ANKLink

ANKLink is an option to the 18-month NCOALink product that tells a mailer a customer moved 19 to 48 months ago, without giving the new address.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) has developed an extended option to the 18 month version of NCOALink® called ANKLink®.”USPS originalPostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink data will not return the new address but will inform mailers of customer moves that occurred in months 19-48, along with the move effective date.”USPS original A mailer uses it to drop the customer from a list or to seek the new address from a Full Service Provider.PostalPro: ANKLink®“If the data indicates the customer has moved, the mailer may choose to suppress the customer from the list. Otherwise the mailer could attempt to determine the new address by seeking the services of an NCOALink Full Service Provider licensee.”USPS original

Updated October 29, 202618 sources

What it is

ANKLink adds 30 more months of change-of-address information to the 18-month NCOALink product.PostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink is only available to NCOALink Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers. ANKLink provides an additional 30 months of COA information.”USPS originalNCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) has developed an extended option to the 18 month version of NCOALink® called ANKLink®.”USPS original That product holds moves from the past 18 months.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The 18-month NCOALink Product provides change-of-address data for moves that occurred in the past eighteen months.”USPS original For each move ANKLink finds, it gives the move effective date but never the new address.PostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink data will not return the new address but will inform mailers of customer moves that occurred in months 19-48, along with the move effective date.”USPS original

Only two kinds of NCOALink licensee can get ANKLink: Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers.PostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink is only available to NCOALink Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers. ANKLink provides an additional 30 months of COA information.”USPS original An End User Mailer is a licensee that updates mailing lists for its own mailings only.Move Update Methods Requirements Fact Sheetpage 1“An End User is a licensee that uses the NCOALink® product to update mailing lists for its own mailings. The End User may not update mailing lists for third parties.”USPS original Both get the 18-month data product, while a Full Service Provider gets the 48-month product.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 5“A developer can provide an NCOALink® interface for a Full Service Provider - 48 month data product, Limited Service Provider – 18 month data product, End-User – 18 month data product or all three.”USPS original

ANKLink comes in a fulfillment called NCOALink with ANKLink, in a HASH file format or a Flat file format.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 5“The NCOALink® Limited Service Provider and End-User have an additional fulfillment option called NCOALink® with ANKLink® which can be fulfilled in a HASH file format or a Flat file format.”USPS original It holds the 18-month data and adds data for months 19 to 48.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 11“In addition to the data provided in months 1 – 18, additional data will be provided for months 19 – 48. The data in months 19 – 48 will not provide any new address information but will provide return codes indicating the results.”USPS original

How it works

For months 19 to 48, the data gives return codes instead of new addresses.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 11“In addition to the data provided in months 1 – 18, additional data will be provided for months 19 – 48. The data in months 19 – 48 will not provide any new address information but will provide return codes indicating the results.”USPS original An ANKLink match shows as return code 77 followed by the NCOALink return code.ANKLink® FAQsPDF page 1“An ANKLink™ match will be indicated by the Return Code 77 followed by the appropriate NCOALink® Return Code.”USPS original

The sole purpose of ANKLink is to help a mailer make informed choices about a specific customer.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The sole purpose of the ANKLink option is to enable mailers to make informed choices regarding a specific customer contact. If the data indicates a move, the mailer may choose to suppress the record from their list or attempt to determine the actual new address by engaging the services of an NCOALink Full Service Provider Licensee.”USPS original When the data shows a move, the mailer may suppress the record from its list.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The sole purpose of the ANKLink option is to enable mailers to make informed choices regarding a specific customer contact. If the data indicates a move, the mailer may choose to suppress the record from their list or attempt to determine the actual new address by engaging the services of an NCOALink Full Service Provider Licensee.”USPS original It may instead engage an NCOALink Full Service Provider to find the new address.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“The sole purpose of the ANKLink option is to enable mailers to make informed choices regarding a specific customer contact. If the data indicates a move, the mailer may choose to suppress the record from their list or attempt to determine the actual new address by engaging the services of an NCOALink Full Service Provider Licensee.”USPS original ANKLink can reduce Undeliverable as Addressed mail, which lowers production, preparation and postage costs.PostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink has the potential to reduce the production of UAA (Undeliverable as Addressed) mail, which reduces production, preparation and postage costs.”USPS original

