New Construction Address Not Recognized? (Do This Now)
Before moving into a brand-new home, there is a myriad of tasks that need to take place. Everything from submitting for building permits, surveying, floor planning, hiring construction contractors, electricians, plumbers, and many other actions need to be thoroughly planned out in advance. However, regardless of your new property’s location, it is required to be registered with the United States Post Office (USPS). Read here how to prove your residency before you begin receiving bills.
You’ll need to register your new home’s location to receive any mail. Private couriers such as Federal Express (FedEx) and the United Parcel Service (UPS) also rely on address registries in order to correctly deliver packages. Only then will your address be recognized.
Though a relatively simple task, it’s essential in the construction of your new property. We’ve outlined the steps you need to take in order to have your address recognized by the USPS so you can start getting mail immediately. Additionally, we provide some troubleshooting tips for why an address in the USPS database may not be recognized.
Related Content: FedEx Delivered To The Wrong Address | How To Install A Mailbox
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What Is Post Address Verification?
The United States Postal Service offers numerous ways for you to check if your address is valid and in their system. Postal address verification refers to the process used to check the legitimacy and deliverability of a physical mailing address. This is so that they can put the address into their system so that it’s recognized as an address that mail can be delivered to.
According to the United States Postal Service, an address is deemed mailable if it is CASS-certified. This means that the address exists in a complete list of valid mailing addresses within their Address Management System. If your address is not recognized or invalid, it’s either not in the USPS’ Address Management System or another human error is occurring.
Video: Getting USPS to Recognize Your Address
How Do I Register My New Construction Address?
To have your new construction address recognized by the USPS and be able to receive mail, it needs to be registered. Follow the following steps in order to register your new address with the United States Postal Service:
Gather All the Necessary Information
Begin by gathering all of the necessary documentation and information pertaining to your new construction property. You’ll need to include copies of your land deed as well as, at least, two forms of personal identification. Make sure that you provide all of the pages of your deed.
The USPS will use the longitude and latitude information within your deed to correctly calculate your new construction’s location. Nowadays, most deeds even include detailed Global Positioning System (GPS) information for the property. All of this information is very important for registering your address with the USPS.
Visit Your Local Post Office
Make a visit to your nearest local Post Office and ask to speak with the Postmaster about registering a mailing address for a brand-new property. Hand over the documents you collected to the Postmaster and filled out any of the official forms they give to you.
The Postmaster will collect the forms and make copies of your title documents and property deed. Keep all of the paperwork for your own records.
Now that you’ve dropped off the documents and filled out the necessary forms, when should you expect to receive mail? In most cases, mail delivery will begin immediately after registration. However, in some more remote areas, you may experience a delay of one or more weeks.
Install A Federally Approved Mailbox
Since the Postmaster has officially approved your registration, you’ll want to set up a federally approved mailbox. This can be installed either in the front of your home or at the edge of your driveway. Here are some general guidelines to follow when placing your new mailbox:
- Make sure that your house or apartment number is clearly visible on the mailbox.
- If your mailbox is situated on a different street from your apartment or home, in order to avoid confusion, inscribe your full address on the box.
- Your mailbox should be placed 41″ to 45″ from the road to the bottom of the box or area that the mail enters.
- Your mailbox should be positioned 6″ to 8″ away from your street’s curb. However, if your street does not have a curb, you should contact your local postmaster for guidance.
What If My Mailbox Is On My Patio?
If your mailbox is on your patio, that’s completely fine. There are still plenty of homes that have their mailboxes on their patio as opposed to near this street. This is especially common in neighborhoods where the homes are close together or for houses that reside on the curve of a road.
Talk to your post office first to make sure it’s okay for your region to have porch mailboxes. This will differ from area to area, and you don’t want to miss out on getting your mail!
My Address Is Registered But Still Not Recognized By The USPS
For a mailing address to be recognized or listed as valid, it has to match a corresponding address in the United States Postal Services’ official address database. If the address you entered has any incorrect information, it will not match an address in the database and will therefore be labeled “invalid.” Here are some things to look out for and reasons why your address might be coming up unrecognized:
- Human input error. Double-check that the address you’ve entered is the same as the one that was registered. Never underestimate the power of human error. Mistakes happen.
- Incorrect Information. Though similar to the above point, sometimes information is not correct. It could be a wrong postal code, incorrectly spelled city name, or wrong street address. It doesn’t hurt to double-check everything.
- Missing information. It may not be that you’ve entered information incorrectly; it could be that you’re missing some pieces entirely. The system will have difficulty validating an address if you don’t enter the street name or leave out the house number.
- False information. In some cases, the information is falsified. This likely won’t be an issue for you since you should be aware of what your new construction address is. However, it’s ubiquitous for people to falsify an address to steal an identity, hide their own, or for other personal gain.
- Not registered or new address. It’s not the postal system’s job to keep track of every new address out there that wants mail. That’s why it’s essential that you follow the above outlined steps in order to register your new construction address.
- Unoccupied. Another error that you most likely won’t encounter. Nonetheless, if no one is using an address, it simply will not show up in the database because no one registered it.
What Is Standardization?
Before a new mailing address is officially CASS-certified, it has to be standardized. This refers to the process by which the address is converted into a standard format by correcting it. For example, in some cases missing information is added, such as a valid ZIP code, in order to produce a complete mail address that consists of a street address, city, state, and ZIP code.
Abbreviation is one example of standardization. They are used whenever possible by the USPS to shorten and further clarify an address. Another typical example is spelling correction. Commonly misspelled words are corrected in order to produce a deliverable address.
Make Sure Your Mailbox Is Viewable
Sometimes, mailboxes can be easily missed because it blends in with the nearby bushes or structures. Other times, a mailbox may be in someone’s driveway, near the sidewalk, behind a sign or post. In this instance, you need to make sure that it’s visible.
Tips To Make Your Mailbox More Visible To Your Courier
- Have your mailbox stand out. Your mailbox shouldn’t be a deep green color or a color that will blend in with any other material. Check out these Mailbox Post Ideas.
- Remove it from behind fixtures. If you have a free-standing post, ensure that you move the post out from behind the bushes or structures. That way, your courier can see where your mailbox is.
- Move signs. If there is a sign that’s placed in front of your mailbox, move it. Or, if it’s installed, you will need to call the city to inform them that it’s interfering with your mail delivery.
- Place your name in your mailbox. Remember, USPS personnel are people too. Make sure you have your last name or family name inside of the mailbox. Include every last name of the individuals who live there.
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Wrapping It Up
Since it’s not the job of the Postal Service to keep tabs on who would like to receive mail, it’s up to you to register your new construction address. If you’ve concluded that you’re not experiencing a human error, incorrect or missing information, then you should make a trip to your local Post Office.
After speaking with your Postmaster, handing over necessary documentation, and filling out all the official forms, your new address should now be able to receive mail.
For more valuable tips on how to make the most of your new construction, check out: “ Cost to Furnish a 2000 Sq Ft Home: Budgeting & Cost By Room” and “ Building a House For Under $200k: Costs & Money-Saving Tips.”
Jessica considers herself a home improvement and design enthusiast. She grew up surrounded by constant home improvement projects and owes most of what she knows to helping her dad renovate her childhood home. Being a Los Angeles resident, Jessica spends a lot of her time looking for her next DIY project and sharing her love for home design.
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