Address Envelopes in Care Of

At times it can be difficult to send a letter directly to the intended recipient. For example, you may need to send mail to a person staying at someone else’s house, or to a patient at the hospital where he or she cannot receive mail. In such cases, you can address envelopes “in care of” someone else, and then send the letter to the second individual’s address. For example, send a letter “in care of” a relative who can receive the letter on the patient’s behalf and deliver it by hand at a later time.

Steps

Finding the Address and Other Information

  1. Gather the required information before labeling the envelope. You should accurately know the name of the recipient (the individual who the letter or card is for). Also find the following details:
    • Name of the person in care of receiving the letter and taking it to the final recipient (for example, the name of the relative who will take the letter to the hospital on your behalf).
    • Receiving address (where the postman needs to deliver the letter).
  2. Confirm with the delivering individual. Before mailing an envelope “in care of,” check with the person who will be receiving the letter and taking it to the recipient. Make sure they are going to be regularly checking the mail and have free time to bring the envelope to the recipient.
    • If this person is unresponsive or busy, you’ll need to find someone else to address the envelope “in care of.”
  3. Confirm the recipient’s location. Talk with the intended recipient, and make sure that you have the correct address for where their “in care of” mail should be sent. Delivering mail “in care of” works best if the recipient can receive mail at this address for a long period of time.
    • If he or she is staying somewhere for less than a week, it may be difficult for the “in care of” envelope to be successfully delivered.

Addressing the Envelope In Care Of

  1. Write the name of the person you have written the letter for at the top of the recipient address. This address should be written clearly and fit near the center of the envelope. This individual will be the main recipient of the envelope, although it is not being mailed to their address.
  2. Write the name of the person who will be in charge of taking the letter to its final recipient. This name should go just below the recipient’s name at the very top and begin with the abbreviation “c/o” (standing for “care of”). Marking the individual’s name with “c/o” will let the post office know that the address you have written is correct, although the primary recipient does not live there.[1]
  3. Add the rest of the address at the end. It should include accurate and complete information. Make sure that your handwriting is neat and clear, and that all personal names, and street and city names, are spelled correctly. Include the following:
    • Postal address or street address (with unit or apartment number if applicable).
    • City, state and zip code.
    • Country.
  4. Check to make sure that all of the information is correct. Any errors in spelling or misinformation can result in the letter being returned to the sender. Here is an example of what the final receiving address should look like (where “Relative Jane” is taking care of getting the letter to “Patient Joe” at the hospital).
  5. Complete the rest of the envelope. Once you have correctly filled out the address, place a stamp on the upper-right corner of the envelope, and write your return address on the top-left corner of the envelope. Place your letter or card in the envelope, and seal it shut.
    • Many people prefer to use an adhesive return-address label. These are often distributed through private organizations or businesses.

Sending “In Care Of” Mail in Other Situations

  1. Send office mail “in care of.” If you’re sending mail directly to an individual’s office, you can send it “in care of” the business itself, to ensure that the letter reaches its correct destination.[1] Write the individual’s name at the top of the recipient address, and then below that write “c/o” and the business name.
  2. Deliver flowers or gifts “in care of.” You can have flowers delivered through a florist or gifts delivered from the online shop where you bought them to the person receiving the gift, by addressing the packing “in care of.”
    • In instances where you are not personally labeling the package, you may need to use the online shipping form to add the “c/o” line in the address.
  3. Send mail to an individual in the hospital. Especially if someone has been hospitalized for a long period of time, you may wish to send them a letter in the hospital. Write the recipient’s name at the top of the recipient address, and on the line below that, write “c/o” and the hospital name.
    • If you know the department that the recipient is held in—or better, their room number—include that on the “c/o” line. A sample address could look like: “c/o [Hospital Name], Oncology Dept., room 101.”

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://blog.cardsdirect.com/greetingcards/how-to-use-c-o-in-an-address/
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