NOTICE: St. Joseph County no longer accepts NEW building address requests. All requests for a NEW address must now be submitted to the City, Village or Township your property is located in for processing. EXISTING Address Verification can still be requested through the County GIS Department.

The GIS department verifies existing addresses and issues new addresses (via local Villages & Townships) to all rural properties in St Joseph County for E-911 purposes. In most cases you will need a new address or address verification before you can proceed with water, sewer or building permits.

To Obtain a NEW Address:

Provide your local City, Village or Township the following information (scans or clear pictures of documents are acceptable). This information is usually provided in conjunction with permit applications at the beginning of your project:

• A drawing, site plan, or survey reasonably depicting the location of the structure to be addressed in terms of side-yard and front-yard setbacks. Also include the primary access or driveway location where it meets the road.
• A parcel identification number (PIN) or Tax ID if possible (example: 75-042-110-113-01).
• Indicate the purpose for the new address (new residential construction, remodeling, commercial, irrigation, utility, etc)
• Addresses are issued to property owners only or those legally working on their behalf.

For NEW Addresses, Contact:

 To Obtain a NEW Rural Identification Number (Address):

For special projects that do not require any permits, but do require a NEW Rural ID or NEW Address (i.e irrigation power, communications, etc), contact the GIS Department at (269) 467-5543 or via the “Send eMail” link on this page.

To Obtain an EXISTING Address Verification:

Existing Address Verifications are issued on request for pre-existing addresses that conform to the St. Joseph County Address Ordinance and work in the E-911 Emergency Dispatch System. The verification process ensures that the address exists in the E-911 system and can be found quickly in an emergency. Address Verifications are often required to obtain certain permits.  An address verification can also provide peace of mind to address residents. Address Verification is a simple, quick and FREE service of St. Joseph County.

• For an Existing Address Verification: Use the self-service Address Verification Portal tool (below) to automatically request an official Address Verification check and supporting documents free of charge, or contact the Geographic Information Systems/Addressing office at (269) 467-5543 or via the “Send eMail” link on this page.

Address Signage or Display

Please display the address number in such a manner as will be plainly visible and legible from a vehicle traveling on the road
that is named in the address. The address numbers should be displayed at a height of at least two (2') feet above grade and
not higher than six (6') feet above grade. All numbers shall be Arabic numerals of at least three (3") inches in height (or
larger) and of a color that contrast with the background color of the structure supporting the numbers. When a building is
located more than one-hundred (100') feet back from the traveled centerline of the road that is named in the address, or the
view of building is obstructed by trees, shrubs, or another building, the address number shall be displayed on the building as
well as in one of the following manners:

1. On a sign or attached to a fence, or post located within forty (40') feet of centerline of the driveway and between
   ten (10') and thirty, (30') feet back from the edge of the traveled roadway provided that any sign use to comply with
   this Ordinance must also comply with applicable zoning regulations concerning the location and size of signs.
2. On both sides of a mailbox located within forty (40') feet of the centerline of the driveway on the same side of the
   road as the principal building or within twenty (20') feet of the extended centerline of the driveway on the opposite
   side of the road provided that the view of both sides of the mailbox is not obstructed by other mailboxes or
   newspaper delivery boxes. The use of mailboxes to comply with the address number display requirements of this
   Ordinance is subject to the regulations of both the post office and the governmental organization which maintains
   the road.
3. Any residence or structure on a private drive, shall post the address number on the main road where the private
   drive begins and at the property as stated above.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I get a new property address?  Contact your local City, Village, or Township and try to have your Tax/Parcel Identification Number, Owner Name, a description of where your new building will be and where the primary driveway access meets the road. Drawings, surveys, or site plans are helpful if available, but not always necessary.

• How do I get an Address Verification for my existing address? Contact the GIS Department or use the self-serve Address Verification Portal.

• Do I need a new address or address verification to get a permit? Probably yes. Most permitting agencies will require proof of address before they issue a permit. Sometimes this is referred to as an Address Card, Address Verification, or Address Reissue. If you have an existing address and have obtained one of these documents in the past, it is probably still valid unless you have changed your driveway location, or some other change has occurred.

• I need an address for Irrigation, who do I call?  Contact the GIS Department directly to obtain an address for irrigation purposes. We will need the parcel ID and a description of where the irrigation power hookup will be located (i.e. "On the west edge of the parcel along Fulton Rd,  175 feet north of the south property line.")

