Canada is located in North America, right above the United States of America. Being the second largest country in the world, it has a mix of cultures. This is reflected in how people communicate, especially how they write Canada mailing address format. People from different regions have their way of writing addresses- some might emphasize certain elements, while people from different regions might omit those. This can be confusing for the Canadian postal service providers and it might delay the deliveries or cause misdeliveries. 

Moreover, different types of Canada Post addresses have different formatting requirements.  If you want to send mail to a client or customer in Canada but don’t know the correct format, we are here to help you. We will provide you with the correct address formats for different purposes, including the format for a return address. You can use these address examples to structure different Canada Post addresses.

Recipient Name

Write the full name of the recipient in the first line. In case you are sending the mail to a business, the address should have at least the company name in the first line according to Canadian mailing standards, and the person’s name in the second line. Secondary address information like the department name can be mentioned in the third line. To ensure that the mail reaches the right office and desk, add ATTN. in front of the recipient’s name.

Street Address

Write the street address on the second line along with the apartment or unit number. In case the recipient uses a post office box, write “PO BOX” then the post office box number, and the station code. This line is a part of the civic address. Make sure you write the correct street address while mailing to Canada. Deliveries to Canadian mailing addresses take six to seven business days. However, it can extend or fail if the street address is not correct.

City or Town

After writing the street part of the civic address on the second line, write the name of the city, town, or address block where the person lives on the third line. This is also a part of the civic address line, which is essential when including an address. Some of the major cities in Canada are Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa.

Province

Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories. Write the abbreviated version of the province or territory after the city name in the Canadian mailing address.

Canadian Postal Code

The Canadian postal codes are six-character alphanumeric codes in the format X0X 0X0. In the Canadian postal address, write the province abbreviation and the postal code after the city name. Make sure to write the correct postal code. If you don’t know the correct postal code or province abbreviation, you can check the Canada Post website to ensure you are using the correct Canada address.

Country Name

Write the country name in the last line. If you want to write the country’s name for international mailing to Canada, write it in capital letters.

Spacing

Canada address format requires that the first three characters of the postal codes should be separated by the remaining three with a space.

Dimensions

When sending mail to Canada, the height of the characters should be between 2 mm and 5 mm (10 to 12 points). Moreover, there should be at least a 0.5 mm space between the address line but it should not be more than one blank line. Try to avoid sending items that exceed the weight and size dimensions prescribed by Canada Post to save on overcharges.  The dimension also depends on which mailing class you choose. For instance, for priority mail, the minimum and maximum lengths are 140mm and 380mm respectively.

Punctuation

Unless they are a part of the proper name, punctuation should not be used in postal addresses in Canada. Take for instance. if you want to send a letter to Canada to a customer living in St. John. The period is allowed since it is a part of the name.

Return Address

Place the return address on the top left corner of the back of the envelope. You can also write the return and mailing address on the same side of the envelope. The format will be the same as the address format you used to send the mail if you are sending mail from Canada to a Canadian address. 

However, the address format for a return address will change depending on the location. You will use USPS format for the return address if you are sending mail from the US, and the Royal Mail format if you are sending the mail from UK. Writing a return address assures that in case of undeliverability, the mail can be sent back to you. 

Residential Address Format

The address on every mail piece for residential purposes should have a recipient’s name, street address or PO box number, postal code, city or town, province, and country name. Follow the format mentioned below and don’t forget to write the return address on every mail.

Rural Address Format

Streets in rural areas do not have a formal street name. In such cases, the Canada envelope address format has a rural route number or the rural area name along with station information. This is followed by postal code, city or town, province, and country name. If you want to write additional address details, Canada Post’s addressing tips and guidelines suggest placing it in the line above the rural route number. 

Moreover, in this case, write the civic address on the third line. Don’t forget to write the sender’s address on the left side of the envelope. Writing the return address assures that the mail can be sent back to the sender in case the delivery can’t be made. Make sure the format for your return address is correct.

Business Address Format

According to Canada Post standard address formats, you should write the company name in the first line, followed by the recipient’s name and their department. The rest of the address details will remain in the same place as the residential address when you write the address in a business envelope. 

Make sure you write the sender’s address while mailing the package. Return address makes it easy for the delivery providers to send the mail back to the sender in case of non-delivery.

International Address Format for NGOs And Organizations

Using the Canada mailing address format, write the name of the organization in the first line and the specific department name in the second line. Mention the civic address components and other address information just like you would do for the residential address. Make it a point to write the return address on your envelope.

PO Box Address Format

When you mail a letter to Canada, replace the street address with ” PO Box”, followed by the box number. Write the return address since it is useful in situations of non-deliverability of the mail.

Military Address Format

Mail to military personnel stationed in Canada is handled by the Canadian Forces Post Office and Fleet Mail Offices. Write the rank and name of the person in the first line, and the CFPO number in the second line. Write the postal code, city, province, and country name just like you would do for the residential address.

Government Office Address Format

Write the name of the office, and the department before the PO box number or street address.

Address Format for Multiple Recipients

If you are sending mail to multiple people in the same family or business, write each name in separate lines. The rest of the address elements will be at the same place as the residential address since you are mailing at the same location but to multiple people.

Address  Format for Courier Services

If you are sending mail through a courier service like FedEx or DHL, write the contact details of the recipient in the last line. This will assist the service provider in making accurate deliveries.

The national postal service provider in Canada is Canada Post. It is responsible for domestic Canadian mail deliveries and international mailing services. It offers a wide range of services such as shopping, return solutions, direct mail marketing, eCommerce solutions, and security and identity services.

Sending direct mail to the wrong address reduces your chances of increasing sales, building relationships with prospects, or maybe nurturing networks with clients or customers. A simple typing error, spelling mistake, or formatting mistake can also affect your brand’s reputation. Hence, keeping the correct data in your database and watching for incorrect or incomplete data entering your system is essential. 

All of these problems can be solved when you have a perfect address verification solution, like PostGrid, in place. Autocomplete, verify, validate, and standardize addresses across 250+ countries & territories to local postal standards for better deliverability, up-to-date records, and eliminating return mail with PostGrid. Be it a single address at a time or verifying over 1 million addresses in one go our solution will assist in ensuring correct deliveries to Canadian mailing addresses.

Want to send mail to countries other than Canada but don’t know the format? Don’t worry, we have got covered. You can check out our international address format page and learn about address format for countries across the world.