Hongkong Post Address Validation: How to Use it to Verify Mailing Addresses
Founded in 1841, Hong Kong Post has 122 post offices in the country, three of which are mobile. Hong Kong has nearly 1,000 street post boxes where people and businesses can drop off mail for delivery.
This postal organization delivered an average of 2.68 million items daily in 2020-21, and 90% of this demand came from the business sector.
Since the volume is so high, hundreds and thousands of mail returns often follow along. Thus, Hong Kong Post address validation is crucial to ensure you send your mailpieces to the correct destinations and avoid delivery issues.
This tool confirms whether the address is fit for delivery and has complete details for the carrier to reach the location. If not, you can use it to make the required changes to your records.
The blog discusses the meaning of Hong Kong Post address validation, how to use it, its limitations, and more. Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
- Hongkong Post address validation offers an address lookup service to let businesses search for their customers’ mailing addresses and make necessary changes if they are incorrect.
- It also has a mailing address format finder to search for individual address elements, like the region, district, estate name, etc. It gives you the correct local address structure. You can also use this tool to get the addresses in Chinese transcripts.
- Businesses can use this postal tool to check address deliverability, but it has many disadvantages, like a lack of fuzzy address matching, global address verification, and other features.
- You can instead use PostGrid address verification to check addresses of 250+ countries with geocoding, reformatting, autocomplete, etc.
What is Hongkong Post Address Validation?
It refers to a postal service tool that lets users cross-verify their mailing addresses before shipping something. They can ensure the post office can deliver delivery to the location without delivery delays, misplacements, and returns. Businesses use it to save on shipping costs and mail accurately to customers.
Hongkong Post address validation allows you to follow the correct postal format the post office accepts. Since postal services use automated machines to read mailing addresses and sort mailpieces, it is crucial to use the proper format. Otherwise, your mail might reach incorrect destinations or get delayed because the postal employees must sort the mailers manually.
This reformatting is called standardization. It involves changing the address format to match the destination country’s prescribed address structure. Standardization also creates consistency in your databases by allowing you to quickly identify elements like the street name, city, state, postal code, etc.
Furthermore, businesses use Hongkong Post address validation to autocomplete their customers’ mailing details. This feature helps add missing information and provides address suggestions as you type the location in the address field. However, Hongkong Post doesn’t directly offer address autocomplete; you might need to download some address files and manually integrate them into your systems.
Also Read: How Does Hong Kong Post Address Validation Work?
Hong Kong Post provides an address lookup service to help businesses and individuals verify delivery addresses. This web service lets you look up Hong Kong addresses collected from different government agencies in English and Chinese. You can use it to search for address data files in machine-readable formats, like JSON and XML, by entering address element details. Businesses can use these records to develop in-house applications to quickly, accurately, and efficiently capture address information in Hong Kong.
The address lookup tool covers almost all Hong Kong premises, including:
- Industrial and commercial buildings
- Shopping centers
- Market areas
- Public and private housing structures
- Sporting centers
- Recreational facility locations
- Government offices and buildings, etc.
It also includes some unofficial building names and descriptions if they are more prevalent in remote locations of the New Territories. Such publicly accepted address records are also included to ensure the database is more comprehensive. Currently, no legislation enforces the choice of building names; hence, the owner decides the building name.
However, businesses must note that no enforced regulations require developers or owners to register/report building names. Thus, the address lookup tool does not guarantee the accuracy of its address records or claims. Yet, Hong Kong Post makes a great effort to include all known locations and verify address correctness. People and businesses can notify the post office of any new names or changes, missing place names, errors, or discontinuation of building names.
How to Access the Address Lookup Service?
Address Lookup is a Hong Kong Post address validation tool that lets you access a list of all mailing addresses in Hong Kong. You can download this database in JSON or XML formats from the official postal website. Also, you can use API integration to get the whole data file directly on your existing platform.
Please note that Hong Kong Post only offers housing address data via its address lookup service, which is updated monthly. Also, it has listed the Digital Policy Office as its official data provider. Hence, all the address databases you get using Hong Kong Post address validation are sourced and updated through them.
