Envelope: Model showing recommended format

Envelope: Model showing recommended format

The model shows an envelope measuring 4.13 by 9.5 inches and containing 11 elements. All information is in capital letters. Below is the text version.

Element 1 – Return address

The return address, or sender’s address, appears in the upper left corner of the envelope.

The return address is the address to which an envelope or parcel can be returned in case of non-delivery.

In the model, the return address is as follows:

For more information, see the articles Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels and Envelope: Arrangement of elements.

Element 2 – Stamp

The stamp is placed in the upper right corner of the envelope.

Element 3 – Receiver’s address

All the lines making up the receiver’s address appear within the addressing zone (in the centre of the envelope) and are aligned at the left margin, with no indentation.

The receiver’s address includes several elements: the receiver’s name, the name of the division, the name of the organization, the building name, the street address, the name of the municipality, the postal abbreviation for the province, and the postal code.

In the model, the receiver’s address is as follows:

For more information, see the articles Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels and Envelope: Arrangement of elements.

Element 4 – Receiver’s name

The receiver’s name appears on the first line of the address.

The name may include a courtesy title and may be followed on the line below by a job title.

In the model, the receiver’s name is as follows:

For more information, see the sections Name of receiver and Job title and organization name in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 5 – Administrative unit and organization

The name of the receiver’s administrative unit (department, division, etc.) appears on the line below the receiver’s name and may be preceded by a job title. The name of the organization appears on the following line.

In the model, the names of the administrative unit and the organization are as follows:

For more information, see the section Job title and organization name in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 6 – Building name

The building name appears on a line by itself, below the name of the organization.

The building may be an office building, a retail building, an apartment building, etc.

In the model, the building name is as follows:

For more information, see the section Building name in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 7 – Street address

The street address, consisting of the building number and the street name, appears on the line below the building name.

In the model, the street address is as follows:

For more information, see the section Street address in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 8 – Name of the municipality

The name of the municipality appears on the line below the street address.

It may be written in full or abbreviated.

In the model, the name of the municipality is as follows:

For more information, see the section Municipality and province in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 9 – Name of the province or territory

The abbreviation for the province appears on the same line as the name of the municipality, with one space between them.

In a mailing address, the abbreviation used for the province (or territory) should be the two-letter Canada Post abbreviation.

In the model, the two-letter postal abbreviation for the province is as follows:

For more information, see the section Municipality and province in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 10 – Postal code

The postal code appears two spaces after the abbreviation for the province, on the same line.

The first three characters of the postal code are separated from the last three by one space.

In the model, the postal code is as follows:

For more information, see the section Postal code in the article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels.

Element 11 – Addressee or delivery notation

The notation PERSONAL appears three lines below the return address.

An addressee notation (such as PERSONAL or CONFIDENTIAL) provides information about the contents of the envelope and the precautions that should be taken when the envelope is transferred to the receiver. A delivery notation (such as BY REGISTERED MAIL or VIA COURIER) indicates the delivery method used.

In the model, the addressee notation is as follows:

For more information on the different addressee and delivery notations, see the section Addressee and delivery notations in the article Envelope: Arrangement of elements.