Before any NCOALink processing, every customer completes a Processing Acknowledgement Form, a PAF, and returns it to its licensee.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 26“Prior to the processing of NCOALink data, every customer must have completed and returned to their NCOALink Licensee the “NCOALink PROCESSING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM” provided to them by their Licensee or Agent.”USPS original A Limited Service Provider that hands ANKLink results to a Full Service Provider may use the Combined PAF.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 9“when the Limited Service Provider provides ANKLink processing and submits the ANKLink results to the FSP.”USPS original

Reading the results

Return code 77 marks a record matched in months 19 to 48.ANKLink® FAQsPDF page 1“An ANKLink™ match will be indicated by the Return Code 77 followed by the appropriate NCOALink® Return Code.”USPS originalNCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 11“In addition to the data provided in months 1 – 18, additional data will be provided for months 19 – 48. The data in months 19 – 48 will not provide any new address information but will provide return codes indicating the results.”USPS original The NCOALink return code after it gives the result of the match.ANKLink® FAQsPDF page 1“An ANKLink™ match will be indicated by the Return Code 77 followed by the appropriate NCOALink® Return Code.”USPS original

An ANKLink record has no new address, even when its NCOALink return code is a match such as A.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 11“Any ANKLink record that has a final NCOALink defined return code as A, 91, 92 will not have a new address.”USPS original

The nine NCOALink return codes that count as ANKLink matches after 77.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 50“The sum of the following fields should equal Position 93 (Total Number of Records Matched) + ANKLink match return codes (77- A,91,92,01,02,03,05,14,19) located between positions 1855 and 2118.”USPS original In ANKLink data, none of them brings a new address.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 14“* A new address is not returned with ANKLink data (months 19-48).”USPS original

NCOALink Return Code Descriptions, User Technical Reference
Code	Return code
A	COA Match
01	Found COA: Foreign Move
02	Found COA: Moved Left No Address(MLNA)
03	Found COA: Box Closed No Order(BCNO)
05	Found COA: New 11-digit DPBC is Ambiguous
14	Found COA: New Address Would Not Convert at Run Time
19	Found COA: New Address not ZIP + 4 coded, New address primary number not DPV confirmable or Temporary Change Of Address**
91	COA Match: Secondary Number dropped from COA
92	COA Match: Secondary Number or Single Trailing Alpha Dropped from input address

9 codes in the NCOALink Return Code Descriptions, User Technical Reference, where Code is A or 91 or 92 or 01 or 02 or 03 or 05 or 14 or 19.

A processing summary counts records matched through ANKLink apart from records matched through NCOALink.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 8“Total Number of Records Matched – NCOALink® Total Number of Records Matched – ANKLink®”USPS original

Getting ANKLink

ANKLink falls under the NCOALink licenses a licensee already holds.PostalPro: ANKLink®“Development, distribution and use are all covered under the existing NCOALink licenses.”USPS original The annual ANKLink license fee is $8,720.00 for a Limited Service Provider and $1,930.00 for an End User Mailer.PostalPro: ANKLink®“Annual License Fee (ANKLink only): $8,720.00 (LSP) $1,930.00 (EUM).”USPS original ANKLink added after licensing is billed separately for the first year.Licensing FeesPDF page 2“ANKLink added to NCOALink Limited Service Provider and End User after licensing will be billed separately for the initial year.”USPS original

A licensee that wants ANKLink contacts its NCOALink Distributor.PostalPro: ANKLink®“Limited Service Provider and End User Mailer licensees who wish to obtain the ANKLink Product will need to contact their NCOALink Distributor.”USPS original ANKLink certification is part of NCOALink developer testing.PostalPro: ANKLink®“ANKLink certification is covered under the NCOALink Developer testing.”USPS original The request form records the licensee's NCOALink software, the ANKLink format it wants and its service level.ANKLink® Request FormPDF page 1“NCOALink Software options: Integrated – Address Matching and NCOALink software are integrated into a single software package. Standalone – Address Matching and NCOALink software are separate software packages. ANKLink Enhancement HASH FLAT BOTH Service Level Option: Limited Service Provider End User”USPS original

