Articles on: Troubleshooting Tips

Carrier - USPS Troubleshooting Tips

Overview


When using USPS for return shipments, the ZIP+4 postal code format (e.g., 12345-6789) is required under certain address validation settings. Specifically, this requirement applies when the toAddress.ignoreBadAddress parameter is set to true.


Error: ZIPPlus4 is required for return label when toAddress.ignoreBadAddress is true


What does this means


If toAddress.ignoreBadAddress is set to true, the USPS return label system expects the full ZIP+4 code in the ship_to address field. A standard 5-digit ZIP code (e.g., 12345) will not be accepted in this case.


How to resolve this error


There are two ways to address this issue:


  1. Bypass address validation


  • Go to your USPS carrier account settings.
  • Enable the "Bypass address validation" checkbox.
  • This allows shipments to proceed using a standard 5-digit ZIP code (xxxxx).


  1. Use the full ZIP+4 Format


  • Update the ship_to address to include the complete ZIP+4 postal code (e.g., 12345-6789).
  • This ensures USPS recognizes the address as valid under the existing validation rules.


Updated on: 30/10/2025