System and method of deferred postal address processing

The invention is characterized in certain aspects by data processing architectures and methods of processing a mail piece having a destination address field through outgoing and incoming mail centers. An illustrative method includes receiving a mail piece at an outgoing mail center for transport to an incoming mail center and subsequent sorting and transport from the incoming mail center to an an addressee. The mail piece includes a destination address field that is divided into a first address portion and a second address portion. The first address portion is interpreted at the outgoing mail center and used to sort the mail piece for transport to the incoming mail center. The second address portion is eventually resolved and used by the incoming mail center to sort the mail piece for subsequent delivery to an addressee. Because resolution of the second address portion is not required until the physical mail piece arrives at the incoming mail center, secondary address resolution is delayed in accordance with a set of predetermined time parameters. The second address portion is eventually resolved to generate a set of sorting instructions that are made accessible to the incoming mail center in accordance with the specified time parameters. By assigning a deferral time unique to each mail piece of a selected plurality of mail pieces, secondary address resolution for those mail pieces can be prioritized according to need.