The importance of direct mail marketing to many business structures cannot be overemphasized. However, its efficiency can be undermined by incorrect or incomplete addresses.
To curb this danger, the United States Postal Service (USPS) developed a certification tool called the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS). This program will help prevent lost shipments, wasted resources, and poor customer experiences due to faulty addresses.
Here we take a look at what this tool entails, why it is essential for businesses that deal with large volumes of address data, and easy ways to get certified.
Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)
CASS stands for coding accuracy support system and it is a USPS-certified tool that allows businesses to evaluate their address matching software packages. These address-matching software utilize the USPS database. CASS ensures software accuracy to verify, correct, and standardize addresses.
CASS is actually an address-matching software itself, but it serves as a tool to certify third-party software functions.
In addition, CASS enhances the accuracy of key postal address elements, including carrier route designations, standard 5-digit ZIP codes, extended ZIP+4 codes, delivery point codes (DPCs), and Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS) updates. This ensures that addresses are correctly formatted and optimized for efficient mail delivery.
The USPS summarizes its description on its website here.
What Does It Do?
The coding accuracy support system ensures that third-party address-matching (or address validation) software can do the following;
- Confirm the presence of an address in the USPS database
- Correct misspellings and insert missing elements such as ZIP codes
- Change addresses to the approved USPS format
These are all done to ensure delivery-point validation. Users must achieve a specific percentage of compliance before they can be certified by USPS.
How Does It Work?
To carry out this delivery-point validation, CASS goes through the following steps;
- Parsing & Standardization: The system breaks down an address into components (house number, street name, city, ZIP code) and formats it correctly.
- Validation & Correction: It compares the address to the USPS database, correcting any errors and filling in missing information.
- Deliverability Check: The software ensures that the address is real and capable of receiving mail.
- Output with USPS Coding: The validated address may include additional postal codes (like ZIP+4) to enhance sorting and delivery
To ensure accuracy, CASS runs the address through multiple checks before delivering its final result.
For those who are unaware, the standard USPS address format looks like this;
[Recipient Name]
[Company Name] (if applicable)
[Street Address or P.O. Box]
[City, State ZIP+4]
In addition, the following rules should be followed:
- No punctuation (except hyphens in ZIP+4 codes).
- Street names should be fully spelled out or use official abbreviations (e.g., “ST” for Street, “BLVD” for Boulevard).
- Directional indicators (N, S, E, W) should be placed correctly (e.g., “123 E MAIN ST”).
- ZIP+4 codes should be used when available for precise delivery (e.g., 10001-2345 instead of just 10001).
- Using ALL CAPS is recommended for automation
Who Is It Meant For?
The coding accuracy support system is a necessity for vendors, mailers, and developers who wish to evaluate the quality of their address-matching software. This includes the following;
- Businesses that rely on direct mail marketing strategies (E-commerce, Retailers, Marketing, Advertising)
- Financial & Insurance Institutions (Banks, Credit Unions, Insurance Providers)
- Government Agencies & Nonprofits (Municipal Offices, Federal Agencies, Nonprofits)
- Logistics & Shipping Companies (Courier Services, Delivery Providers)
- Healthcare & Regulatory Compliance (Hospitals, Clinics, Regulated Industries)
- Data Management & Technology Companies (CRM Managers, Data Workflow Automation Platforms like BettrData.io)
Benefits of Coding Accuracy Support System
CASS-certified businesses enjoy several advantages. Here are some benefits of the coding accuracy support system;
- Reduced Return Mail: Incorrect addresses can cause mail to be undeliverable or delayed. CASS-certified software ensures higher accuracy.
- Saves Time: Certified software vendors can reduce mail sorting costs and rates.
- Meeting postal compliance and regulations: CASS ensures that your address-matching software meets USPS mailing standards.
- Lower Shipping Costs: Accurate addresses prevent wasted postage and help qualify for bulk mailing discounts.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Ensuring deliveries reach the correct destination improves the customer experience.
- Data Accuracy for Business Operations: Many industries (e.g., e-commerce, finance, healthcare) rely on accurate address data for customer verification and regulatory compliance.
As it is obvious, the organizations that get CASS-certified enjoy benefits not just from being certified, but from the errors avoided by what their certification entails.
Other Address Validation Services
Here are some other services used to verify addresses and process mail
National Change of Address (NCOA)
Although CASS can correct and address with errors, it is unable to be of use if the recipient no longer stays in that address. This is where NCOA comes in.
NCOA works alongside CASS to provide up-to-date address changes based on USPS records. It is not a certification program but a data service that tracks change-of-address requests and helps you maintain accurate mailing lists.
Delivery Point Validation (DPV)
This is a tool that works in addition to the coding accuracy support system. It compares the address with another database at the house or unit level to further confirm the address’s validity.
As CASS makes sure the address format is correct, DPV ensures that it is real, complete, and deliverable.
Locatable Address Conversion System (LACS)
LACS is a USPS service that provides updated address information for locations that have been renamed or renumbered. PDV can verify addresses, but that’s where it stops. LACS takes that further by matching old addresses that were changed due to municipal renaming, urban reclassification, or 911 emergency conversions.
Optimize Your Direct Mail Services With Key Tools
A standout practise among many organizations is workflow automation. This allows for ease of operations, increase in speed, efficiency, and compliance.
Integrating CASS-certified tools into workflow automation will help you sort out everything you need in your direct mail marketing. It includes adding a combination of CASS/NCOA/DPV to your primary workflow and getting a upperhand over likely errors.This is a necessity for all businesses that rely on direct mail marketing and should be done immediately. And if you have difficulty doing this, you can always hire a workflow automation platform to help with your direct mailing and more.
