**European Economic Area (EEA) developers**

> [!NOTE]
> If your billing address is in the European Economic Area, effective on 8 July 2025, the [Google Maps Platform EEA Terms of Service](https://cloud.google.com/terms/maps-platform/eea) will apply to your use of the Services. Functionality varies by region. [Learn more](https://developers.google.com/maps/comms/eea/faq.md.txt).

## Why use Address Validation in Maps JavaScript API?

[Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TgijPGUzOI)

The Address Validation library takes an address as input to identify and validate address
components. It also standardizes the address for mailing and finds the best known
latitude/longitude coordinates for it. Optionally, for addresses in the United States and
Puerto Rico, you can enable the
[Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS™)](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/address-validation/overview.md.txt#about-cass).

With Address Validation API, you can improve delivery
predictability and reduce delivery failures, thereby providing improved customer experience.
You do this by catching bad addresses and obtaining better awareness of address
characteristics.

> [!NOTE]
> The Geocoding API might be a better match for your needs if you don't need to validate the individual address components. The Geocoding API **converts** addresses into latitude and longitude coordinates. The Address Validation API validates addresses for **correctness** . See [Building location validation capability using Google Maps Platform](https://developers.google.com/maps/architecture/geocoding-address-validation.md.txt) in the Architecture Center for a detailed comparison.

## What you can do with Address Validation in Maps JavaScript API

With Address Validation in Maps JavaScript API, you can determine if an address refers to a
real place. If the address does not refer to a real place, the API can identify possibly wrong
components that you can present to your customers to correct. Here is a sample workflow:

1.
   **Customer enters an address** --- The following image shows a basic form
   that allows a customer to enter an address, possibly as part of a checkout flow.

   ![The address entered by the customer.](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/images/entered.png)
2.
   **App sends the address to the API** --- The application passes this
   address using the `fetchAddressValidation` method.

3.
   **API validates and standardizes the address** --- In its response, the
   Address Validation API returns the complete address as determined by the API, or
   indicates where information is missing.

4.
   **Customer confirms or corrects the address** --- Depending on what the
   API returns, you can provide the following prompts to the customer:

   1. Confirm the recommended address.
   2. Provide missing information.
   3. Fix the address.

   ![The customer can confirm the corrected address.](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/images/recommendation.png) ![The customer can provide missing information.](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/images/addition.png) ![The customer can fix the address.](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/images/correction.png)

## How Address Validation in Maps JavaScript API works

When a call to `fetchAddressValidation` is made the API attempts the following:

- **Corrects** --- Provides component-level validation checks, including sub-premises where available.
- **Completes** --- Attempts to infer missing or incorrect address components.
- **Formats** --- Cleans up and standardizes the format for address components.

## About CASS™

The United States Postal Service® (USPS®)^[1](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/overview.md.txt#fn1)^
maintains the [Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS™)](https://postalpro.usps.com/certifications/cass)
to support and certify address validation providers. A CASS Certified™ service,
such as the Address Validation API, has been confirmed for its
ability to fill in information missing from an address, standardize it, and
update it to give you the most current and most accurate address.

CASS is not enabled by default and is only supported for the "US" and "PR"
regions. To enable CASS, set `enableUspsCass` to `true` as part of a
validation request. For more information, see [Validate an address](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/TBD).

As part of our use of USPS services, USPS evaluates requests for artificially created
addresses. If USPS identifies an input address as being artificially created, Google is
required to stop validating addresses for the customer and must report the customer's
contact information (name and address), the relevant input address, and aggregated usage
data to USPS. By using the API you consent to these
[Service Specific Terms](https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms/maps-service-terms).

## Next steps

- [Get started with Address Validation in Maps JavaScript API](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/start.md.txt)

*** ** * ** ***

1. Google Maps Platform is a non-exclusive Licensee of the United States Postal Service®. The following trademark(s) are owned by the United States Postal Service® and used with permission: United States Postal Service®, CASS™, CASS Certified™. [↩](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/address-validation/overview.md.txt#fnref1)