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Google Address Validation

Configure Google Address Validation to verify customer shipping addresses during checkout.

Google Address Validation automatically verifies shipping addresses entered by customers during checkout. When a customer submits their shipping information, the system sends the address to the Google Address Validation API, which checks whether the address is complete, accurate, and deliverable. If issues are found, the customer sees a warning with a suggested corrected address before proceeding.

This integration helps reduce failed deliveries, returned shipments, and shipping cost overcharges caused by incorrect addresses. It requires a Google Address Validation API key from the Google Cloud Console.

Configure Google Address Validation

  1. From your Unified Admin, go to Settings > Integrations > Google Address Validation.
  2. Enter your Api Key in the field provided.
  3. Click Save.

Settings

FieldDescription
Api KeyYour Google Address Validation API key from the Google Cloud Console. When set, shipping addresses are validated against Google's database during checkout. When empty, address validation is skipped (unless a ShipEngine account is configured, which provides its own validation).

Getting a Google Address Validation API Key

  1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Create or select a project.
  3. Enable the Address Validation API from the API Library.
  4. Go to Credentials and create an API key.
  5. Restrict the key to the Address Validation API for security.
  6. Copy the API key and paste it into the Google Address Validation settings in your Unified Admin.

How Validation Works

When a customer enters a shipping address during checkout:

  1. The checkout page calls the address validation endpoint (spco/address/validate).
  2. The system checks if a ShipEngine account is configured. If so, ShipEngine validates the address instead of Google.
  3. Otherwise, the Google Address Validation API key is used to call addressvalidation.googleapis.com.
  4. Google returns a verdict with validation granularity, completeness, and any replaced, inferred, or unconfirmed components.
  5. Based on the verdict:
    • Verified (address complete, premise-level granularity, no replaced/inferred/unconfirmed components): The address passes silently.
    • Warning (address complete but has corrections): The customer sees a suggested corrected address and can accept it or keep the original.
    • Unconfirmed components: The customer is warned about specific address parts that could not be confirmed.
    • Incomplete: The address fails validation and the customer must correct it.

Associations

AreaEffect
Checkout - Shipping AddressWhen a Google Address Validation API key is configured, the checkout page enables address validation. The UseGAV flag is set during checkout initialization, which triggers the address validation step when the customer submits their shipping information. If validation fails or suggests corrections, the customer sees a warning dialog before they can proceed to payment.
ShipEngine FallbackIf a ShipEngine shipping account is configured for the storefront, ShipEngine's address validation is used instead of Google's, regardless of whether a Google API key is set. ShipEngine validation takes priority over Google Address Validation.
  • Google Places — address autocomplete that works alongside validation at checkout
  • Google Maps — display shipment location maps on order tracking pages

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On this page

Configure Google Address ValidationSettingsGetting a Google Address Validation API KeyHow Validation WorksAssociationsPrint StoreRelated Pages