Apartment Numbers

Apartment Numbers - Designation by letters or numerals (or both) of dwelling units in multifamily buildings. "Occupant" mailers can reach each apartment by its code, but mail addressed by name only is subject to the vagaries of the local post offices (and the local carrier). In many areas, apartment house mail without apartment numbers is trashed if third class; or returned marked "Undeliverable as Addressed," if first class. As of mid-1995, the USPS had no plan to extend 9 digit zip codes to apartments.

This term is used in a broad-sense to describe any address data, such as suite number, building number, lot number, box number etc., that follows the primary address. The USPS calls the street address (or PO Box or rural route address) the Primary address. Information about the apartment, rural box, floor, suite, etc. is Secondary address data. The Postal Service may not be able to deliver mail addressed to high rises, rural routes, trailer parks, and office complexes without Secondary address data.

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Source: Postcom, 08 February 2010 10:48:35, http://postcom.org/public/admail_image/glossary.htm