What is an Address Verification or Validation API?
- harrisstarkwork
- Jan 17, 2024
- 1 min read
A verification or validation API uses a set of rules and algorithms to validate addresses. It looks up the addresses in official or authoritative address databases and returns the deliverability status of each address and additional metadata. This data can include the number of steps an address is likely to take to get delivered, the accuracy of the postal code and whether it agrees with other parts of the address, such as suite or apartment numbers.
The API can also make the address more readable by standardizing it. For example, it will replace common roadway identifiers like “street” and “parkway” with their abbreviations (ST and PKWY respectively). It can also verify if the address is valid in the US by checking against Coding Accuracy Support System standards. It can also validate addresses in other countries by comparing them to international address standards.
Many address verification APIs are focused on specific countries and offer a free tier. Others are third-party and have more extensive capabilities. For instance, Experian offers a full suite of Address Validation APIs, including standardization and resolution, as well as geocoding and autocomplete.
This allows you to collect accurate addresses at the time of checkout or account signup without adding extra steps for your customers. It can help you avoid lost orders or shipping delays by ensuring that your addresses are accurate and complete. It can also help you save money by reducing undeliverable mail. Experian’s API can check for changes to an address using the national change of address database (NCOA), and also determine if an address is a business or residential.
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