How to Use Care of in Mailing Address

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If you are trying to send a letter to someone at their job or someplace other than their own home--maybe a birthday card to your grandmother who is in a nursing home, or your friend who is staying with a relative--you want to be sure it doesn't get lost in the shuffle. This article will teach you the proper way to address your envelope to make sure it ends up in the right hands.

Sample Envelope

1. 1

   Write the address on the front of the envelope in clear, all capital letters and using a pen or permanent marker. ^[1] Don't write the address in pencil, crayon, or something else that could smudge or rub off.^[2]

   • If the address includes and apartment number, box, or other unit, do not use a number or pound sign (#) to indicate the unit number. Instead, write "Apt. 6," "Room 52," or "Box 230."
   • If you don't know what the number stands for, you may use the number sign, but make sure you leave a clear space between the symbol and the actual number. Instead of #6, write # 6.^[3]
   • Capital letters are preferred, but your letter will still be delivered if you write in upper and lowercase letters. Just make sure it is legible and no one line is longer than 40 characters, or the scanner will not be able to read the address.^[4]

1. 1

   Follow the example below (but with the appropriate information) to send your mail to someone at a business. For this example, a letter for John Smith is being sent to his workplace, wikiHow. Because wikiHow is responsible for passing the letter on to John, it is in their care. The c/o goes before "wikiHow," and not John's name, as follows:

   • John Smith
   • C/O wikiHow
   • 250 EMERSON ST.
   • PALO ALTO, CA 94301

2. 2

   Follow the example below to send a letter to someone who is staying at another residence. If John Smith is staying with his cousin Jane Doe, then it is her responsibility to make sure the mail gets to him. The care of symbol (c/o) will go before her name.

   • John Smith
   • C/O Jane Doe
   • 543 MAIN ST
   • APT. 12
   • CHICAGO, IL 60601

3. 3

   Attach the appropriate amount of postage. Postcards, letters, and packages all require different stamps, and the cost of international mail can vary. If you are unsure how much it will cost to send your letter or package, bring it to the post office and they will make sure you get the right stamps.

   • A standard letter is under 1 oz. in the United States and requires one $.49 stamp.^[5]

4. 4

   Place your return address in the upper left-hand corner or on the back for the envelope. If, for some reason, the letter is undeliverable, it will be sent to the return address listed.

5. 5

   Drop your properly addressed mail in the post box and you're all done!

Add New Question

• Question

  Can the "in care of" person named, open the mail?

  

  Reading or opening someone else's mail is called "mail theft," and is punishable for up to five years in prison. It's a federal crime, at least in the US. Tampering or stealing someone's personal belongings (e.g. mail) would be a crime anywhere. The "care of" doesn't give that person any special mail opening privileges, it simply means they are responsible for getting the mail to the specific person because it's not their normal address.

• Question

  Can you use a % sign for "Care Of"?

  

  That may work, but it's better to write "c/o."

• Question

  How do I address in c/o with a title of the person? Is it Jane Smith, c/o ABC Co., Director of Fun, address?

  

  When addressing a person in a business it is not a c/o. It would be Jane Smith: Director of Fun, ABC Co., address.

• Question

  Is c/o used in other countries when addressing an envelope?

  

  Not necessarily; it is used also in Germany, for example, but not in France (replaced by "chez"). While different countries have different methods of addressing envelopes in care of someone else, though, the format is similar enough that your intent will likely be understood.

• Question

  Can I add a title to the C/O? For example: C/O Mr. John Doe.

  

  Yes, c/o precedes someone's name as it would be written if the letter were being sent to them. The title is optional and depends the context of addressing them.

• Question

  What does c/o mean in an address?

  

  Drew Hawkins1

  Community Answer

  C/o, or CO, means "care of" and it's used on a letter to indicate that the envelope is being delivered to someone at an address where they don't normally receive their mail.

• Question

  Where does c/o go on an address?

  

  Drew Hawkins1

  Community Answer

  Write c/o to indicate "care of" on the second line of the address, after the name of the person the letter is addressed to.

• Question

  Where do you put your address on an envelope?

  

  Drew Hawkins1

  Community Answer

  Write your return address at the top left corner of the envelope so the post office can return it to you if they're unable to deliver it.

• Question

  Is "c/o" upper or lower case?

  

  Lower case! In the 1950's this is what we were taught but we also used carbon paper and fountain pens.

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• You can also address it To the Attention of someone who works at a large company. In the example above, you might write "ATTN: John Smith," then "wikiHow" on the next line and the rest of the address as normal.

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

To address an envelope in care of someone else, write the name of the intended recipient on the front of the envelope. Below that, write C/O, which stands for "Care Of," a colon, and then the name and mailing address of the person or company responsible for passing the letter on. Next, put proper postage on the upper right hand corner of the envelope. Include your return address, then put your envelope in a post box to be delivered. For where to include your return address, read on!

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How to Use Care of in Mailing Address

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Address-an-Envelope-in-Care-of-Someone-Else

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