By Adam Collinson
The Address Change Service (ACS™) offers several “flavors” or variations, each with distinct features, costs, and data delivery methods, designed to cater to different mailer needs. Understanding these options and the data they provide is crucial for maximizing the benefits of ACS™.
Variations of ACS™:
There are multiple forms of ACS™ available:
- Manual ACS™: Involves a separate notice or a returned piece of mail. It is the most expensive, costing $0.93 per manual notice in July 2025. Notices could be received days to even weeks later.
- Traditional ACS™: Provides electronic notices, with fees differing between First-Class Mail ($0.21) and Other than First-Class Mail ($0.47) per notice in July 2025. Notices are typically received in 1-2 days from the NCSC (National Customer Support Center).
- OneCode ACS™: Utilizes an Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) for automated notices. Costs vary for First-Class and Marketing/Standard mail letters, with different rates for the first two notices versus additional notices. Data is typically available in 1-2 days from the NCSC.
- Full Service ACS™: Free for Full Service qualified pieces. Utilizes an Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) for Full Service qualified pieces. Full Service ACS™ notices continue to be FREE! Data is typically available in 2-3+ days from PostalOne! But only includes ACS™ records for Full Service qualified pieces.
- Alternate Fulfillment of SingleSource ACS™: All ACS™ records are returned in a single format, charged based on what the piece qualified for, and also fulfilled from the NCSC in 1-2 days. NOTE: If a mailer submits over 95% of their volume as Full Service, all ACS™ notices will be at the Full Service ACS™ fee (so FREE!).
Key Data Elements Provided by ACS™:
ACS™ provides a wealth of information in its electronic notifications, critical for updating address databases. This data typically includes:
- Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb).
- ACS™ Reason / Deliverability Code (1 character).
- COA Data (Change of Address):
- New Address: Provided in parsed and label line format for domestic addresses, and as address lines for foreign addresses.
- Old Address & Name: Parsed from the matched COA Record – this may not be exactly what was on the original mailpiece.
- Move Effective Date and Made Available Date.
- Move Type (how the COA was filed: Family, Individual, Business).
- Processing Type (e.g., CFS, PARS, RFS, FPARS).
- Mail Action Code (e.g., Forward, Return, Waste, Unknown).
- Fee Notification.
- Delivery Point Validation (DPV) (Y, N, S, D).
Understanding ACS™ Codes:
ACS™ provides specific codes for both COA-related and Non-COA (NIXIE) reasons:
-
- COA Related Codes:
- Space or Blank: New address information is present (action expected for Move Update compliance).
- G (PO Box™ has been closed): No new address present.
- K (Customer has moved and left no forwarding address): No new address present.
- W (Temporary COA): No new address present; “Temporarily Away” is provided in the Parsed New Address field.
- NIXIE Codes (Non-COA Related):
- A (Attempted, not known): Delivery attempted, addressee not known at place of address.
- I (Insufficient address): Mail without necessary address components and correct address not known.
- L (Illegible): Address not readable.
- M (No mail receptacle): Addressee failed to provide a receptacle.
- N (No such number): Addressed to a nonexistent number and correct number not known.
- P (Deceased): recipient indicates deceased on piece, but USPS does not validate.
- Q (Not deliverable as addressed/unable to forward): No change-of-address order on file or forwarding order expired.
- U (Unclaimed): Addressee abandoned or failed to call for mail.
- V (Vacant): House, apartment, office, or building not occupied (used if mail addressed “Occupant”).
- X (No such office): Addressed to a nonexistent Post Office.
- COA Related Codes:
Notably, Nixie notifications do not contain customer name, old address, or new address information. Q, A, and I represent the majority of non-COA codes.
By understanding these different ACS™ variations and the detailed information they provide, mailers can make informed decisions about how to best integrate ACS™ into their address quality processes, streamline operations, and enhance their overall mailing effectiveness.
For more information about ACS™ Processing and Results, request a copy of Adam Collinson’s most recent presentation to the Central Illinois PCC: “ACS™ 101 – The Basics of ACS™ Processing and Results.”
Adam is one of the postal industry’s leading experts on all aspects of address hygiene and data quality services. For 20+ years, he has brought expert knowledge of how address quality management tools and processes can enhance the postal and business operations of some of the largest operations in the country.
As the industry’s “Address Quality Guru”, he is constantly involved in leading postal initiatives, associations, and work groups including being the MTAC Industry Focus Area Leader (Data, Technology, and Addressing) and AMEE Association Rep. He is also a key speaker at numerous venues such as PCC events, the National Postal Forum and Xplor.
