A ZIP code identifies a delivery area; a mailing list identifies specific recipients. Direct mail campaigns use both, but they come from different sources and are governed by different rules. This guide explains how ZIP codes fit into building and cleaning a mailing list.
A ZIP directory is not an address list
Looking up a ZIP code tells you the postal place, state and county, and in our case an approximate coordinate. It does not tell you who lives there or their street addresses, and a ZIP code can never be turned into a list of valid addresses by generating numbers.
Mailing every address in an area
USPS Every Door Direct Mail lets you send a piece to every address on selected carrier routes within a ZIP code without owning a list. You choose routes on a map, print pieces to the required format and pay a per-piece rate. It is the simplest legal way to saturate a neighbourhood.
Buying or renting a targeted list
For a list of specific households or businesses, obtain data from a licensed list provider and follow its permitted uses. Filter by ZIP code, radius or carrier route, and record the source and date. Our ZIP code radius finder helps you define the ZIP codes around a location.
Keep the list deliverable
- CASS certification standardizes addresses and adds ZIP+4, which is required for automation discounts.
- NCOA processing updates addresses for people who have moved.
- Presorting by ZIP and carrier route lowers postage.