An existing End User Mailer starts ANKLink with a modified certification process.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“To initiate ANKLink, a modified Certification process will be used for existing NCOALink End User Mailer Licensees”USPS original

Resubmit the certification application, showing ANKLink as part of its processing.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“Resubmit the Application from the Certification Procedures package indicating ANKLink will be a part of Licensee’s processing.”USPS original
Develop or buy an interface product certified to perform ANKLink processing.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“Obtain an Interface Product, through development or purchase, which has been certified to perform ANKLink processing”USPS original
Request and pass a Stage II NCOALink with ANKLink certification test.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“Request and pass a Stage II NCOALink with ANKLink certification test when ANKLink Interface is completed.”USPS original

A new End User Mailer applicant goes through ANKLink within the NCOALink application and certification.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“NCOALink with ANKLink application and certification procedures shall be incorporated into the NCOALink application and certification procedures for End User Mailer applicants.”USPS original

Rules

Information derived from an NCOALink with ANKLink process shall not be utilized in any way inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the NCOALink License Agreements.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“Information derived from an NCOALink with ANKLink process shall not be utilized in any way inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the NCOALink License Agreements.”USPS original

ANKLink results must not be used in any way the NCOALink license agreements forbid. Every law, rule and restriction on NCOALink data applies to ANKLink data too.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“All laws, rules and restrictions governing the use of NCOALink data pertain with regards to ANKLink data.”USPS original

Mailers choosing to engage the services of an FSP Licensee may submit only those ANKLink matches for which they need additional processing provided that: 1) The mailer informs the FSP Licensee that the list is derived from a prior ANKLink process. 2) The list submitted to the FSP for processing meets the mailing list requirement of at least 100 unique names and addresses. 3) The final results are incorporated back into the original list. 4) The records separated for processing are not used to create a derivative product.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 26“Mailers choosing to engage the services of an FSP Licensee may submit only those ANKLink matches for which they need additional processing provided that: 1) The mailer informs the FSP Licensee that the list is derived from a prior ANKLink process. 2) The list submitted to the FSP for processing meets the mailing list requirement of at least 100 unique names and addresses. 3) The final results are incorporated back into the original list. 4) The records separated for processing are not used to create a derivative product.”USPS original

A mailer may send a Full Service Provider only the ANKLink matches that need more processing. It must tell the provider the list came from ANKLink and must send at least 100 unique names and addresses. The results must go back into the original list, and the separated records must not make a derivative product.

NCOALink Licensees exercising the ANKLink option will provide USPS with a monthly electronic statistics report.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 20“NCOALink Licensees exercising the ANKLink option will provide USPS with a monthly electronic statistics report. The statistical information required for ANKLink is incorporated into the NCOALink Customer Service Log.”USPS original

A licensee using ANKLink sends USPS a monthly electronic statistics report. The ANKLink figures are part of the NCOALink Customer Service Log.NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 20“NCOALink Licensees exercising the ANKLink option will provide USPS with a monthly electronic statistics report. The statistical information required for ANKLink is incorporated into the NCOALink Customer Service Log.”USPS original

What goes wrong

A Full Service Provider can't process an ANKLink extract of fewer than 100 unique names and addresses.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 16“No, any processing requires at least 100 unique names and addresses.”USPS original

The Combined PAF can't be used when any other party is involved.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 9“If any additional parties are involved, then this PAF is not to be used. The List Owners should sign the appropriate Service Provider PAFs for both the Full and Limited Service Provider.”USPS original The list owner should then sign a Service Provider PAF for each of the two providers.A Complete Guide to Processing PAFspage 9“If any additional parties are involved, then this PAF is not to be used. The List Owners should sign the appropriate Service Provider PAFs for both the Full and Limited Service Provider.”USPS original