Mailing Address Format Finder
This tool typically allows you to find the proper delivery address format for sending local and national mailpieces. It helps avoid delivery issues or delays due to incorrect address formats and incomplete details. You can use this service to find the address and print it directly on your shipping labels.
Once you enter the building name, you get a list of suggestions for choosing the correct name. Then, the district and street names appear in English and Chinese on the screen. You can select the floor and unit numbers before clicking “Find.”
After clicking “Find,” you will see the entire standardized delivery address in both languages, ready to print on your envelopes or address labels.
How Do You Write Addresses Correctly in Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong Post postal organization prescribes that senders to use the following address format in Latin:
Line 1: Recipient’s full name or company name
Line 2: Sub-building details
Line 3: Building name
Line 4: House or room number, street name
Line 5: City
Line 6: State/ Province
Line 7: Country (for international mail)
Here is a sample Hong Kong address you can refer to:
Block C, 22/F, Mai On Industrial Building
17-21 Kung Yip Street
KWAI CHUNG
NEW TERRITORIES
HONG KONG
You can use the Hong Kong Post address validation tool “Mailing Address Format Finder” to get this address in Chinese script:
新界
葵涌
工業街17-21號
美安工業大廈二十三樓C座
You might have noticed that the address layout differs when you write it in Chinese. Use this format if you want to leverage this script:
Line 1: Country
Line 2: State/Province
Line 3: City
Line 4: Street name, house, or room number
Line 5: Building name
Line 6: Sub-building details
Line 7: Contact or recipient’s full name
Note: Hong Kong does not follow the postal code system. Hence, you need not include it in your address. However, if the Hong Kong Post website asks you to enter a postal code, you can type “HKG,” “000,” “000000,” or “0000.”
Hong Kong Post’s Guidelines on Writing Mailing and Return Addresses
You can write the correct delivery address on the center of the envelope using black or blue ink. Using dark colors on light backgrounds is always advisable to help postal carriers and sorting machines read your mailing details hassle-free.
If you want to send parcels, stick the address label on the front at the center. Then, you can affix another label for the return address in the top-left corner. The same rule applies to envelopes, where you can write the entire US return address on the top left.
Mentioning the return address ensures you can receive your mailpieces if the delivery fails. Otherwise, the post office may discard your items after waiting for you to collect them for a few days.
After checking the recipient and sender addresses, please ensure your postage is sufficient to cover the shipping costs. You can affix one or more stamps in the top right corner, parallel to the return address. If you don’t pay enough postage, the post office can hold your items and not deliver them.
National vs International Address Validation
Hong Kong Post address validation is a national mailing address checking tool. It only lets you standardize and verify addresses in Hong Kong because it focuses on helping businesses and individuals send mail. Checking addresses via this tool guarantees that this postal organization can securely and accurately send your mail to the correct destinations.
Though helpful, Hong Kong Post address validation is not an all-inclusive tool. As discussed above, it does not guarantee 100% comprehensiveness and accuracy. It relies on publicly known names of different places because people and companies are not legally required to register their location details.
Here are some primary differences between Hong Kong Post’s national address and international validation:
| National Address Verification | International Address Verification |
| It focuses on showing all delivery points and addresses within a country, helping people and firms ship items locally, regionally, and domestically. | It offers a broader service that lets individuals and firms verify addresses from any country globally. Thus, you can mail anywhere worldwide without combining your national address-checking tool with other solutions. |
| This service is usually provided by the country’s postal organization, like Hong Kong Post, in the case of Hong Kong. You can visit its website to cross-check addresses directly or download the entire address data file. Some organizations also let you integrate its API into your system. | You might have to use an external address verification solution, like PostGrid, to standardize and validate global delivery addresses. |
| This service is only sometimes free. You can check individual addresses on the postal website without cost. However, buying the entire data record can be expensive. | International address verification is usually paid because the solution combines global databases from all postal organizations. However, using a reliable tool like PostGrid can help you access this tool for the lowest possible price. |
Who Uses Hongkong Post Address Validation?
