Handwrytten handles the writing, addressing, stamping, and mailing. The one thing that determines whether your card reaches the right person is the address data you provide.
Understanding how to address and stamp an envelope correctly is the foundation of any successful card send — and when you send through Handwrytten, the good news is that the addressing, stamping, and mailing are all handled for you. Handwrytten takes care of every physical element of your card — genuine pen-and-ink handwriting, envelope addressing, correct postage, and mailing. What determines whether your card reaches the right person is the accuracy and completeness of the recipient address you enter at checkout.
An incomplete street address, a missing apartment number, an incorrect ZIP code, or a misspelled city name can all cause a card to be delayed, misdelivered, or returned — regardless of how beautifully it was written. This guide covers exactly what a complete, accurate mailing address looks like for every recipient type — so every card you send through Handwrytten arrives exactly where it should.
When you send a card through Handwrytten, the following are handled automatically — no action required on your part:
Envelope addressing. Handwrytten addresses every envelope from the recipient address data you provide at checkout — formatted correctly for USPS domestic delivery or international mailing as appropriate.
Postage. Handwrytten applies the correct postage for every card — domestic First Class for standard US sends, and correct international postage for cards going outside the United States. You never need to worry about stamps, postage rates, or non-machineable surcharges.
Mailing. Every card is mailed from Handwrytten’s production facility within one to two business days of the scheduled send date.
What you provide: The recipient’s complete, accurate mailing address. Everything else is handled.
A complete US mailing address has four elements. All four are required for reliable delivery.
Line 1 — Recipient name
Full name as it should appear on the envelope. Include title if appropriate — Dr., Prof., Rev.
Line 2 — Street address
Full street address including house or building number, street name, and street type. Include apartment, suite, or unit number on the same line or immediately below — a missing apartment number is one of the most common causes of non-delivery in multi-unit buildings.
Line 3 — City, State, ZIP
Full city name, two-letter state abbreviation, and five-digit ZIP code. The nine-digit ZIP+4 code improves delivery speed and accuracy when available.
Complete example:
Dr. Michael Chen
1200 Brickell Avenue Suite 800
Miami FL 33131Apartment and unit numbers — don’t skip them:
Sarah Johnson
742 Evergreen Terrace Apt 3B
Springfield IL 62701International addresses follow the same basic structure as domestic addresses — with the destination country added as the final line in capital letters. Handwrytten applies correct international postage automatically when an international address is entered at checkout.
Key requirements for international addresses:
Complete international example:
Mr. James Robertson
45 King Street
Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
SCOTLAND
UNITED KINGDOMAnother example:
Ms. Yuki Tanaka
3-1-1 Marunouchi
Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0005
JAPANIf you’re unsure of the correct postal code format for a specific country, a quick search for “[country name] postal code format” will confirm the right structure before you enter the address at checkout.
Families — most surnames:
The Johnson Family
or
The Johnsons
Families — surnames ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh:
The Jones Family
or
The Joneses
Never use an apostrophe for plurals.
The Johnson’s — incorrect
The Johnsons — correct
Couples with the same surname:
Mr. and Mrs. David and Sarah Thompson
Couples with different surnames:
Ms. Jennifer Rodriguez and Mr. James Kim
One partner has a professional title:
Dr. and Mr. Sarah and David Chen
For cards going to a named individual at a business, include both the person’s name and the company name — this ensures the card reaches the right person even in large office buildings with shared mail rooms.
Amanda Williams
Acme Corporation
789 Business Boulevard Suite 500
Chicago IL 60601If you’re addressing a department rather than a named individual:
Human Resources Department
Acme Corporation
789 Business Boulevard Suite 500
Chicago IL 60601Knowing how to address and stamp an envelope correctly means avoiding the specific errors that most commonly cause cards to be delayed, misdelivered, or returned. Here are the ones to watch for before submitting any Handwrytten order:
Missing apartment or unit number.
The most common cause of non-delivery in multi-unit buildings. If the recipient lives or works in a building with multiple units, the unit number is required — without it, the card has no specific destination inside the building.
Incorrect or missing ZIP code.
A wrong ZIP code routes the card to the wrong area entirely. Always verify the ZIP code before submitting — especially for addresses you haven’t mailed to recently, since ZIP codes occasionally change.
Outdated address.
People move. A card sent to a previous address may be forwarded if the recipient filed a change of address with USPS — but forwarding isn’t guaranteed and adds delivery time. Confirm current addresses for recipients you haven’t mailed to recently.
Misspelled street name or city.
USPS address matching systems can often correct minor spelling variations — but significant misspellings cause routing failures. Double-check street names and city spellings against a map or address verification tool when unsure.
Missing suite or building number for business addresses.
Large office buildings and business parks often have multiple tenants. Without a suite or floor number, business mail can be delayed or lost in a shared mail room.
P.O. Box vs. street address confusion.
Some recipients only receive mail at a P.O. Box — their physical street address won’t work for mail delivery. Confirm whether the recipient uses a P.O. Box before submitting the address.
Not having a current mailing address is the most common obstacle to sending a card — particularly for bulk campaigns where collecting addresses from many recipients manually would be impractical.
For individual sends:
For bulk campaigns — Handwrytten’s Address Request Tool:
The Address Request Tool generates a personalized link you can share with any recipient through any channel — email, text, social media, or any other message platform. The recipient clicks the link and enters their current mailing address securely. The address flows directly into your Handwrytten account — no spreadsheets, no manual data entry, no awkward direct requests.
The Address Request Tool is particularly useful for:
What information is required for a complete US mailing address?
Recipient full name, complete street address including apartment or suite number if applicable, city, two-letter state abbreviation, and five-digit ZIP code. Missing any of these elements — particularly the apartment number or ZIP code — significantly increases the risk of non-delivery.
What causes a Handwrytten card to be returned or undelivered?
The most common causes are missing apartment or unit numbers, incorrect ZIP codes, outdated addresses, and misspelled street names or city names. Handwrytten addresses envelopes exactly as the address is entered at checkout — accuracy of the input determines accuracy of delivery.
How do I address a card to a family through Handwrytten?
Enter “The [Surname] Family” or “The [Surname]s” in the recipient name field. For surnames ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh, use “The [Surname]s” — for example “The Joneses” or “The Jones Family.” Never use an apostrophe — “The Jones'” is incorrect.
Can Handwrytten send cards to international addresses?
Yes — enter the complete international address including the destination country name on the final line in capital letters. Handwrytten applies the correct international postage automatically.
What is Handwrytten’s Address Request Tool?
The Address Request Tool generates a personalized link you can share with recipients who need to provide their current mailing address. Recipients enter their address securely through the link — it flows directly into your Handwrytten account without any manual data entry. Contact sales@handwrytten.com or visit handwrytten.com to learn more.
What if I’m not sure whether to use a P.O. Box or street address?
Always confirm with the recipient which address they use for mail delivery. Some recipients — particularly those in rural areas or those who prefer not to receive mail at their physical location — only receive mail reliably at a P.O. Box. Sending to a street address when the recipient uses a P.O. Box can result in delayed or returned mail.
Every Handwrytten card is written, addressed, stamped, and mailed by our team. Getting your card to the right person on time starts with the address data you provide — complete, current, and formatted correctly for the recipient type.
For questions about specific address situations or bulk campaign address collection, contact the Handwrytten team at sales@handwrytten.com or visit handwrytten.com.
Start Sending → handwrytten.com
Editor’s note: This article was revised in August 2026
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