Should I use cursive or print when addressing a postcard by hand?

When addressing a postcard by hand, print in block letters with dark ink. Cursive can trip up postal sorting machines and slow delivery, while clean printed characters read reliably.

• Print, do not use cursive, so automated equipment can scan the address.
• Use dark ink for strong contrast against the card.
• All caps, no punctuation is the USPS-recommended format for the best machine readability.

Keeping the address block clean and legible is the simplest way to avoid delays, especially on larger mailings where even a small percentage of misreads adds up.