify addresses in the USPS database but also 20 million additional non-USPS addresses that Smarty has found to be valid and deliverable.

Yes, the USPS postal address APIs are free to use. But beware of many limitations. See 25 reasons why Smarty's address APIs are clearly a better choice than the USPS address corrector tool. If you're looking to validate a single address, just use the free address verifier tool above.

The various reasons why the USPS might fail to verify your address include:

• The address contains bad data
• The address is marked "vacant" by the USPS
• The address is too new to have been picked up by the USPS
• The address is unregistered
• The address is in a postal code primarily serviced by PO boxes

For additional information, see Why Won't My Address Verify / Validate?

If the USPS won't verify your address, try using the address validator tool above, as it references not only the USPS database but also Smarty's proprietary list of more than 20 million non-postal addresses that are verified as deliverable.

To verify an incomplete USPS address, enter your information in Smarty's USPS valid address checker at the top of the page. In many cases, the address standardization tool can validate an address after appending missing data, such as the city, ZIP Code, or street direction.

Simple. Use the free international address format generator above to check any international address. The above address validator tool checks both residential and business addresses, whether inside or outside the US.