What is CASS Certification?

We hear a lot from Mail houses and the Post Office about CASS Certification.  Why we need it, what happens if you don’t have it, and maybe even some ways to have your database CASS certified.  What you may not hear so much about is what it actually is.  What does this do to your records?  I will touch on that in this blog post so you will know everything CASS certification does and does not do.

First some background info.  CASS stands for Coding Accuracy Support System.  It was started in the early 80’s to have a mailing standard to speed up the pace of mail and cut down on undeliverable pieces.  This system is constantly tweeked and updated to become more specific so the Post Office has fewer and fewer undeliverable pieces of mail.

Ok, we know the Post Office requires it for discounts on bulk mailings but what does it do?  CASS certification verifies your addresses have the following:
- A correctly spelled address (no Typos)
- A 9 digit zip code
- A Delivery Point Code (DPC)

Some CASS certification programs can add other things like Lot numbers or format Suites and Apartments but it is not required to.  CASS certification only applies to the actual mailing address so things like city district, county, etc. are not updated with a typical CASS certification.  Some products may add extra information but remember CASS certification does not automatically encompass anything more than Street Address, City, State, Zip, and DPC.

Hopefully this information give you a clearer picture of CASS certification.  For a little extra reading material on it you can refer to the Post Office’s guide.