


ZIP codes do not exist with actual boundary lines but are represented by points of delivery (i.e. The ZCTAs have been modified to account for confirmed ZIP codes in use based on Chatham County GIS addressing data. Chatham County ZIP code boundaries are derived from ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) developed from 2010 Census data by the United States Census Bureau. Wake County ZIP code boundaries as depicted on the aforementioned map are compiled from Wake County Geographic Information System (GIS), which uses the best available sources and are used for reference purposes only. The Town of Apex is not responsible for any errors or omissions concerning the content and positional accuracy of the USPS ZIP code boundaries displayed. In general, mail is read by a multiline optical character reader (MLOCR) that almost instantly determines the correct ZIP+4 code from the address - along with the even more specific delivery point - and sprays an Intelligent Mail barcode (IM) on the face of the mail piece that corresponds to 11 digits - nine for the ZIP+4 code and two for the delivery point.The general assignment of USPS ZIP codes depicted on the linked map (PDF) have been provided as a public service in cooperation with the United States Postal Service (USPS). However, initial attempts to promote universal use of the new format met with public resistance, and today the +4 code is not required. An extended ZIP+4 code was introduced in 1983 which includes the five digits of the ZIP code, followed by a hyphen and four additional digits that reference a more specific location. The +4 on a ZIP code can be changed as frequently as once a month, based on things like how many postal employees are working, who is working what route, etc.Ī ZIP code is a postal code used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in a system it introduced in 1963. Five-digit ZIP codes also change, but they do so infrequently. Marathon County does not assign this number the USPS does.Ī ZIP+4 code uses the basic five-digit code plus four additional digits to identify a geographic segment within the five-digit delivery area, such as a city block, a group of apartments, an individual high-volume receiver of mail, a post office box, or a specific delivery route - meaning the actual path the mail truck would travel could have changed.īecause they are based on delivery routes instead of more permanent boundaries, the last 4 digits of a complete ZIP code can change often. Whenever a new street or a new block range of addresses are added to the USPS data base, a new +4 may be added. There have been several +4 digit changes as a result of the Marathon County Uniform Addressing Program. The final 4 digits are not required for delivery of your mail and may change frequently. The ZIP+4 code is used and assigned by the United States Postal Service (USPS) for routing purposes. What is a Zip+4 Code and Why May It Change?
