Skip to content
Comply with the EU directives with Order EditingSee Shopify app listing

Verification Conditions and Cost Control

Control when address verification runs to manage costs and target specific segments.

5 min read

Overview

Verification conditions let you control when address verification runs. By targeting specific customer segments or order types, you can reduce unnecessary
verifications and lower your costs without sacrificing coverage where it matters.

Conditions are configured on each verifier under Advanced Settings > Verification Conditions. They work alongside other cost-saving features like smart caching, API call limits, and your monthly usage cap.

How conditions work

When you add conditions to a verifier, you choose one of two modes:

Mode

What it does

Best for

Skip verification

Verifies all addresses EXCEPT those matching your conditions.

Excluding trusted segments. For example, skip verification for repeat customers who have placed 5+ orders.

Run verification only

Only verifies addresses that match your conditions.

Focusing on high-risk orders. For example, only verify orders over $200 or orders shipping internationally.

If you don't add any conditions, verification runs for all addresses in the countries you've selected.

Available condition types

Click + Add Condition to select from 16 condition types:

Condition

What it checks

Example

Order Total

The order value.

Only verify orders over $100.

Shipping Country

The destination country.

Skip verification for domestic orders.

Missing House Number

Whether address line 1 includes a street number.

Only verify addresses missing a house number.

Missing Street Name

Whether the address includes a street name.

Flag PO Box-only entries for verification.

Zip Code Range

Whether the postal code falls in a specific range.

Focus verification on remote area postcodes.

Canadian Rural/Urban

Whether a Canadian address is rural or urban.

Only verify rural Canadian addresses (higher delivery failure rate).

US Military Address

Whether the address is APO, FPO, or DPO.

Skip verification for military addresses (different postal system).

Restricted States

Whether the address is in a specific US state.

Only verify orders shipping to states with high delivery failure rates.

Field Contains Text

Whether a field contains a specific phrase.

Skip verification when "c/o" appears in the address.

Field Contains Special Characters

Whether a field contains unusual characters.

Flag addresses with symbols that might indicate a typo.

Field Contains Non-Latin Characters

Whether a field uses non-Latin script.

Verify addresses with non-Latin characters for carrier compatibility.

Field Length

The character count of a field.

Verify very short addresses that might be incomplete.

Field Word Count

The number of words in an address field.

Verify addresses with too few words that may be incomplete.

Field Matches Pattern

Whether a field matches a custom regex pattern.

Target addresses matching specific formats (e.g. P.O. Box patterns).

Shipping Method

The selected shipping method.

Only verify orders using express or international shipping.

Customer Orders Count

How many orders a logged-in customer has placed.

Skip verification for repeat customers with 5+ orders.

ℹ️ Note: Customer Orders Count only works for logged-in customers. Guest checkouts won't have order history data.

Condition logic

When you add multiple conditions, choose how they combine:

All triggers pass means every condition must be met. For example, "Order Total > $200" AND "Shipping Country = United States" will only match US orders over $200.

Any trigger passes means at least one condition must be met. For example, "Order Total > $500" OR "Shipping Country = Brazil" will match any high-value order or any order shipping to Brazil.

Other cost control features

Conditions are one of several built-in features that help you manage verification costs:

Smart caching. If a customer enters the same address twice in a checkout session, you're only charged once. Previously validated addresses use a cache, so customers comparing shipping options don't generate extra charges.

Max API calls per checkout. Set a limit on how many times an address can be verified in a single session. This controls costs when customers edit their address repeatedly. The minimum is 3, and the default is 5.

Monthly usage cap. Set a maximum monthly spend on verification. When you reach the cap, verification pauses automatically. Checkout continues to work normally. Increase the cap anytime to resume.

Validation rules first. Free validation rules catch formatting issues before the paid verifier runs. This means you only pay for verification on addresses that have already passed basic format checks.

Common setups

Trust repeat customers

Mode: Skip verification. Condition: Customer Orders Count greater than 5. This skips verification for loyal customers who have a proven track record. First-time buyers and newer customers still get verified.

Focus on high-value orders

Mode: Run verification only. Condition: Order Total greater than $200. This concentrates your verification budget on orders where a failed delivery would cost you the most.

Verify international only

Mode: Skip verification. Condition: Shipping Country equals your domestic market. This skips verification for domestic orders (where you're confident in address quality) and verifies all international orders.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I don't add any conditions?

Verification runs for every address in the countries you've selected on the verifier. This gives you maximum coverage but uses more of your verification budget.

Can I combine multiple conditions?

Yes. Add multiple conditions and choose whether they all need to match (AND logic) or just one needs to match (OR logic).

Related articles

Features & Configuration

Customising Validation Messages and Translations

Rewrite and translate every customer-facing Address Validation message.

Features & Configuration

Post-Checkout Address Correction

How customers can fix their shipping address after checkout on the Thank You and Order Status pages.

Features & Configuration

Validation Rules

Create free, instant address format checks that run as customers type.

Features & Configuration

Address Autocomplete

Set up Address Autocomplete to help customers enter shipping addresses faster, compare it with Google autocomplete, and use it with Address Validation.