DHL Address Validation: How Does it Work and a Better Alternative
The United States Postal Service has reported that address-related mistakes cause 10% of all delivery hassles! These errors lead to several delays and account for high operational and reshipping expenses for businesses.
Also, another study by Forbes says that organizations can save nearly 15% on shipping expenses if they incorporate address validation workflows into their systems. We cannot agree more—address verification is significant to businesses that actively mail items on-demand or in bulk. It allows them to complete deliveries in one go instead of dealing with mail returns, delays, and reshipping.
Most courier companies, such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc., offer an address validator to help senders verify their intended recipient’s delivery information. This allows senders to ship postcards, letters, packages, etc., to the correct people while enabling courier service providers to reduce delivery costs.
Below, we discuss the DHL address validation system, its operation, limitations, and alternatives. By the end of this blog, you can decide which solution is best for your needs. Let us begin!
Key Takeaways
- DHL address validation helps its users verify delivery addresses before sending their shipments.
- It offers features to customers, including its DCT tool, integration hub, shipping dialog, and more.
- DHL’s address verification limitations include a lack of bulk and real-time address validation capabilities. Also, it sources third-party data systems that might be outdated and inaccurate.
- Many industries leverage DHL address validation, like healthcare, retail, logistics, financial services, etc., to send items to their intended customers’ mailing locations.
- If you want to check addresses in large volumes and rely on first-hand data, looking into address verification alternatives like PostGrid is better.
What is DHL Address Validation?
It refers to the solution provided by DHL to its customers while they send their shipments. DHL address validation allows them to enter their recipient’s mailing address and instantly check whether it is correct and deliverable. They can also confirm whether it is a DHL serviceable locality.
Users can select the “Ship Now” option on the DHL website and enter their country, city (optional), and ZIP code (optional). The system will then tell them whether their ZIP code and city name are deliverable and have no significant errors, such as missing numbers or letters. Here are some essential elements of DHL address validation you must know:
Address Autocomplete
This feature allows DHL to complete sender and receiver addresses while the user is still typing. Based on the entered details, it shows a couple of options, helping the user select one quickly and saving time.
The above example shows how DHL presents a list of suggestions as the user begins typing. Its primary purpose is to ensure the website captures accurate location data instead of relying entirely on manual inputs prone to errors.
Address autocomplete allows users to benefit from fuzzy address matching and data enrichment. Fuzzy matching means checking addresses for misplaced letters or alphabets, spacing issues, swapped characters, capitalization errors, incorrect street abbreviations, etc. Data enrichment involves adding missing information or correcting existing details. Overall, address autocomplete ensures that your entered delivery addresses are error-free and ready to mail.
Address Standardization
It refers to reformatting mailing addresses to match a specified address format. For example, it is common to follow this format in the US:
| Recipient Name
Company Name Apartment/Suite/Room Number, Street Name State Abbreviation, ZIP Code |
Imagine if users enter the ZIP code where they must type the apartment number and vice versa. Or if they mention the state name right on the first line. It can confuse DHL delivery routing machines and other algorithms, causing massive delivery disasters. Hence, it is crucial to break down every address and reformat them into this layout before all shipments go out.
Address Verification
It ensures the autocompleted and standardized addresses are up-to-date, precise, and valid. The addresses must also be present in DHL’s internal database for shipment delivery to be successful. Address verification cross-checks all mailing addresses to such authoritative databases and makes the required changes if there are discrepancies between the two.
Also Read: In Which Ways Does DHL Offer Address Validation
Address Auto-Correction
This feature allows users to leverage DHL’s address validation capabilities. After logging into their account, users go to the “Orders” screen and turn on the “Invalid Only” switch at the top left of the page. Then, they select the “Auto-Correct” button at the top right corner of the page. DHL checks each delivery address for an issue, and the courier service provider tries to modify and correct the address.
Senders can review the modified addresses and save them manually. Usually, invalid addresses are presented with a red cross, highlighting they need correction.
In-Line Address Editing
DHL allows users to edit the delivery addresses manually, which wasn’t corrected during the auto-correction process. You can go to the “Invalid Only” screen to use in-line editing, which lets you change any incorrect or invalid details. Also, you can click on any field they want to modify and save the changes by clicking on the “Save” button on the top.
Though DHL readily offers manual editing to senders, it strongly advises them to check the suggested address modifications instead of promptly selecting them. This prevents them from mistakenly changing the suburb, state, or any other information. Please note that you cannot use in-line editing on the “New Orders” screen.
Shipping Dialog
DHL lets users view the shipping dialog whenever needed by clicking on the order name or number. This dialog allows you to leverage several tools to correct their delivery addresses, like: automatically
Suburb Lookup
It allows you to verify the delivery suburb or localities where you want to send your shipments, ensuring the details match those in DHL’s database. If the suburb doesn’t exist in the database, it might suggest a different name (this can happen due to spelling mistakes or invalid locality names).
Address-Autocomplete Lookup
Aside from the address autocomplete option on the “Orders” screen, you also get a lookup option in the shipping dialog. It allows you to perform the same function, though—you can enter some details and let the tool autofill the rest for you. Of course, you must select one address from the suggested addresses first.
