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What is an AVS Error?

How to Resolve AVS Errors

Quick Fix Checklist – AVS Errors

  1. Confirm with customer → Verify the full shipping address (street, city, state, zip). Ask if they receive USPS mail at that location.

  2. Validate with USPS → Use Smarty Address Validator. Enter the entire address (not just city/state/zip).

  3. Fix formatting → Spell out abbreviations (Mount vs Mt, Saint vs St) and remove hyphens.

  4. Update order → Correct the address in your system.

  5. Manually process → Go to your Error Queue in CustomCat and reprocess the order.

📧 Still stuck? Email orders@customcat.com for support.

What is an AVS Error?

AVS stands for Address Verification System. This is an automated process that checks the shipping address on every order against USPS records to ensure it is deliverable.

If you see an order in the Error Queue flagged with AVS, it means the order failed address verification. This happens when there’s an issue with one or more of these fields:

  • City

  • State

  • Zip code

When this occurs, the order cannot process until the address is corrected. An automated email is sent to the Support Email on file for that store to notify you of the error.

Why Does This Happen?

AVS errors typically occur because:

  • The city, state, or zip code does not match USPS records.

  • The address is valid for some carriers (e.g., UPS) but not for USPS.

  • A PO Box is required for USPS delivery, but the order was submitted with a street address.

  • Outdated or incorrect information is being pulled from Google Maps (which should not be relied on for USPS validation).

Important: Final delivery for these orders is handled by USPS, not Google Maps or other mapping services. Always confirm that USPS can deliver to the provided address.

How to Fix an AVS Error

  1. Contact Your Customer

    • Verify the full shipping address directly with your customer.

    • Ask them specifically if they receive USPS mail at that address.

  2. Validate the Address Using USPS Tools

    • Use the Smarty Address Validator to check the address:
      👉 SmartyStreets Single Address Lookup

    • Enter the entire address (street, city, state, and zip) — not just the city/state/zip.

    • Confirm if the full address is recognized and deliverable by USPS.

  3. Update the Order

    • Correct the address in your system.

  4. Manually Process the Order

    • After updating the address, go back to your Error Queue in CustomCat and manually process the order so it can continue into production.

Pro Tips

  • If the customer can only receive UPS deliveries, ask them to provide a PO Box for USPS orders.

  • Always trust USPS validation tools over third-party maps (Google, Apple, etc.), which can show outdated or non-deliverable addresses.

  • For the City field: spell out abbreviations (e.g., write Mount instead of Mt, Saint instead of St). Abbreviations can trigger errors.

  • Remove hyphens in addresses — the USPS database often rejects them.

Need More Help?

If you continue to experience issues after correcting the address, please reach out to our support team for assistance. We’ll help you confirm the address and reprocess the order.

📧 For order-related support, email us at orders@customcat.com.