How It Works - Delivery Address Verification

Delivery Address Verification uses an advanced matching process to verify and correct addresses. The system deals with each unique element of an address for complete address accuracy. Items such as suffixes, directionals, apartment numbers, suite numbers, post office boxes, and rural/highway contract route addresses, as well as city names and prestige city names are verified and corrected if necessary.

The existence of the street and street address is also verified (see examples below). The validation process is typically handled in less than two seconds and can take place before, or concurrent with, credit card authorization. If the address cannot be validated, order processing stops and a decline message is returned to the merchant's server, along with detailed information that identifies specific problems with the non-valid delivery address. The merchant then prompts the consumer for resolution.

Meets CASS Requirements & Other USPS Regulations

DAV utilizes an address system that is certified by the USPS as meeting all requirements of the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS). CASS is the process that assures accurate carrier route, 5-Digit, ZIP+4 Codes, and Delivery Point Barcodes are accurate. CASS certification ensures that addresses can qualify for automation-based discount rates.

Besides meeting all USPS standards on ZIP codes for discounts and incentives, DAV standardizes each input address to conform to the Postal Service's requirements for format and content. The program does this by:

  • Adding missing address information
  • Standardizing city names and two-character state abbreviations
  • Correcting misspelled address elements
  • Converting addresses into a format readable by USPS automation equipment

If the intended target address is:

9665 Begonia Drive
San Francisco, CA 94123

The error conditions shown below can be detected.

Note: Delivery address verification also compensates for mild misspellings and incorrect or missing street directives (i.e., Drive, Street, Route, North, South, East, West).

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