Healthcare
Health-related businesses can use Hong Kong Post address validation to ensure client addresses are correct before sending crucial mail. This tool checks if an address is real and fixes mistakes so letters, bills, and prescriptions reach the right people. It helps avoid lost and returned mail, saving your company time and money. Doctors, clinics, and hospitals can use it to keep patient records accurate. It also improves customer service because recipients get their mail on time.
Logistics
These companies must always cross-check whether an address is correct before shipping packages. This is mainly because they send hundreds and thousands of shipments in one go and combine several transport modes, which means they cannot afford to have any incorrect or incomplete addresses on their list.
Logistic businesses use Hong Kong Post address validation to ensure deliveries go to the right place without delays. The tool fixes address mistakes so parcels are not lost or misplaced. With accurate addresses and well-planned delivery routes, delivery drivers can work faster, saving their carriers fuel and time.
Real Estate
Ensuring property addresses are correct and complete allows real estate firms to ship contracts, bills, or other significant and time-sensitive documents to buyers and tenants. It also prevents mistakes in property listings so customers can easily find the correct location. Agents can show around houses or offices without hassles by having the most recently updated data on hand. This tool also helps keep client records accurate. Whether selling, renting, or managing properties, this tool allows real estate companies to work faster and avoid address errors.
Insurance
Agents can verify addresses using Hong Kong Post address validation to ensure that customer addresses and registrations are correct and genuine. It helps ensure that policy documents, bills, or claim letters arrive on time. Agents can also keep customer records updated and avoid mistakes, making communication smoother and improving customer service.
Retail
After logistics businesses, retail companies that sell their products online ship the most items. Based on the items they sell, they might have buyers in Hong Kong or any other country. Hence, they need a reliable and robust address verification tool to verify and reformat delivery addresses before their orders go out. This tool also helps stores keep customer records correct for loyalty programs and promotions.
Financial Services
These firms can use Hong Kong Post address validation to screen applicants when they sign up for services. Checking that the addresses are valid and accurate helps them ensure the registrations aren’t spam. They can also store accurate mailing details to ship bank statements, credit cards, and loan papers, preventing lost mail, delays, and security risks.
Banks, credit companies, and investment firms can avoid extra costs by reshipping confidential documents and ensuring customers get essential updates on time. This tool helps build trust by making communication seamless and fast for businesses.
Limitations of Using Hongkong Post Address Validation
Missing Real-Time Updates
The system does not update instantly when new addresses are added or changed. If a new building, road, or housing estate is created, it may take time before the database includes it. Businesses using this tool might face issues if they need to send mail or make deliveries to new locations. For example, a courier company may struggle to find a newly developed apartment complex. Customers at new addresses may experience delays in receiving packages or important documents. Companies that require up-to-date address data may need additional sources to verify the most recent address changes.
No Fuzzy Address Matching
The tool requires addresses to be entered exactly as they appear in its system. If a customer types an address with minor errors, such as spelling mistakes, missing words, or abbreviations, the system will not recognize it. For example, if a customer writes “Lung Lau Avenue” instead of “Luk Lau Avenue,” the system may reject it.
It can cause failed deliveries, manual corrections, and extra work for businesses. Many modern address tools can guess or correct errors, but Hong Kong Post address validation does not. Companies relying on user-entered data must ensure that customers type addresses perfectly every time.
Rural Addresses Might Not Be Registered
Some remote or rural addresses in Hong Kong may not be in the system. It means businesses cannot verify or confirm deliveries to these locations. Customers living in villages or outlying islands might experience delivery failures or delays. For example, a courier company may struggle to find a house in a small town because it is not listed. Businesses serving rural areas may need to contact customers directly to confirm addresses, adding extra steps to the process. It can frustrate you and your customers, making deliveries less efficient and time-consuming.
International Address Validation is Not Possible
This tool only works for Hong Kong addresses. It cannot check or confirm addresses from other countries. Businesses that ship products internationally or serve overseas customers will need another system to verify foreign addresses. Inaccurate international addresses may lead to lost shipments, delivery delays, or costly returns without proper validation.
