How to Verify an Address

There may be various reasons why you would need to verify an address; from confirming that a person lives where they say they do to verifying that a particular residence is located within a certain geographical area. Address verification simply requires a bit of research and persistence to obtain the right information from a credible resource.

Instructions

1. Contact the United States Postal Service which offers several address verification products. There products include address matching software, an AIS Viewer, which confirms specific zip codes, and the USPS DPV System, which helps to detect and correct bad addresses. The Postal Service charges a fee for address verification, as these products are not free.

2. Require the person to furnish a document with their current address on it. The document should be something that shows proof of residence such as a lease, rental agreement, or utility bill. It is essential that the person's name and address appear on the document in order to verify the address.

3. Conduct a physical check of the location. This method is most often used by probation and parole officers as a way to verify an address. It is necessary to go to the address to verify that the person in question actually resides there.

4. Look up the address in a local telephone directory. While the primary purpose of a telephone directory is to list names and phone numbers, it lists some addresses. You can conveniently access some telephone directories online. However, this might not be the best way to accurately verify an address as most directories are only published once a year.

References

• USPS: Address Verification