ZIP+4 CASS Certification
Description
Coding Accuracy Support System CASS is a certification system used by the
United
States Postal Service (USPS) to ensure the quality of ZIP+4 coding systems.
Processing a mailing list through a CASS certified ZIP+4 system (CASS certifying
a
mailing list) is required to receive USPS automation discounts. CASS certification
of
mailing list is required six months prior to the mail date on all automated
mailings.
Certification of carrier routes is required 90 days prior to the mail date
on all carrier
route sorted mail. ZIP code verification (either manual or CASS certified)
is required
once per year on all nonautomated, discounted mailings.
ZIP+4 processing can standardize address information; correct city, state
and/or ZIP
Code information; append +4 codes, characters required for Delivery Point
Barcode
(DPBC), carrier route codes, and Line of Travel (LOT) codes. ZIP+4 Call
also can
help identify problem addresses on your files. Some addresses on your files
will not
be +4 coded because they could not be matched to the ZIP+4 database. There
are
several reasons that an address cannot be +4 coded; such as misspelled,
incorrect,
or missing information (see Optional ZIP+4 Error Codes for a more complete
listing). Addresses that cannot be matched to the ZIP+4 file will not be
+4 coded,
will not have DPBC information appended, and cannot be standardized.
ZIP+4 coding and address standardization may also help in identifying additional
duplicates on your files -- duplicate addresses that may have been missed
and
mailed. Please let us know if you would like more information on our Duplicate
Elimination service.
Optional ZIP+4 Error Codes
Error codes can be appended to your file to help identify problem addresses.
Problem addresses are identified as those addresses that are not codable
(address
was not matched to the ZIP+4 database, therefore +4 code, carrier route
code, etc.
could not be appended). These addresses can be pulled from your list, reviewed
manually for corrections, etc. ZIP+4 Error Codes will provide you with
the following
types of information:
A small number of addresses are labeled as "Undeliverable" by the USPS
in
the ZIP+4 file. These addresses will not be codable.
Duplicate Street or Firm. If more than one possible match exists on the
ZIP+4 files, a match cannot be made and the record will not be coded.
No City, State, and/or ZIP Code. One or more of these elements could not
be
found in ZIP+4 processing or could not be parsed for matching purposes.
No Street or Firm Matched. Street name or Firm name information could not
be found in ZIP+4 processing or could not be parsed for matching purposes.
Missing Suffixes/Directionals. Missing or incorrect street suffixes and
directionals can cause an address to become non-codable. Missing
information can create more than one possible match to the ZIP+4 file.
Other errors include: Too Many Address Lines, Address Line Not Found, Last
Line of
Address Not Found (City, State, and ZIP Code combination was not found
and could
not be corrected), and Foreign Address.