Decoding USPS Nixie Mail Codes

In case you've ever received mail back with a yellow sticker attached to it, you might be curious about its significance and the reasons for your mail's non-delivery.

In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of Nixie Mail and what you can do to prevent it.

Nixie Mail, Explained

Nixie mail is a term used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to refer to mail that is undeliverable as addressed. This means that the mail could not be delivered to the intended recipient at the address provided.

The term “Nixie” comes from the word “nix”, which means to reject or cancel. In the context of mail, it means that the mail was rejected or cancelled because it could not be delivered.

Reasons for Nixie Mail

There are several reasons why mail may be marked as Nixie. Some common reasons include:

• Incorrect or incomplete address: If the address provided on the mail is incorrect or incomplete, the USPS will not be able to deliver it.
• Change of address: If the recipient has moved and not updated their address with the USPS, their mail will be marked as Nixie.
• Vacant or abandoned address: If the address provided is for a vacant or abandoned property, the USPS will not be able to deliver the mail.
• Insufficient postage: If the mail does not have enough postage, it will not be delivered and will be marked as Nixie.
• Damaged mail: If the mail is damaged and the address is no longer legible, it will be marked as Nixie.

Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) Mail

UAA mail is all mail that cannot be delivered to the name and address specified on the mail piece, and must be forwarded, returned to sender or properly treated as waste. The actions required to process UAA mail create additional cost for the Postal Service™ and have an impact on postal operations. 

What happens to mail that cannot be delivered?

When mail is undeliverable as addressed, the mail is handled in one of two ways:

1. If the mail was sent as First-Class mail, that mail is returned
2. If the mail was sent as bulk marketing mail, the mail piece is recycled

How to Prevent mail from being returned or recycled

Undeliverable mail costs the USPS $1.5 billion dollars per year. Consequently, when mail has to be returned, that cost will be passed on. And when you're mailing in bulk, you'll get steeper postage discounts for accurate, up-to-date addresses. Here are tips on how to prevent mail from getting returned, and to make sure mail is received by the intended recipient in a timely fashion.

Keep Your Address Up to Date

If you move, make sure to update your address with the USPS. This can be done online or by filling out a change of address form at your local post office. By keeping your address up to date, you can ensure that your mail will be delivered to the correct location.

If you're a mail service provider, make sure you're performing CASS Certifed address validation and NCOALink move update processing on the address list prior to mailing. 

Address validation will determine the deliverability of the address while applying a ZIP+4 to each valid address. This process will also standardize valid addresses, making sure pre-directions, post-directions, and street suffixes are accurate and abbreviated properly.

NCOALink move update processing will tap into the USPS' NCOALink database of those who have moved and filed a change of address with the USPS, and this database is updated weekly.

17% of Americans change their address annually and 45 million people move each year. With that many people moving, you need to take advantage of a system that allows you to keep up to date with those who have moved and filed a change of address!

Use Correct Address Format

When addressing mail, make sure to use the correct format. This includes including the recipient’s name, street address, city, state, and zip code. If you are unsure of the correct format, you can use the USPS ZIP Code Lookup tool to find the correct zip code for a specific address.

Address Standardization and Correction is the process of altering addresses to conform to USPS® conventions. 

Examples include:

• Changing Avenue to AVE
• Changing # to APT or STE
• Changing Box or POB to PO BOX™
• Changing BLVD to DR if the street suffix was incorrect and fixing street name mistakes

Address standardization assists with duplicate removal in your address list

Use Proper Postage

Make sure to use the correct amount of postage when sending mail. The USPS' Notice 123 Price List provides the pricing for retail rates and the prices for mailing in bulk. If you are a mail service provider, placing an indicia on the mail piece ensures that the postage will be accurate. There is a permit fee for using an indicia, but as long as you mail in bulk at least once every two years, then that fee only needs to be paid once.

Analyze and Remove Undeliverable As Addressed Mail

If you're using mailing software to perform CASS Certified address validation on your address list, or if you're hiring a firm to do this for you, there will be data added to the list in the form of DPV Codes that will inform you of any issues with the address. This gives you the ability to remove addresses with the following issues:

• Street number doesn’t exist
• Street name doesn’t exist
• Missing or incorrect Unit number
• Vacant Address
• Moved, No Forwarding Address
• No letter carrier service

Conclusion

Nixie mail is a term used by the USPS to refer to undeliverable mail. It can be caused by a variety of reasons, including incorrect addresses, change of address, and insufficient postage. To prevent Nixie mail, make sure to keep your address up to date, use the correct address format, and properly protect your mail. By following these tips, you can ensure that your mail is delivered successfully and avoid the hassle of Nixie mail.