• I’m relocating my driveway where it accesses the road. Do I need a new address? Maybe. It all depends on how far you are moving your driveway and how close your neighbors are. Often, we can simply reissue you the same address, but sometimes an address change is warranted. When in doubt, contact the GIS Department.

• I’m tearing down our old house and building a new one. Do I need a new address? If you are building in the same general location and your driveway has not changed, you will likely not need a new address, but you will still need to have us verify your existing address for permitting purposes. If you are relocating your residence elsewhere on your property or are changing your driveway location, you might need a new address. Just contact us and we will help you figure it out.

• Can I choose my address number, so it is easy for me to remember? Sorry, no. Address numbers are assigned based on the location of your primary driveway and building location. It is important that address numbers are sequential and logically assigned to ensure they work in the E-9-1-1 system now and in the future. We do not allow self-addressing.

• Can I choose my zip code so I get my mail delivered by a different post office? Sorry, no. Our office assigns zip codes based on established USPS ZIP code boundaries. For those addresses located very near the edge of a zip code boundary, we always consult with the local USPS offices to make sure your address is given the correct zip code according to them.

• I live in Nottawa. Why do I have a Nottawa mailing address, but a Sturgis physical address? Ahhhh, one of our favorite questions (not really). Yes, all homes in Nottawa have a Sturgis zip code for a physical address, but some also have a Nottawa zip code for a mailing address. This has caused a fair amount of confusion, and rightfully so. Why? Well, it’s a bit of a long story and has to do with the Nottawa Post Office no longer providing residential delivery service (you must pick up your mail from a PO Box inside the Post Office in Nottawa if you use the Nottawa zip code). If you want your mail delivered to your home mailbox, you need to use the Sturgis zip code. Since the USPS creates and maintains ZIP codes, I would suggest contacting either the Nottawa or Sturgis post office for a full explanation. The bottom line is the USPS requires that ALL properties in Nottawa be assigned a Sturgis zip code for the physical address regardless of whether the mail goes to a PO Box at the Nottawa Post Office or is delivered by a rural carrier from the Sturgis Post Office. Residents should make sure their physical address is clearly posted outside their homes for E 9-1-1 purposes and that non-USPS deliveries are directed to their physical address.

• Where can I get one of those green address signs? Address signs and numbers are available at most area hardware and home stores. While we like to see those signs, they are not required if your address is otherwise clearly visible and in compliance with the St Joseph Address Ordinance.

• I have had my address for years. Why am I being asked to get an address verification in order to get a permit? Address verifications are easy and free. When we issue an address verification, we are simply doing a safety check to make sure your existing address is included and works in the Emergency 9-1-1 system. Once an address verification form is issued, it does not expire, so make sure to keep a copy for your records for future use.

• Can I get an address for my vacant lot? No, St Joseph County does not issue or maintain addresses on vacant land unless there is power meter or other utility present that requires an address.

• When do I need more than one address on my residential property? As a general rule of thumb for residential properties, we ask that every building on your property that houses people should have an address. So, for example, if you are building a separate apartment over your detached garage or in another detached building, we would ask that you get a separate address for that building. Remember, we issue addresses primarily for E 9-1-1 purposes and we want to be able to quickly locate every residential structure in case of emergency. You may also be required to get additional addresses if you have more than one utility meter (electric or other).

• How long does it take to get an address? Since new addresses are issued through your local City, Village, or Township, it really depends on their schedule. Once a new address request is forwarded to our department, we usually try to process addresses on the same business day your application is received. However, please plan on 2-3 business days just to be safe.

• Will you notify the USPS, Utility providers, or others of my new address? Sorry, no. Once St. Joseph County issues your new address, it is automatically entered into the E 9-1-1 system and the county tax database and GIS system.  However, it is your responsibility to make sure your address is supplied to the USPS (and other delivery companies), utility providers and other entities. Just show them your proof of address form we supply to you.

• My house address isn’t correct on Google maps (or similar). No one can find me! What can I do? Google and other on-line mapping systems are private companies with their own proprietary address databases. St Joseph County has no control or input over their systems. Your best bet is to contact them directly with the correction. Most on-line mapping companies (like Google) have some link where you can submit mapping corrections.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer