Cost-effective, consistent, and timely delivery of every mailpiece depends on its address. An accurate address contains only elements that are complete and correct. When you send mailpieces with accurate addresses, you are supporting the mutual goal of the USPS^® and mailers to achieve the lowest combined cost for providing and receiving mail service. You also ensure that your mail is compatible with the USPS automation process putting it on the fast track for delivery.

Important Links

• AEC & AEC II User Guide (PDF)
• AEC & AEC II Processing Request Form
• AEC & AEC II Processing Request Form for Vendors
• AEC II Frequently Asked Questions
• AEC Frequently Asked Questions
• AEC Calculator
• AEC Calculator Instructions
• AEC Confidence & Vendor Options

When a mailpiece is missing address elements or contains incorrect address elements, it requires additional handling, including manual processing. This can delay delivery or even make delivery impossible.

Address Element Correction (AEC) is a quality process developed by the USPS with industry support. AEC focuses on inaccurate addresses, specifically those deliverable addresses that cannot be matched to a USPS ZIP + 4^® code using commercially available CASS Certified™ address-matching. If an address is missing an element, CASS Certified address-matching software may lack sufficient information to determine the correct or most accurate match to the ZIP + 4 product and, therefore, may not provide a ZIP + 4 code. After an address goes through this process and is not resolved, it becomes a candidate for AEC.

By correcting or providing missing elements, AEC turns problem addresses into accurate addresses or identifies them as potentially undeliverable. The result is a complete and standardized address that can be matched to a 5-digit ZIP Code™ and ZIP + 4 code. This greatly improves your efforts to have the mail reach your customers in a timely and consistent manner by allowing the corrected addresses to take full advantage of USPS automation.

Why Let a Single Customer Slip through your fingers?
Through AEC II service you can use the delivery knowledge of the Postal Service™, nationwide, to correct those "worst of the worst" addresses that plague every mailing list. AEC II uses Delivery Force Knowledge™ methodology to help mailers resolve unrecognizable portions of an address that prevents the address from ZIP + 4 coding, which reduces the possibility of achieving mail automation discounts, through any existing address matching software.

What is AEC II?
AEC II is an enhancement to the existing AEC service, which identifies and corrects "bad" addresses using a complex computer program. "Bad" addresses that cannot be resolved using AEC are submitted, via AEC II, to delivery offices for review and resolution by the same people who deliver the mail for you every day. When USPS delivery personnel are able to identify and correct address errors, or to identify addresses that do not exist, address quality is improved.

How Does AEC II Work?
AEC II uses an electronic process to correct address records once delivery unit personnel have reviewed the address, which has been submitted by mailers. As addressing errors are identified, they are added to a historical database so the same addressing errors, found on different mailing lists, are not submitted again. As each new incorrect address is submitted, and AEC or the AEC II historical file is unable to make a match against either table, the record is sent to a program called Electronic Uncoded Address Resolution System (eUARS). From there, the records are sent to a post office, which services the suspected address, for possible correction.

What does it Cost?
The minimum fee for AEC II is $31, for the first 100 records, and 31¢ for each record indicated as Corrected or Address Does Not Exist (ADNE). AEC II also processes other types of records at no additional charge, Historical File Match – The record submitted has been corrected to a record previously submitted and retained in the historical file. PO Box Delivery Exclusion – The record submitted was corrected to a valid mailing address (PO BOX) and the customer does not receive mail at the address presented.

Pricing for AECII does not include the required minimum AEC processing fee of $23 and 0.023 for each additional record.

Contact the National Customer Support Center at:

Contact Information:

• Address Improvement and Administrative Support
• Phone: 800-238-3150
• Email: aec@usps.gov
• Page updated: 02/01/2016