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ZIP & ZIP+4 United States ZIP codes are five numerical digits long. ZIP+4 codes, also known as add-on or plus-four codes, include four additional digits that identify a geographic segment within a ZIP code delivery area. The first digit in a ZIP code represents a defined group of U.S. states.

This is because ZIP code boundaries are based on mail routes and delivery points rather than geographic factors. The U.S. Post Office Department, predecessor to USPS, developed a zoning address system in 1943 as a way to make sorting and delivery of mail easier.

The correct format for a numeric ZIP+4 code is five digits, a hyphen, and four digits. The first five digits represent the 5-digit ZIP Code; the sixth and seventh digits (the first two after the hyphen) identify an area known as a sector; the eighth and ninth digits identify a smaller area known as a segment.

Also called ?plus-four codes?, ?add-on codes?, or ?add-ons?, the ZIP+4 code starts with the standard five-digit ZIP Code. The four extra numbers are added after a hyphen to complete the ZIP+4. So what do the extra numbers mean? These last 4 digits represent specific delivery routes within delivery areas.

Primary state prefixes. ZIP Codes are numbered with the first digit representing a certain group of U.S. states, the second and third digits together representing a region in that group (or perhaps a large city) and the fourth and fifth digits representing a group of delivery addresses within that region.

ZIP Codes? are an integral part of making sure your mailpiece is processed quickly and efficiently. Not having a ZIP Code? on your mail causes unnecessary delay because it will require manual look-up.

A ZIP+4 Code is a 4-digit code appended to a standard 5-digit ZIP that helps the USPS sort, route, and deliver mail more efficiently.