An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Brought to you by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
Federal Reports
Report Date
Agency Reviewed / Investigated
Report Title
Type
Location
Department of Justice
Quality Assessment Review of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General Investigations Division
In 1963 the Post Office Department introduced the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) Code as a means to allow mail sorting methods to become faster and eventually be automated, but the innovation also created unimagined socio-economic benefits as an organizing and enabling device. The ZIP Code is a support structure used by a variety of industries, including the insurance and real estate industries, and also fosters community and identity representation. These enormous societal benefits are obtained through the initial creation of the ZIP Code and the Postal Service’s maintenance and updates to this asset. This paper examines further enhancements to strengthen the ZIP Code for the digital age.