Google Maps
You can always link your shipping account to Google Maps on the DHL platform to select precise addresses on the map. It allows you to skip the part where you manually type addresses and instead a delivery point on the map. Thus, it reduces the chances of you making manual mistakes. Also, it helps users who may be unable to type the exact address but know where the location appears on the map. However, before you jump onto this option, here are some statistics for you:
A report by Mapillary says that maps guiding carriers to incorrect locations cost logistics service providers $2.5 billion annually. Also, 95% of drivers have encountered some sort of issue with Maps, from the app not differentiating between street addresses and delivery entrances to showing incorrect road names. Nearly all (99%) drivers have stated that they would work more efficiently if given access to better mapping.
The DHL Capability Tool
DCT helps users who cannot proceed with a shipment because their entered delivery address contains an error. DHL suggests using this tool whenever you encounter an address verification issue and receive a message saying that DHL cannot identify the destination service. If the problem persists, you must check the details, resubmit, and contact the customer service representative.
DCT allows you to modify the address fields that cause the address validation issue. To do so, go to the tool page and enter the shipment information in the form. The form includes three sections: From, To, and Shipment Details. Entering the sender and recipient addresses here allows you to check which address fields are compulsory, depending on the destination and origin countries.
The tool verifies whether the address is valid and correct and provides suggestions. It cross-references all information with DHL’s national and international databases and ensures you have entered all the necessary information. For example, entering the ZIP codes is not mandatory when sending something to Ireland, but you must mention the accurate suburb name.
Integration Hub
Businesses using DHL’s integration hub also get the option to validate their addresses. You can cross-verify the Ship to and Bill to locations to prevent entering incorrect details and encountering delays later. The tool generally allows you to validate the city, state, and ZIP code. You can get the address validation in the integration hub at two places:
- Business Partner Master Data: You can verify your addresses per the DHL address format by visiting this tab and selecting “Addresses.” It lets you run a quick check to determine validity.
- Delivery Document: The “Logistics” tab is accessible in the “Delivery Document” screen. However, you must ensure that the shipping type is selected as “DHL.”
Note: You can also integrate DHL’s address validation code examples into your system to check sender and receiver addresses. This will allow you to confirm whether DHL Express offers pickup and delivery services at the mentioned origin and destination.
The DHL Address Validation Limitations to Consider
Not Suitable for Bulk Address Validation
As discussed above, most DHL address validation options let you check single ship-to and bill-to addresses. For example, the DCT tool lets you enter your address details and receive recommendations about which fields to fill out and some auto-suggestions.
However, you don’t get the option to upload a whole list of mailing addresses and get them validated in one go. Thus, you must keep going back and forth between your files and the DHL tools to verify addresses one by one.
High Costs for Address Correction
If you miss checking some addresses before shipping (which you might do since DHL doesn’t offer bulk verification), DHL does it for you (but at a cost). It charges a fixed surcharge of $22.50 to shipments containing incorrect or invalid delivery addresses at the pickup point or during delivery. This fee applies to domestic and global mailers. DHL charges its customers this fee to compensate for its efforts to find the accurate address and fulfill deliveries.
Though it is a good idea to charge customers and complete deliveries instead of returning the items, this can be a hefty investment for businesses in the long run. They would lose hundreds of dollars if they sent a hundred items monthly and could only verify a few mailing addresses.
Limited Coverage to Remote Areas
DHL’s DCT tool and address validation API might be great for urban, well-registered locations. However, they can be lacking when searching non-standard or remote places. Since these regions lack adequate postal data, DHL cannot add them to its master database.
Thus, whenever you run a search for these locations, you might get inaccurate or no results. Non-standardized addresses, such as informal settlements or regions with inconsistent postal systems, are also difficult to identify within the DHL systems. Such challenges might compel businesses to manually verify and edit addresses or run the risk of failed deliveries.
Third-Party Databases
DHL’s database is built using several third-party data systems, which may not be up-to-date and accurate. So why use DHL address validation instead of directly using a solution that relies on the country’s most updated and authoritative database (USPS), like PostGrid?
Also, please note that DHL address validation cannot identify addresses from new developments or restructured ZIP codes. Hence, you might have difficulty validating your mailing lists, mainly if they include addresses from varied neighborhoods and cities.
No Real-Time Address Validation
As mentioned above, DHL’s third-party data might often be outdated. Hence, real-time address validation is barely possible. Address auto-complete solutions based on obsolete records might be sent, leading to failed deliveries even if you run a DHL address validation check before mailing.
Furthermore, the lack of real-time validation means the tool cannot enhance your address records with missing information, ZIP+4 codes, correct street abbreviations, etc. Hence, the final verified results offered by DHL might not be valid and deliverable.
Improper Formatting for Different Address Types
DHL address validation struggles with checking addresses that require specialized formats, such as those in diplomatic zones, military bases, and faraway economic regions. DHL marks most of these addresses as undeliverable. However, if you use DCT or other DHL tools just to verify your addresses, you might be off to a bad start since you won’t find much information.
Which Industries Use DHL Address Validation?
