Here’s a clear, practical guide on how to address a letter envelope in the U.S., plus some small etiquette tips to make it look polished and professional.

Basic envelope layout

Think of the front of the envelope as having three main zones:

  • Top left: Return (your) address
  • Center: Recipient’s address
  • Top right: Stamp/postage

Write everything parallel to the longest edge of the envelope so machines can read it easily.

Step 1: Write the recipient’s address (center)

Write this on the front, centered horizontally and roughly in the middle vertically, slightly left-aligned.

Use this order:

  1. Full name (include a title for formal mail: Mr., Ms., Dr., etc.).
  1. Business name (if applicable).
  1. Street address on one line; add apartment/suite/unit on the same line if possible (e.g., “123 Oak Street Apt 4B”).
  1. City, state, ZIP code all on the last line (e.g., “Chicago, IL 60614”).

Example:

Dr. Jane Smith
123 Oak Street Apt 4B
Chicago, IL 60614

Practical tips:

  • Leave about a ½ inch margin around the address so it’s not crammed near edges or stamp.
  • Use clear, legible block letters; avoid fancy cursive or decorative fonts that scanners struggle with.
  • Include the full ZIP or ZIP+4 if you have it for smoother sorting.

Step 2: Add your return address (top left)

The return address tells the postal service where to send the letter back if it can’t be delivered.

Place it:

  • On the front, in the top left corner , about ¼ inch from the top and left edges.
  • Do not put it only on the back flap; automated systems may miss it.

Use the same format as the recipient:

Your Name
1855 Maple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026

(You can be a bit more flexible with capitalization and style here, but keep it readable.)

Step 3: Place the stamp (top right)

Put the stamp in the upper right-hand corner on the front of the envelope.

  • Keep it clear of any writing or decorations.
  • For heavier or international mail, use the correct postage type and amount (your post office or postal website can check this).

Formatting details that matter

These small choices help mail get processed quickly and look professional.

  • Write addresses parallel to the long side of the envelope.
  • Use dark ink (black or dark blue) and avoid smudgy pens or markers.
  • Keep handwriting medium-sized—not tiny, not huge.
  • Avoid punctuation in the address (many guides recommend omitting commas and periods for machine readability, especially on the last line).
  • Use standard state abbreviations (e.g., CA, NY, TX).

Example layouts (HTML table)

Here are quick reference examples in HTML, following common U.S. formatting.

html

<table border="1" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
  <tr>
    <th>Situation</th>
    <th>Recipient Address Example</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Standard personal letter</td>
    <td>
      Mr. John Carter<br>
      123 Elm Street Apt 4C<br>
      Boston, MA 02115
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Business letter</td>
    <td>
      Ms. Rachel Kim<br>
      ABC Marketing Solutions<br>
      500 Market Street Ste 201<br>
      San Francisco, CA 94105
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Apartment address</td>
    <td>
      Taylor Robinson<br>
      1020 Pine Avenue Apt 3B<br>
      Brooklyn, NY 11211
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid these so your envelope doesn’t get delayed or look unprofessional.

  • Putting the return address in the center instead of the recipient’s.
  • Leaving out the ZIP/postal code.
  • Writing too close to edges or too close to the stamp area.
  • Using fancy cursive, metallic ink, or very pale colors that scanners can’t read.
  • Centering the address with strange spacing or adding extra blank lines that break the flow.

Quick “recipe” you can memorize

For a standard U.S. envelope:

  1. Top left: Your name, street, city–state–ZIP on three lines.
  1. Center: Their name, street (plus Apt/Suite if any), city–state–ZIP on three or four lines.
  1. Top right: Stamp.
  2. Keep everything neat, clear, and away from the edges.

If you tell me the exact type of letter (job application, wedding invite, formal vs casual), I can tailor the name line and titles for your specific envelope.