> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.ship.uniuni.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Check & Validate Your Address

> Make sure your delivery address can be validated so you can get rates and buy postage.

If you couldn't get rates or purchase postage because an address couldn't be validated, the fix is
almost always in the address details — and the postal code is the best place to start. This guide
walks you through confirming and correcting an address so it passes validation.

## Why this happens

Before generating rates, UniUni Platform checks the delivery address against an address-validation
provider. If the provider can't confirm the address, you'll see a message asking you to check the
details and try again.

The most common cause is an **incorrect or mismatched postal code** — for example, in newly built
or recently developed areas where map data hasn't fully caught up to the carrier's records. Fixing
the address details usually resolves it.

## 1. Confirm the postal code

Start here — this resolves most validation failures.

* Make sure the postal code is **complete and correctly formatted**:
  * 🇨🇦 Canada: `A1A 1A1`
  * 🇺🇸 United States: a 5-digit ZIP (e.g. `90210`)
* Check that the postal code **matches the city and province/state** you entered.
* For a **brand-new address**, the postal code may have changed recently. Confirm the current one
  with the recipient or using one of the tools below.

<Warning>
  A single wrong character in the postal code is enough to fail validation. Re-type it carefully
  rather than copying an old value.
</Warning>

## 2. Match the address to Google Maps

Whenever possible, submit the address exactly as Google Maps presents it.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Search the address on Google Maps">
    Type the full delivery address into [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the pin is correct">
    The map pin should land on the actual building or unit — not the middle of the street or a
    nearby block. If the pin (its latitude and longitude) is off, the address details need
    correcting before you continue.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the formatted address">
    Use the address exactly as Google formats it — including the postal code — when you enter it in
    UniUni Platform.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If Google can't place the pin precisely, the unit/suite number or the postal code is the likely
  culprit. Correct it and try again.
</Note>

## 3. Verify with Smarty (alternative)

If you'd like a second check, [Smarty's Single Address tool](https://www.smarty.com/products/single-address)
validates and standardizes one address at a time for free.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enter the address">
    Paste the full delivery address into the Smarty Single Address tool.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the standardized result">
    Smarty returns a cleaned-up, standardized version of the address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the corrected fields back">
    Update the address in UniUni Platform with the corrected fields, then retry.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Still can't validate?

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Missing unit, suite, or apartment number">
    For multi-unit buildings, add the unit/suite/apartment number in **Address line 2**. A missing
    unit number can prevent the address from being confirmed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Brand-new or recently developed address">
    Map data can lag behind reality in new developments. Verify the current postal code with the
    recipient and re-enter it, then confirm the pin on Google Maps.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="PO box or non-deliverable address">
    Make sure the address is a deliverable street address. PO boxes and other non-standard
    addresses may not pass validation.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Typo in the city, province, or state">
    Double-check the spelling of the city and the province/state code, and confirm they match the
    postal code.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Country-specific address requirements

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="🇨🇦 Canada destination" icon="location-dot" href="/en/shipments/canada/shipment-destination">
    Address fields and verification for Canada-bound shipments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="🇺🇸 United States destination" icon="location-dot" href="/en/shipments/usa/shipment-destination">
    Address fields and verification for US-bound shipments.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Need help?

<Card title="Contact Support" icon="envelope" href="mailto:retailsupport@uniuni.com" horizontal>
  Reach out to our retail support team and we'll help you sort out the address.
</Card>