USPS “Insufficient Address” – How to Fix an Address

As you may be aware, addresses are the foundation of successful package deliveries. Without them, the delivery service has no way of knowing where the package or mail will go. It’s incredibly important to make sure that an address is properly formatted with all of the USPS address guidelines. But what happens when we believe we’ve entered the correct address and we receive the dreaded “Insufficient Address” message?

 

What Is USPS Error “Insufficient Address”?

The USPS error “Insufficient Address” means that some part of the address is wrong or missing, preventing the successful delivery of your parcel. This could be due to several different factors, including incorrect or misspelled information, damaged address labels, or an error with the physical location such as a public condemnation or missing location.

Understanding the “Insufficient Address” Message

Whatever the reason, this can be incredibly frustrating for both the sender and the receiver. There are a few things that we can do to check and validate the address’s accuracy. While this doesn’t guarantee that a package or piece of mail can be delivered, it’s a great first step in solving the issue of the address not being sufficient for delivery.

Verify the Address With the Recipient

This one may seem a bit obvious, but it’s surprising how often we may mishear or misread an address. Something as simple as not having the correct directional, such as 8276 S CONNECTICUT AVE, can render a piece of mail undeliverable and present an insufficient address error.

Contact the person receiving the mail and double-check the house or apartment number, correct street name, and ZIP code. If all of the address seems correct, it may be best to contact USPS.

 

How to Fix an Insufficient Address

Now that we know what an insufficient address is and what the likely causes of it are, the next steps will help us make any needed corrections prior to attempting the reshipment of the mail.

First, determine exactly where the mail is. If it’s still at a local post office, there’s a good chance that the problem can be fixed, assuming the correct address is available, without too big of a delay. Beyond that, however, it may be too late to handle it locally. For damaged labels or mail without a return address, the USPS will usually reroute the parcel to the Recovery Center. Once the mail is there, USPS employees will open the package and attempt to acquire the correct address.

If the label is free of damage and the parcel has a valid return address, USPS typically returns the package to the sender within a few days. If this happens, the sender is responsible for paying the shipping fees again.

 

Address Validation

Address validation helps to prevent the insufficient address error message by verifying and validating the correct address prior to shipping. Address validation software contains millions of verified addresses to help with procuring the correct address, especially when the recipient cannot be reached for manual verification.

SmartSoftDQ’s AccuMail APIs allow for address verification functionality to be integrated with most commerce platforms and ERPs. Whether you need to verify one single address or handle larger address batches, AccuMail delivers instantaneous address validation, saving you and your customers time and money.

 

Ready to end the pain of out-of-date addresses? Send us an email and one of our address experts will show you the power of the best address verification software available.