USPS® Move Update Requirement – NCOALink®
Move Update Compliance
The Move Update Requirement is a USPS® regulation ensuring that all addresses on mailings receiving automation or presort discounts for First-Class™ and Standard Mail® are verified and corrected within 95 days of the mailing date. NCOALink® processing is one of the officially approved USPS methods for Move Update compliance.
How NCOALink® Ensures Compliance
The NCOALink® service compares your CASS™/DPV®-processed addresses against the USPS® Change-of-Address (COA) database, which contains records for individuals, families, and businesses who have filed change-of-address forms with the Postal Service.
Each record includes both the old and new addresses of the relocating customer. When a match occurs, NCOALink® returns the updated address along with the original record — ensuring that your mailing list reflects the most current USPS data available.
Certification and USPS Requirements
Since November 23, 2008, the USPS® has required all mailers claiming automation or presort discounts to certify that their mailing lists have been processed using an approved Move Update method. This certification — known as Move Update Compliance — must be substantiated for every mailing.
The Move Update requirement supports the USPS® initiative to reduce Undeliverable-As-Addressed (UAA) mail by 50%, a problem that costs businesses an estimated $2 billion annually.
USPS® Move Update Validation – MERLIN® System
The USPS® uses a system called MERLIN® (Mailing Evaluation, Readability and Lookup Instrument) to validate Move Update compliance.
If your mailing meets USPS® tolerance levels, it is approved as Move Update Compliant.
If the mailing fails validation, the mailer must either reprocess and resubmit or pay additional postage on the entire mailing.
EZ24x7’s USPS-compliant NCOALink® system helps ensure your data consistently passes MERLIN® evaluation and qualifies for postal discounts.
Approved Move Update Methods
The USPS® recognizes four approved methods for meeting the Move Update standard:
NCOALink® Processing (preferred for automation mailings)
Ancillary Service Endorsement
Address Change Service (ACS) in conjunction with the Intelligent Mail® barcode
EZ24x7 supports the NCOALink® process directly, giving you certified address updates and full USPS® Move Update documentation in minutes.
EZ24x7 Software Updates
EZ24x7 ensures that your system always uses the latest USPS® directories and data files. Our software automatically downloads updates every Sunday at midnight, keeping your address validation fully synchronized with the USPS — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
✅ EZ24x7 keeps your mailings compliant, deliverable, and qualified for every USPS® postal discount.