Research by Fill the Gap shows that 48% of businesses have suffered losses due to inaccurate address data. Forty percent experienced a vast reduction in customer retention, and 30% said they were unaware of how much invalid data costs their firm.
Since most organizations consider bad address data challenging, they use DHL address validation to verify it. Here are the top industries that leverage this tool:
Retail and Ecommerce
These businesses often rely on customer address data to fulfill orders. Imagine this: an online retail brand selling clothes gets an average of 150 orders daily. This means that it must validate 150 mailing addresses to send the products to the intended buyers. DHL address validation allows them to cross-verify whether it can fulfill their shipments, especially if DHL is their primary courier service. However, lacking bulk address validation capabilities might be a huge hurdle.
Healthcare
Most healthcare-related organizations send time-critical and sensitive items to patients, including medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, lab samples, etc. Hence, they require DHL address validation to confirm whether these shipments are headed in the right direction. Address errors, like incorrect city names or missing street addresses, can cause delayed deliveries, which can impact patient treatments and the firm’s integrity and reputation.
Banks and Financial Services
These companies ship documents containing sensitive client information, such as credit cards, bank statements, contracts, bills, etc. DHL address validation enables them to ensure these items reach the correct recipients on time. They can log into their DHL account whenever needed and check a client’s delivery location before sending anything. Also, DHL provides an option to save the addresses for future use. This facilitates banks and financial service companies’ repeated mailpieces to the same clients without entering their addresses each time.
Logistics
DHL offers address verification to all individuals and businesses. However, it also uses its address-checking capabilities to curate delivery routes and assign shipments to carriers. Similarly, other logistics companies can leverage DHL address validation to cross-verify their customers’ delivery addresses to reduce operational costs and improve deliverability rates.
Domestic Vs. International DHL Address Validation
Address validation is significant in ensuring your shipments reach the correct delivery addresses, especially when using a global courier like DHL. However, this process differs between domestic and international addresses due to variations in formats, standards, and complexities.
For domestic shipments, DHL address validation focuses on verifying addresses within a single country. It ensures the provided address conforms to local postal standards, such as ZIP codes in the United States or postcodes in the United Kingdom. Domestic addresses typically follow a standardized format, making validation faster and more reliable.
However, international address validation is more complex because of the diverse formats and conventions used in different countries. For example, addresses in Japan, Germany, or Brazil vary significantly in structure and often require unique handling. DHL must address these variations to ensure accurate delivery across borders.
DHL Address Validation Alternative
Since we have established that DHL address validation has several disadvantages and is expensive, you might want to consider other options. One such solution is PostGrid’s address verification API, which offers this service at the lowest rates across the US and has a 99.99% deliverability rate.
PostGrid offers on-demand and bulk address verification, ensuring you don’t restrict yourself or send mailpieces without verifying the delivery details. You can upload your entire mailing list of hundreds of thousands of addresses, and we validate them at once! It is speedy, reliable, and cost-effective!
The best part is that we parse, standardize, and validate your delivery addresses, leaving no room for errors, formatting mistakes, or incorrect information. You can also integrate our API into your existing platforms or systems, helping you verify addresses without installing a new program on your device.
Comparing PostGrid With DHL Address Validation
| Parameters | PostGrid | DHL |
| Address Validation | PostGrid offers real-time postal address validation, standardization, autocorrection, and enrichment for addresses across 250+ countries and territories. | DHL offers address validation via different tools, like DCT, to help customers check whether the address is in its database. |
| Bulk Verification | PostGrid allows users to upload and verify up to 1 million addresses simultaneously, ensuring deliverability and eliminating duplicates. | DHL’s address validation service is primarily designed for individual shipments and may not support bulk verification to the same extent as PostGrid. |
| Integration Capabilities | It provides an address verification API to integrate into various platforms and applications, like HubSpot, Zapier, Salesforce, etc. | DHL offers limited integration capabilities. You might not get access to real-time, updated data even after integrating. |
| Address Autocomplete | This feature suggests verified addresses to users as they type, reducing errors at the entry point. | DHL only offers address autocomplete for certain elements like ZIP codes and city names. It might be unable to autocomplete apartment names and other intricate details. |
| Pricing | PostGrid offers tiered pricing plans, with the rates dropping for large-volume requirements. | DHL’s address validation costs are typically included in its shipping solutions. However, it charges $22.50 per correction if you miss checking an address. |
Validate Your Mailing Lists for Faster and Accurate Deliveries With PostGrid
PostGrid’s advanced address verification solution ensures your mailing lists are accurate, complete, and deliverable. It eliminates errors that lead to delays or undeliverable mail by letting businesses validate and standardize addresses in real-time or through bulk processing. Supporting over 250 countries, PostGrid ensures global accuracy while complying with postal standards.
Our address verification solution, which is CASS-compliant, validates your addresses using the USPS’s official database. If your clients move, we also use the USPS’s NCOA data file to find their new addresses. These features are available at all-in-one prices, making PostGrid a user-friendly, cost-efficient, and dependable solution for all businesses!
Get a demo now to see how you validate your shipping addresses with us instead of relying on DHL address validation!
