The following format and location guidelines apply to all addresses whether they are on the item, on a label, or on an insert that shows through an address window.
3.1 Address Format
Example of the proper address format.
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Place the city, province and postal code together on the last line.
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Show the addressing information on the bottom three lines of the address block.
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Leave the space around the address clear and without any coloured borders or frames.
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If you use both the street address and the postal box address, show each address on a separate line in the following order:
Use a font that provides sufficient space between characters (at least 0.3 mm) so that the characters don't touch, and it is very clear where each character begins.
Line Spacing
Maintain a constant distance between lines of at least 0.5 mm and not more than one blank line.
In determining the space between lines, measure from the lowest point of a line to the top of the next line. Measure from the bottom extenders of letters such as y and g.
3.2 Location of the Destination Address
3.2.1 Short and Long
Location
Place the address and postal code:
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Parallel to the length of the mail item, with a maximum skew of five degrees.
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On the side of the envelope without the closing flap
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Within the Address Zone:
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40 mm from the top
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19 mm from the bottom
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15 mm in from the left and right sides.
Quiet Zones
Leave the following areas around the address block free of printing:
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13 mm on the left side
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6 mm above the top line
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all the areas to the right of the address block
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all the area below the address block
On Window Envelopes
Leave the same quiet zones around an address that is showing through a window. These zones can be any one of the following..
Note: Ensure that no matter in which position the insert may have moved:
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the complete address is visible
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the quiet zones are maintained.
Non-address Areas
Ensure the following areas are free of address information:
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the postage or indicia area, 74 mm wide by 40 mm high, in the upper right corner
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the area for the bar code, 19 mm high along the entire bottom of the item
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a border of 15 mm on each side
SHORT AND LONG
Note: The cancellation mark may cover print in the cancellation area.
3.2.2 Oversize
Location
If the return address is also shown, place the destination address:
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Off-centre in the bottom right corner of the item and either:
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Vertical to the longest side of the mail piece and in the bottom 80% of the item
Or
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Parallel to the longest side of the mail piece and in the bottom 75% of the item.
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With a maximum skew of five degrees.
OVERSIZE
Quiet Zones
Leave the following areas around the address block free of printing:
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10 mm on the left, right and below the address (1)
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6 mm above the top line (2).
Non-address Areas
Ensure the following areas are free of address information:
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the postage or indicia area, 74 mm wide by 40 mm high, in the upper right corner (3)
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a border of 10 mm around the bottom 80 or 75% of the item; depending on the address orientation – vertical or horizontal (4)
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a space, 35 mm by 150 mm (5), in
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the bottom left corner on items with a vertically-oriented address
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the bottom right corner on items with a horizontally-oriented address.
OVERSIZE
OVERSIZE
3.2.3 Illustrated Postcard – Machineable
Preparation
Lay out postcards/cards like envelopes (see 3.2.1) or as follows:
Location
Divide the postcard by a solid line at least 0.5 mm thick with a clear space of 6 mm on either side.
Place the address on the right side of postcard within an area that is:
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74 mm from the right side
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19 mm from the bottom.
Non-address Area
Ensure the following areas are free of address information:
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the area to the left of the middle dividing line (1)
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6 mm to the right of the middle dividing line (2)
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the postage or indicia area, 74 mm wide by 40 mm high, in the upper right corner (3)
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an area 19 mm high along the bottom of the postcard (4).
SHORT AND LONG – POSTCARD
3.3 Printing
Preferred Methods
Machine-print or type in black on a white background
Recommended Fonts and Sizes
FOR BOTH O/S AND S/L
FOR S/L ONLY
10-12
11-12
10
10-12
Copy Pica
Elite
Pica
Lotus Line Draw
OCR Line Draw
Courier
Courier New
Arial
Alpha Gothic
Helvetica
New Gothic
Univers (W1)
Universal
OCR B special font in only one size.
What to Avoid
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Decorative fonts
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Script fonts
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Italics
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Underlining
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Bold
3.4 Character Requirements
Size
Print all characters in the lines containing address information in a font of the same height.
Number
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Show on each line at least the number of characters required to cover a length of 7.68 mm. At 10 CPI (characters per inch), three characters will meet this requirement.
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Limit the number of characters in one line to preferably less than 30, but no more than 40.
Legibility
Characters should:
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be clear, with no smudges and fill ins
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have strokes with consistent thickness.
3.5 Options
3.5.1 Bilingual Address Format
Example of standard bilingual format
Use this format for all bilingual addresses (i.e. civic, post office box, and postal station).
Separate the two address blocks with a solid vertical black line that is at least 0.7 mm thick and has 10 mm on either side of it.
Example of alternative bilingual format
Use this format for post office box and postal station addresses on and not for civic addresses.
ROYAL BANK DINERS CLUB
CARTE DINERS CLUB DE LA BANQUE ROYALE
PO BOX / CP 7044
STN / SUCC ADELAIDE
TORONTO ON M5C 2K7
Leave a character space either side of the forward slash.
Either English or French may be shown first in both of these formats.
3.5.2 Alternative Postal Code Locations
If the postal code cannot be on the last line of the address, follow this table.
IF
THEN LOCATE THE POSTAL CODE
ON BOTH SHORT AND LONG, AND OVERSIZE
the last line of the address has more than 40 characters
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on the last line by itself
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with its left margin aligned to the other address lines.
it is not possible or desirable to have the postal code on the same line as the city and province.
ON OVERSIZE ONLY
the mail piece has graphics
no more than a blank line away from the last line of the address
the mail piece does not have graphics
no more that two blank lines away from the last line of the address
the postal code is to the right of the address block.
no more than four character spaces from the longest line of the address.
3.6 Return Address
Requirement
Include a Canadian return address on all Lettermail items.
Format
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Place the return address in the same direction as the destination address.
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Ensure the return address is identical to the mailer's delivery address.
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If postage is paid by postage meter, the return address may be printed as part of the slogan or advertising to the left of the postmark impression.
Location
Locate the return address preferably on the front of the item, but it can also be on the back.
Front – Short and Long
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Locate the return address in the upper left corner within an area that:
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extends from the left edge to within 100 mm of the right edge
And
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is 40 mm from the top edge.
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If the item is paid by postage meter, locate the return address in the same place as described above or in the meter impression.
Front – Oversize
Locate the return address in the upper left corner ensuring that it is:
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clearly separated from the destination address
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outside of the postage zone.
IF THE DESTINATION ADDRESS IS LOCATED
THEN THE RETURN ADDRESS IS LOCATED IN:
Parallel to the longest edge of the item
The top 25% of the total height of the item.
Vertical to the longest edge of the item.
The top 20% of the total length of the item.
Back – Short and Long/ Oversize
Locate the return address:
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Near the top edge
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Centred between the left and right edges.
Oversize
If the return address is on the same label as the destination address:
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Use a print for the destination address that is of equal or better quality than that used in the return address.
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Limit the risk of the return address being mistaken for the destination address by using a different colour, such as yellow or red, or printing in italics or script.
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Place it in the left corner above the destination address.
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