How to Properly Address an Envelope for a Card
Learn how to address envelopes with proper grammar, and make sure you follow the U.S. Postal Service's guidelines.
How to Address an Envelope
Below is a quick and easy lesson on addressing an envelope or card for Christmas or any other holiday or occasion. The rules are easy to remember, and by following them, you can avoid a major grammar faux pas.
Proper Address Labels for a Variety of Situations
| Situation | Correct Form of Address |
|---|---|
Married, informal address | Jane and John Doe |
Married, informal address, she uses maiden name | Jane Kelly and John Doe |
Married, formal address | Mr. and Mrs. Doe |
Married, she uses maiden name | Mr. John Doe and Ms. Jane Kelly |
Married, she uses maiden name, with children | The Doe/Kelly Family or The Doe and Kelly Family |
Unmarried, living together | Mr. John Doe and Ms. Jane Kelly |
When she outranks husband (elected office or military officer) | Senator Jane Kelly and Mr. John Doe |
When she outranks husband (professional or educational degrees) | Dr. Jane Doe and Mr. John Doe |
Both doctors (Ph.D. or Medical) | Drs. Jane and John Doe or Dr. Jane Doe and Dr. John Doe |
Both doctors (Ph.D. or Medical), she uses maiden name | Dr. Jane Kelly and Dr. John Doe |
A judge | The Honorable Kelly and Mr. John Kelly |
The Biggest Mistake When Addressing a Card or Envelope
The biggest mistake that I see when writing an address on a card is the improper use of the apostrophe. Apostrophes show possession. You are addressing the entire family (a plural), not something they possess.
Some might say that you could be referring to the house when you use an apostrophe in a label, e.g., The Edmondson's [house]. The problem is that you don't write to a house, but to those living in the house. Your best bet is no apostrophe.
Here is a basic example of an uncomplicated address:
The correct way to address an envelope!
Addressing an Envelope: Names Ending in S, SH, CH, X, or Z
It becomes a bit more complicated when you have names ending in the letters S, SH, CH, X, or Z. In these cases, you add an "es" to refer to the entire family.
Remember, The Vix's or Jones's is incorrect!
Addressing a card: When a name ends in an S, add an "es" to the end. Do not add an apostrophe.
You Can Also Use "Family" Instead
If adding an "es" to the end of the family name sounds awkward, then you can address the letter to "The Jones Family."
Another option is to not create a plural in the name but use the word "Family" instead.
The Correct Way to Write a PO Box Address
Addressing an envelope to a PO box is simple: Do the same thing you would do for a home address, except put the PO box number where the street address would go. Here's an example of a PO box address label.
How to address an envelope with a PO box.
How to Address a Card for a Doctor or Reverend
If you need to address a card or envelope to a doctor or reverend and you prefer to address them formally, the following is correct: Mr. and Dr. Walker
Recommended
How to address an envelope to a doctor.
The proper way to address a reverend on an envelope.