Q&A for How to Write an Address on an Envelope

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  • Question
    What do I need to write on the back side of envelope?
    Community Answer
    You don't need to write anything on the back (flap) side of the envelope. All information, including the address and return address, should go on the front of the envelope. If you'd like to be fancy, you can place a sticker over the bottom of the "flap" on the back of the envelope. This will give it an old-fashioned look.
  • Question
    How do I address a letter to a university?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First line: name of specific person and position, if known. Second line: name of university. Third line: street address or P.O. Box. Fourth line: city, state, and zip or post code.
  • Question
    What do you do with an envelope of an invitation where the invitees' names don't fit on the first line?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Take as many lines as necessary to list the invitees. List all of them above the mailing address.
  • Question
    How do you address a class reunion invitation? Would I write the name of my classmates, or should I call them Mr. and Mrs.?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you're trying to be formal, use the titles.
  • Question
    If there is a street address and a P.O. Box, which comes first in the address?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you know the addressee prefers to receive mail at one address or the other, list that address ''below'' the other. When in doubt, write the address the same way the addressee writes his/her/their address in correspondence.
  • Question
    How do I address an envelope to a member of the military?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Include his/her rank, the name of the military facility and its mailing address.
  • Question
    What do I do if I don't have the person's name?
    Community Answer
    If you have their last name, address them as Mr/Mrs/Ms. If you don't, address them as, To the residents of: and then write their address.
  • Question
    How do I address an envelope to just the married woman and not her spouse?
    Emma Voigt
    Community Answer
    You could just write: Mrs.(last name). Since this only mentions her, it is addressed to her.
  • Question
    How can include the family when addressing an envelope, such as "Laura Smith and Family?"
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    That works fine, or you could list each first name individually, such as "Laura, Bob, Ethan, and Elizabeth Smith."
  • Question
    How do you designate on the envelope that the letter is personal?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    You could write "Personal" or something like, "To be opened by the addressee only."
  • Question
    The article says the state should be abbreviated with two letters instead of spelled out. Yet, in the photo diagram, the state is written out. Which is correct?
    Community Answer
    You may do either. They're both correct.
  • Question
    If I need to write "NE," should there be a period between the letters?
    Community Answer
    You should omit commas and periods when writing addresses on envelopes.
  • Question
    How do I address an envelope to a couple with different last names?
    Community Answer
    Write both of their names, like, "Mrs. Victoria Banks and Mr. Reynold Smith."
  • Question
    Where do I put the house number if they don't live in an apartment?
    Community Answer
    That would be the beginning of the address (at least in the USA). 1234 Nowhere Ln. would indicate house #1234, on Nowhere Lane.
  • Question
    Is it valid to add another line underneath the city, state, and zip code line?
    Community Answer
    Sure. Generally, the only reason you'd do that is to put the name of the foreign country you're sending the letter to. Anything more specific should be somewhere up higher.
  • Question
    How would I address an envelope to a married couple if the woman is a doctor?
    Community Answer
    "Dr." not Mrs. The person with a professional title is always listed first. For example, you would write: "Dr. Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith."
  • Question
    What format should I use to write a forwarding address on a letter in the United States?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    All addresses (forwarding or not) should be written this way: name on the first line; street address or P.O. Box on the second line; city, two-letter state abbreviation, and zip code on the third line. If you are handwriting the address, use all capital letters on all lines (for legibility).
  • Question
    How do you address a married couple whose names are Dr. John Doe and Dr. Jane Smith?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Assuming it is a formal letter, address them exactly as you have shown above - "Dr. John Doe and Dr. Jane Smith".
  • Question
    How do I address an envelope to two parties that both need to be addressed as Rev.?
    Community Answer
    Revs. John Doe and Jim Doe; optionally, you could list them individually, with the title before each of them: Rev. John Doe and Rev. Jim Doe.
  • Question
    How do I address an envelope when the individual I'm sending the letter to is a junior?
    Community Answer
    When addressing to a "junior" or "senior" it is customary to write that element (or "Jr." or "Sr.") on the outer envelope.
  • Question
    When addressing the name, do you use their first name then last name or last name then first name?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    First name, then last.
  • Question
    How to address to a married couple?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    "John and Jane Smith," "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" or "The Smiths." If they don't have the same last name, "John Smith and Jane Brown." (In each case, you can list Jane first if you prefer).
  • Question
    What is the proper way to address a class reunion invitation envelope if it's a female married classmate?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Use her first name and married name, or you could write her first name, maiden name and married name.
  • Question
    When addressing an envelope to a law firm, the firm name can at times have a name so long it will not fit on one line. However, all names must be listed on the envelope. What should I do in this case?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Either use smaller lettering or continue the company name on an indented second line. In the latter case, put the rest of the address on the third and fourth lines. The Postal Service won't care about this, as long as the bottom two lines follow the standard form. (If you want to be slightly less formal, you could list just two names followed by "and Partners" on the first line.)
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