So, you want to string together your own DeliveryLine1?

The second line of a US address is generally well understood: city, state, and ZIP Code. However, the first line can be trickier because there are a lot of possible address components that we don't see very often. In this article, we will show you how to assemble the various components that you might see in Delivery Line 1, including a discussion of the two types of Delivery Line 1: traditional and non-traditional.

Traditional Delivery Line 1

A traditional Delivery Line 1 is comprised of a number of possible components, including:

• Primary number
• Street predirection
• Street name
• Street suffix
• Street postdirection
• Secondary designator
• Secondary number
• Extra secondary designator
• Extra secondary number
• PMB designator
• PMB number

Most of us are familiar with a structure's primary number, street name, and street suffix. In a traditional Delivery Line 1 (or address Line 1), the primary number must always appear first. Each of these familiar components can be seen in the following address:

2 EASTWOODS RD
SYOSSET NY 11791-2425

Delivery Line 1 can include some components that may be unfamiliar, however. Secondary designators (Ste, Apt, Bldg, PH, TRLR, HNGR, etc.) and secondary numbers (2, A, 2A, 101C, 203D, etc.) describe locations within a complex or building. These components can be seen in the following address:

232 WILLOW ST APT 2
WATERBURY CT 06710-1952

In this example, Apt is the secondary designator and 2 is the secondary number.

Extra secondary designators and extra secondary numbers are similar, but describe the location of a building within a campus. These components can be seen in the following address:

5619 LOOP 1604 STE 101 BLDG E-5
SAN ANTONIO TX 78253-5795

In this example, Bldg is the extra secondary designator and E-5 is the extra secondary number.

A street predirection provides directional information before a street name, while a street postdirection provides directional information after a street name. These components can be seen in the following address:

1145 W GATEWAY CIR S APT 26A
FARGO ND 58103-3552

In this example, W is the predirection and S is the postdirection.

Finally, Delivery Line 1 can include Private Mail Box (PMB) designators and PMB numbers. These components can be seen in the following address:

5546 SCRANTON RD APT A1 PMB 9571
HAMBURG NY 14075-3769

In this example, PMB is the PMB designator and 9571 is the PMB number.

Non-traditional Delivery Line 1

A non-traditional Delivery Line 1 is comprised of slightly different components, including:

• Street Name
• Primary Number

Unlike a traditional Delivery Line 1, the street name component always comes before the primary number. If the first word of the address is in the following collection, use a non-traditional Delivery Line 1. Otherwise, use a traditional formulation.

• Post office box (PO Box)
• PB
• Rural route (RR)
• Home carrier (HC)
• Highway contract route (HCR)
• Postal service center (PSC)
• Community mail room (CMR)
• Unit
• General delivery

The primary number of a non-traditional Delivery Line 1 looks like and serves the same purpose as in a traditional Delivery Line 1. The following example shows a non-traditional street name component followed by a primary number:

PO BOX 4735
TULSA, OK 74159-0735

That should be enough to get you rolling.