How to address an envelope and mail a card.

How to address an envelope

Write the recipient's address in the center of the front of the envelope, your return address in the top left corner, and put the stamp in the top right corner. The recipient's address usually takes three lines.

1. Name. The person or family the card is for, such as Ms. Ana Lopez or The Miller Family.
2. Street address. The house number and street name, with any apartment or unit number on the same line.
3. City, state and ZIP code. Use the two-letter state abbreviation, such as NJ or CA.

Where the return address goes

Your return address goes in the top left corner of the front of the envelope, written the same way: your name, street address, then city, state and ZIP code. Many people write it on the back flap of a greeting card envelope instead, and that works too. If a card cannot be delivered, the Postal Service uses the return address to send it back to you.

How to address an envelope to a family

For a whole household, use the family's last name, such as The Miller Family or The Millers. Leave out the apostrophe, since The Miller's is a common mistake. If the last name ends in s, x, z, ch or sh, add es, as in The Joneses or The Lopezes. If the parents have different last names, write both and add "and Family," for example Ana Lopez, Tom Miller and Family.

How to address a couple

• Married, same last name: Mr. and Mrs. Tom Miller, or Tom and Ana Miller.
• Different last names: Ms. Ana Lopez and Mr. Tom Miller. If the names are long, give each person a line.
• Not married, same address: write each full name on its own line.
• Doctors: Dr. Ana Lopez and Mr. Tom Miller, or The Drs. Miller if both are doctors and share a last name.

For close friends and family, first names are fine: Tom and Ana Miller.

Apartments, suites and PO boxes

Put the apartment, suite or unit number at the end of the street line, as in 123 Maple St Apt 4B. If it does not fit, it can go on the line above the street address. For a PO box, write PO Box 456 in place of the street address, and use the ZIP code for the PO box.

Cards sent to an office or to a guest

To reach someone at work, put their name on the first line and the company name on the second line. If the card is going to someone staying at another person's home, write c/o, which means "care of," and the host's name on the line under the recipient's name.

Military and international addresses

For a service member overseas, copy the APO, FPO or DPO address exactly as they give it to you. It uses AA, AE or AP where the state would go, and it mails at domestic rates. For a card going to another country, write the country name in capital letters on the last line. A card mailed outside the US needs more than a Forever stamp. One Global Forever stamp covers a one-ounce letter to any country.

Make it easy to read

• Print clearly in dark ink.
• Line up the address lines on the left.
• Always include the ZIP code.
• Leave the bottom edge of the envelope blank. The Postal Service prints a barcode there.