Topic 06 of 07
NCOA — National Change of Address
USPS-licensed process that updates addresses when people and businesses file official change-of-address moves.
Why it matters
Customers move. NCOA linkage keeps mailing lists current, cuts undeliverable-as-addressed volume, and maintains continuity with relocated contacts.
How NCOALink works
Licensed providers match your list against USPS change-of-address records (with privacy and licensing controls). Matches return a new address and move type when rules allow.
Not every move appears instantly, and not every mover files with USPS. NCOA is powerful but incomplete—combine it with engagement signals and periodic reverification.
Compliance and access
Access is regulated. You typically work through a full-service provider or Limited Service Provider under USPS licensing terms.
Retain processing documentation. Mailers often need audit trails showing lists were updated before a campaign.
Fitting NCOA into a pipeline
A common sequence: validate → standardize → CASS verify → NCOA update → suppress undeliverables → mail or sync to CRM.
Schedule recurring NCOA runs for active lists; one-time cleansing goes stale within months.
Related topics
- CASS certification→
USPS Coding Accuracy Support System—software certification and a process that improves ZIP+4 and delivery-point accuracy for US mail.
- Address verification→
Confirm that an address exists in authoritative reference data and can typically receive mail or deliveries.
- Deduplication & matching→
Find and merge records that refer to the same place or household despite messy spelling and formatting differences.