For example, an online store selling worldwide may receive incorrect customer addresses, which can cause failed deliveries. Companies handling local and international customers must use separate tools for address validation, which can complicate the process and increase costs.
What is a Better Alternative Than Using Hongkong Post Address Validation?
Hong Kong Post is excellent for businesses or people who want to occasionally ship a few items to their customers, friends, relatives, etc. However, it is not the best tool for sending mailpieces often and in large quantities.
Also, as discussed above, Hong Kong Post address validation is designed only to check addresses before domestic shipping. The results cannot help businesses make decisions, market, expand, or perform other crucial operations. Companies may need to invest in another solution to enhance their data records, add missing details, and check national and international addresses.
One such tool is PostGrid’s address verification API. It is an all-in-one solution to help businesses access updated, accurate, and complete customer address information on a single platform. You can integrate it into your CRM, ERP, or another platform to get the address standardization and verification capabilities within your existing workflows.
Hongkong Post vs PostGrid Address Validation
| Parameters | Hongkong Post | PostGrid |
| Use Cases | It helps businesses and people cross-confirm whether their recipient mailing addresses are deliverable via the post office. | It parses, reformats, and verifies delivery addresses to allow you to ship items accurately, collect market research data, conduct location-based marketing, and more. |
| Coverage | Hong Kong Post address validation lets you check domestic addresses only. | PostGrid allows you to validate addresses from 250+ countries and territories. |
| Fuzzy Address Matching | You might not get accurate results if you enter an incorrect building or street name in the fields. | To return the most accurate results, it leverages fuzzy logic to identify misspelled words, typos, spacing errors, swapped letters, etc. |
| Geocoding | Hongkong Post lets you download geo-records of Hong Kong addresses in XML or JSON formats. | PostGrid provides rooftop and reverse geocoding to let you access the latitudes and longitudes of all customer locations, facilitating data mapping, shipping, etc. |
| Compliance | You must contact Hong Kong Post to inquire how long you can use the address records. | PostGrid complies with all data protection regulations to prevent you from paying any penalties. |
| Secondary Address Units | Hong Kong Post lets you check the internal address units, but you must enter the correct building name to get the desired results. | PostGrid provides address verification up to the premise level, helping you verify internal units, such as house and suite numbers. |
| Pricing | The prices are reasonable, but you don’t get comprehensive and precise details. | PostGrid offers the lowest national and international address verification rates, along with geocoding, standardization, and other features. |
About PostGrid’s Address Verification Solution
PostGrid offers an Address Verification API, software, and a dashboard to let businesses cross-check their mailing lists in any format they need. Companies can integrate our API into HubSpot, Zapier, Salesforce, or any other platform to verify mailing addresses without constantly uploading files. It reduces the back-and-forth of data files, saves time, and gives users access to updated addresses whenever needed.
Otherwise, if you prefer this deployment option, you can install our software on your device. The results will remain the same, although you might need to upload your mailing lists for checking. You can also download and store the results on your device for various purposes.
The third option is to use our online dashboard, which you can access from any device anywhere in the world. It gives you instant access to your PostGrid account, where you can check any mailing addresses, get geocodes, and more.
Here are some of our most helpful features:
- Address Transliteration: PostGrid lets you transliterate your global mailing addresses so the local post office can easily recognize the destination and deliver the mailpieces. This feature allows you to capture and store data in different language scripts for better operating efficiency if you are a multinational brand.
- Update Records: Our solution allows you to update your address databases based on customers’ moving information. Since many people relocate every few years, staying informed and sending mail to their new destinations is essential. PostGrid lets you know when and where your target audiences move, helping you avoid having outdated records records.
- Reverse Geocoding: Besides rooftop geocoding, PostGrid offers reverse geocoding to convert geographical coordinates into shipping addresses. It allows you to obtain precise mailing data and conduct marketing campaigns.
Contact our sales team now for more details on getting started with the PostGrid Address Verification solution!
