Digital addresses
How to Verify a Digital Address
Before you rely on a location code, check it. A short checklist for confirming a digital address points to the right place and has not been mistyped.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 3 min read
To verify a digital address, look the code up on a map and check that the spot matches what you expect: the right country, the right neighbourhood and the right entrance. If it does not match, assume there is an error and ask the sender to confirm it.
A five-step check
- Copy, do not retype. Paste the code rather than typing from a message, which avoids confusing characters such as 0 and O.
- Look it up. Enter it into the system's lookup. With UPCS, paste the code in the search box at upcs.io or add it to the site address, such as
upcs.io/PK-1A2B-3C4D. - Check the broad area. Is it in the correct country and city? A prefix that does not match the expected country is a strong warning sign.
- Zoom in. Use satellite or street view to see whether the pin is on the right building, gate or road.
- Compare with the written address. The street name and nearby landmarks should agree with the postal address you have.
Things to look for
- Wrong side of the block. The pin may be on the neighbouring street.
- Inside a large building. The pin may be in the middle, far from the entrance.
- Different town. A single wrong character can move the place to another area entirely.
- Water, fields or empty land. A pin where nothing exists suggests a typo.
What the lookup shows
A good lookup page shows the code, the country and the coordinates, and offers directions and a way to copy the link. On UPCS you see the code, country and latitude and longitude, with options to open it in a map, get directions, share or copy the link, and copy the coordinates.
If it looks wrong
Do not guess. Ask the sender to read it back character by character, or send the code again as a link. If you are the sender, drop the pin again at the entrance and generate a fresh code. For more on avoiding mistakes, see error-resistant location codes.
Unsupported places
Some systems only cover certain regions. A code may fail because the point falls outside the coverage, not because of a typo. See UPCS supported countries overview.
Verifying as a business
If you collect codes from customers, show them the pin on a map before they confirm. A visual check catches most mistakes. See digital addresses for deliveries.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a code has a typing error?
Look it up and compare the place with what you expect: the right country, the right area and the right entrance. A code that lands somewhere unexpected is likely wrong.