:: NATIONAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS (NCOA)


Over 40 million Americans change their address annually, which creates formidable obstacles in maintaining a high-quality mailing list. National Change Of Address (NCOA) makes change-of-address information available to mailers to help reduce undeliverable mail pieces before mail enters the mail stream.

Address information must first be standardized to conform to USPS requirements, including the ZIP + 4 code. An attempt is made to match each name and address against the NCOA Product. Address change information is derived from the PS Form 3575, Change-of-Address Order, filed by relocating postal customers. If a match is made with the name and old address information in the NCOA File, then new address is updated in the mailing list.

NCOA Requirements:
USPS requires that each list is processed or passed against the NCOA file at lease once
per 6 months. The process called “Move Update” is only required for presorted First-Class
mailings. A USPS-approved method must be used within 6 months of the date of mailing.
Custom Postcards employees an in-house system called NCOALink which includes Move
Update. Using NCOALink satisfies the Move Update requirement. There is a charge for
this service.