The recipient’s address on a letter or package to the USA should be written in the center or right part of the envelope. The sender’s address, to which the package will be returned if the recipient cannot be reached, is placed in the top left corner. When writing an address, the general rule is to start with the recipient’s name, followed by the smallest unit, and proceed to the country name. In this article, you will find three examples of how to correctly write an address on a letter to the USA.
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Table of Contents
How to Write the Recipient’s Address on a Letter or Package to the USA
On the first line, always include the recipient’s first and last name along with the title. On the second line, write the street name and house number. On the third line, list the city, state code, and the ZIP code for the given address. On the fourth line, include the country name—either “United States” or “USA“.
✉️ Example of an Address for a Private Letter to the USA
Return to:
Petr Novák
201 Borough High St
London SE1 1JA
United Kingdom
MR. JOHN DOE (title + first and last name)
143 PALM STREET (house number + street name)
HERMOSA BEACH CA 90254 (city + state + ZIP code)
UNITED STATES (country)✔️ House Number Goes Before the Street Name
In American addresses, the house number always comes first, followed by the street name.
✔️ Abbreviations for U.S. States
A two-letter postal code is commonly used to denote the state in the address. Check out all the abbreviations for U.S. states.
✔️ ZIP Codes in the USA
A ZIP code is a postal code unique to a specific area. It consists of five digits, and in some cases, an additional four digits may be added. You can look up a ZIP code for any address on the USPS website.
✔️ Street Direction as Part of the Address
Some U.S. addresses include directional orientation such as “West (W)”, “East (E)”, “South (S)”, or “North (N)”. In one area, there may be two identical addresses, differing only by the directional orientation. If the address includes direction, it is crucial for accurate delivery, so always include it on the letter or package.
✔️ Where to Write the Apartment Number
If the destination address is located in a large building, it may include an apartment or unit number. This is especially common for residential buildings with many people. The apartment number is written after the street name in the format “APT 502”.
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How to Write the Address on a Business Letter to the USA
The address format is the same as for a private letter, with the company name written on the second line, under the recipient’s name.
✉️ Example of an Address for a Letter to a Company in the USA
Return to:
Petr Novák
201 Borough High St
London SE1 1JA
United Kingdom
MR. JOHN DOE (title + first and last name)
PROCRASTIPLAN INC. (company name)
143 PALM STREET (house number + street name)
HERMOSA BEACH CA 90254 (city + state + ZIP code)
UNITED STATES (country) -
How to Write the Address on a Letter to a U.S. PO BOX
The address format is similar to a private letter, but the address line is replaced with the identification of the postal box.
✉️ Example of an Address for a Letter to a U.S. PO BOX
Return to:
Petr Novák
201 Borough High St
London SE1 1JA
United Kingdom
MR. JOHN DOE (title + first and last name)
PO BOX 323 (postal box number)
HERMOSA BEACH CA 90254 (city + state + ZIP code)
UNITED STATES (country)
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