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To standardize the way postal addresses are written in the federal public service, the Translation Bureau makes the following recommendation.
(The French guidelines appear after the English guidelines.)
Background
In its Addressing Guidelines / Directives d’adressage, Canada Post specifies how to write addresses to facilitate mechanized mail sorting. Mail addressed according to these guidelines is processed and delivered faster. Most large organizations and government departments in Canada already follow these guidelines in mailings to the Canadian public.
Postal addresses in English
Addresses for mail delivery
In the case of addresses used for mail delivery on envelopes and parcels, the Translation Bureau recommends following the format specified by Canada Post in its Addressing Guidelines.
Other addresses
In all other cases (letterhead, signature blocks, business cards, signage, etc.), the Bureau recommends writing addresses in the standard way, as outlined in the article business letters: inside address.
| Follow Canada Post’s Addressing Guidelines | Follow the format outlined in the article business letters: inside address. |
|---|---|
|
|
Details and examples
| Addresses for delivery (envelopes and parcels) | Other addresses (letters, signature blocks, etc.) |
|---|---|
|
In all capitals; no commas, no periods in abbreviations (except in proper names); maximum of 40 characters per line |
In title case; courtesy title abbreviated; periods after abbreviations, comma after municipality name; province or territory abbreviated or written in full |
|
A. C. HUNTER PUBLIC LIBRARY INGRID BRUNDH |
A. C. Hunter Public Library Ms. Ingrid Brundh |
|
Street type (street, avenue, boulevard, road, drive, etc.) abbreviated or written in full |
Street type (street, avenue, boulevard, road, drive, etc.) written in full, or abbreviated and followed by a period if space is limited |
|
165 RICHMOND ST See Street types |
165 Richmond Street |
|
Compass point (North, South, East, West) abbreviated |
Compass point (North, South, East, West) written in full |
|
123 MAPLE RD W |
123 Maple Road West |
|
Unit type (apartment, suite, etc.) and number on the same line as the street address, or on the line above if space is limited. Do not use the # symbol or the abbreviation No. |
Unit type (apartment, suite, etc.) and number on the same line as the street address, separated by a comma, or on the line above if space is limited. Do not use the # symbol or the abbreviation No. |
|
70 CRÉMAZIE ST SUITE 800 APT 920 See Unit designators |
70 Crémazie Street, Suite 800 Apartment 920 |
|
Names of municipalities abbreviated if necessary |
Names of municipalities written in full |
|
MNT-ARLING-HT |
Mount Arlington Heights |
|
Provinces and territories abbreviated (two-letter postal abbreviations recognized by Canada Post) or written in full |
Provinces and territories abbreviated (two-letter postal abbreviations recognized by Canada Post) or written in full |
|
PIERRE FERRON JANE BENNETT |
Mr. Pierre Ferron Ms. Jane Bennett |
|
Particular cases |
Translation |
|
See Canada Post’s Addressing Guidelines for bilingual addresses, international addresses or postal boxes. |
You will find information on translating address elements in the article addresses: official languages. |
References
- Canada Post. Addressing Guidelines.
- Universal Postal Union. S42 Addressing Standard and Postal addressing systems in member countries.
Additional information
For more information on how to format addresses, see our article business letters: inside address.
Postal addresses in French
Addresses for mail delivery
In the case of addresses used for mail delivery on envelopes and parcels, the Translation Bureau recommends following the format specified by Canada Post in its Directives d’adressage.
Other addresses
In all other cases (letterhead, signature blocks, business cards, signage, etc.), the Bureau recommends writing addresses in the standard way, according to the guidelines set out in the article adresse (règles d’écriture).
| Follow Canada Post’s Directives d’adressage | Follow the guidelines set out in the article adresse (règles d’écriture) |
|---|---|
|
|
Details and examples
| Addresses for delivery (envelopes and parcels) | Other addresses (letters, signature blocks, etc.) |
|---|---|
|
In all capitals; no commas, no periods in abbreviations (except in proper names), no parentheses; maximum of 40 characters per line |
In lower case, with initial capitals for proper names and words at the beginning of a line; courtesy title written in full; building number followed by a comma; province or territory in parentheses |
|
JEAN-MARC CÔTÉ-LECLERC ÉCOLE SECONDAIRE P.-E. TRUDEAU |
Monsieur Jean-Marc Côté-Leclerc École secondaire P.-E. Trudeau |
|
Street type (rue, boulevard, chemin, route, etc.) abbreviated or written in full |
Street type (rue, boulevard, chemin, route, etc.) written in full and in lower case |
|
123 CH DU FLEUVE See Types de rue |
123, chemin du Fleuve |
|
Compass point (nord, sud, est, ouest) abbreviated |
Compass point (nord, sud, est, ouest) with initial capital letter, or corresponding abbreviation if space is limited |
|
123 CH DES BOULEAUX O See Points cardinaux |
123, chemin des Bouleaux Ouest |
|
Unit type (appartement, bureau, etc.) and number on the same line as the street address, or on the line above if space is limited. Do not use the # symbol or the abbreviation no. |
Unit type (appartement, bureau, etc.) and number on the same line as the street address, or on the line above if space is limited. Do not use the # symbol or the abbreviation no. |
|
1234 BOUL CRÉMAZIE APP 500 BUREAU 800 See Types d’unités |
1234, boulevard Crémazie, app. 500 Bureau 800 |
|
Names of municipalities abbreviated if necessary |
Names of municipalities written in full |
|
STE-CATH-D-L-J-CAR |
Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier |
|
Provinces and territories abbreviated (two-letter postal abbreviations recognized by Canada Post) or written in full |
Provinces and territories written in full, in parentheses; or abbreviated (two-letter postal abbreviations recognized by Canada Post) if space is limited |
|
PIERRE FERRON |
Monsieur Pierre Ferron |
|
JEANNINE LABONTÉ |
Madame Jeannine Labonté |
|
Particular cases |
Translation |
|
See Canada Post’s Directives d’adressage for bilingual addresses (adresses bilingues), international addresses (adresses internationales) or postal boxes (cases postales). |
You will find information on translating address elements in the article adresse (traduction d’une adresse). |
References
- Canada Post. Directives d’adressage.
- Universal Postal Union. S42 Addressing Standard and Postal addressing systems in member countries.
Additional information
For more information on how to format addresses, see our article adresse (règles d’écriture).
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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
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