Terms

ANKLink optionANKLink: an extended option to the 18 month version of NCOALink®NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“an extended option to the 18 month version of NCOALink®”USPS original
NCOALink with ANKLink: An optional fulfillment enhancement for the NCOALink Limited Service Provider and End-User has been developed. The additional optional fulfillment format is called NCOALink with ANKLink. In addition to the data provided in months 1 – 18, additional data will be provided for months 19 – 48. The data in months 19 – 48 will not provide any new address information but will provide return codes indicating the results.NCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 11“An optional fulfillment enhancement for the NCOALink Limited Service Provider and End-User has been developed. The additional optional fulfillment format is called NCOALink with ANKLink. In addition to the data provided in months 1 – 18, additional data will be provided for months 19 – 48. The data in months 19 – 48 will not provide any new address information but will provide return codes indicating the results.”USPS original
18-month NCOALink Product: provides change-of-address data for moves that occurred in the past eighteen monthsNCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 19“provides change-of-address data for moves that occurred in the past eighteen months”USPS original
Licensee: one who has been certified and licensed by the USPS to perform NCOALink® processingNCOALink® User Technical Reference GuideEffective April 13, 2023 · page 3“one who has been certified and licensed by the USPS to perform NCOALink® processing”USPS original
End UserEUM, End User Mailer, NCOALink End User License: a licensee that uses the NCOALink® product to update mailing lists for its own mailingsMove Update Methods Requirements Fact Sheetpage 1“a licensee that uses the NCOALink® product to update mailing lists for its own mailings”USPS original
hash tables: secure datasets that will only provide new address information when queried, through use of a software interface, with a specific algorithm of the name and old address from a mailer’s address list which matches the algorithm of the information as it appears on a Change of Address form (PS 3575).NCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 1“secure datasets that will only provide new address information when queried, through use of a software interface, with a specific algorithm of the name and old address from a mailer’s address list which matches the algorithm of the information as it appears on a Change of Address form (PS 3575).”USPS original
NCOALink Processing Summary Report: a hardcopy report summarizing the processing of each listNCOALink® End User Performance Requirementspage 8“a hardcopy report summarizing the processing of each list”USPS original
Undeliverable as AddressedUAA, UAA mail: mail that the USPS cannot deliver as addressed and must be forwarded to the addressee, returned to the sender, or discarded depending on the authorized treatment for that mail class and/or specific instructions provided by the mailer through ancillary service requestsMailer's Technical Advisory Committee - Best Practices for ACS™page 29“mail that the USPS cannot deliver as addressed and must be forwarded to the addressee, returned to the sender, or discarded depending on the authorized treatment for that mail class and/or specific instructions provided by the mailer through ancillary service requests”USPS original

Documents

Fact Sheets

Licensing FeesJuly 17, 2026
Licensing Announcement: Instructions on Submitting MPE Audit Test Decks for GradingJune 24, 2016
Licensing Announcement: Reminder on Processing NCOALink® MPE Audit Test DecksMay 25, 2016

Announcements

Contacts

For ANKLink questions, email NCOALink@usps.gov or call 800-589-5766.PostalPro: ANKLink®“For more information about ANKLink, email NCOALink@usps.gov or call 800-589-5766.”USPS original

Sources

NCOALink® End User Performance RequirementsUSPS original
1page 19 11page 8 14page 20 17page 1
PostalPro: ANKLink®USPS original
2whole document
Move Update Methods Requirements Fact SheetUSPS original
3page 1
NCOALink® User Technical Reference Guide, Effective April 13, 2023USPS original
4page 5 5page 11 9page 50 10page 14 16page 3
ANKLink® FAQsUSPS original
6PDF page 1
A Complete Guide to Processing PAFsUSPS original
7page 26 8page 9 15page 16
Licensing FeesUSPS original
12PDF page 2
ANKLink® Request FormUSPS original
13PDF page 1
Mailer's Technical Advisory Committee - Best Practices for ACS™USPS original
18page 29