What is the official rule on what a house's street address is?

Question

For instance, when a house is on the corner of of 2 or more streets, which street is the house's address? It would make sense for it to be whatever side the house faces, however I know that is not all cases that is what the address will be. I've heard that is is whatever side the driveway is on and i've also heard that it is whatever side the meter is on (whatever that means). Does anyone know what the true rule of thumb is? Thanks!

Answer 1

There are several ways to determine this.

1. I am assuming that you are in the United States. If so then call or go to your local courthouse and they can give you the official street address. This is important since your taxes may depend on what that address is. If your house points to a residential street that crosses a commercial street then if you  have the address on the residential side your taxes will be different from the address on the commercial side.

2. Talk to the post office and you can get something called the DPV or Delivery Point Validation. This is the 'official' mail delivery point for mail.

As for the meter that may be the water meter or some other utility meter but in that case I am in trouble since I don't have one. Also in most cities or towns utilities come in from the back side of the house.

Now all that said if you are rural you may also have something called a fire number which the fire department and police use to identify your location.

Answer 2

It's supposed to be which ever  side the front door is on because that's where people are supposed to have their house number near.

Answer 3

Call the Fire Department

The 911 address system is the rule of thumb.

Answer 4

Definitely the drive way side