Frequently Asked Questions - Addressing

Addresses are assigned to provide a uniform numbering system for public safety. An address that can be tied to a specific location will better enable emergency personnel to locate you faster when needed. A faster response time can make a significant difference in survival and degree of recovery. 9-1-1 addresses are also required for phone service, building permits, drivers’ license renewal, land titles, loans, mail delivery, insurance, establish power service and for other purposes requiring a site location. Your new address will also make it easier for delivery services and others to find your address.

If you are unsure of your correct 9-1-1 address, please contact the Talladega County 9-1-1 Business Office at 256-761-9119 between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.

There is no charge for obtaining an address.

Talladega County 9-1-1 staff strives to have an address assigned within three (3) to five (5) business days from receiving the request. However due to several factors such as address discrepancies, private drive naming or staffing levels that goal is not always met.

No. There is a system in place to allow your location to have a specific address. The specific address is unique and provides information on how far from the beginning of the road and what side of the road your structure is located.

The addressing scheme used in the rural areas of Talladega County and Lincoln City Limits in Talladega County is based upon distance. Each 1/1000th of a mile (5.28 feet) is a potential new address.

All addresses translate into mileage. The numbering starts at the beginning of the road and increases to the center of the structure, driveway or parcel's center (if less than 200 feet of road frontage) in that order. The resulting number is the address. There are slight deviations to designate addresses on the left or right side of the road. Odd numbered addresses are always on one side and even numbered addresses are on the other. This method of addressing is invaluable for Emergency Responders. As soon as a call is dispatched, responders know exactly how far down the road from its beginning a structure actually is, and on what side of the road. For instance, if you live at 1102 Somewhere Road, you live one point one (1.1) mile from the beginning of the road on the right.

If a structure does not exist then the driveway is the key point of the address. It is the only part that intersects the road, and therefore the only reference point to assign the address.

9-1-1 selected an addressing system that was understandable, easy to use, and would allow for growth. That is why an addressing scheme that has one thousand addresses per mile was chosen, the drawback is of course a long house number. The house numbers are necessary to allow for future growth, without having to change the numbering again.

Nothing is forever, but it is intended to establish permanent addresses for all residents. There have been several address discrepancies located in all areas of Talladega County and the addressing staff are continually working to correct issues as they are identified. If you think your address or another address in your area is incorrect please do not hesitate to contact the Talladega County Business Office at 256-761-9119 so that an Addressing Technician can verify the address. An incorrect address not only effects that structure but also the surrounding area.

Yes. In order for emergency personnel to find your structure it is important that this number be posted on the structure or mailbox or preferably both. This number can be placed on a sign that is located in front of this structure and that is visible from the road. The numbers should be at least 3 inches in height with a contrasting background and be easily seen from the road. This will enable emergency personnel to rapidly locate this structure and cut down on any delays on help arriving to you. 

Please start using your address immediately. The Postal Service will continue to deliver to your old address for a period of up to one year after you are issued a 9-1-1 address. To assist emergency personnel, post your 9-1-1 numbers at the entrance to your driveway or house or BOTH. 
 

NO. We do not give out names and addresses to the general public. This information is shared with public service agencies, but only for their official duties.

9-1-1 needs to have a locatable address for every structure that could potentially call 9-1-1. Even if you receive mail at a Post Office Box or from another location you must still have a 9-1-1 address so you can be located in an emergency. Your 9-1-1 address is also used for package delivery services.

The Postal Service will continue to deliver to your old address for a period of up to one year after you are issued a 9-1-1 address. It is your responsibility to contact everyone you correspond with to provide them your new address. This includes the tax office, banks, magazine subscriptions, utility companies, and all others that send you any mail. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has address change forms that may be used for this purpose.

Contact the Talladega County 9-1-1 Business Office 256.761.9119 with as much information as possible about your address and your neighbors. Ex. Your address, your neighbors address on both sides.

No, as with correspondence, change when it is time to renew (drivers license, vehicle tag) or re-order (checks). A deed has a legal description of the property in question and therefore a 9-1-1 address does not effect that document in any way.

You must contact the 9-1-1 Business Office to request a Road Name change. 

This petition must be unanimous among seventy-five percent (75%) of the property owners who own property abutting the road as verified by Talladega County Tax Records. Once the petition is completed and verified that the requested name is not a duplicate or similar sounding name, letters will be sent to notify property owners and/or residents of their new address.

Prior approval is required for all new street names within Talladega County. A new street name must not duplicate or closely resemble the name of an existing street. A street name approval form must be completed and returned to the Talladega County 9-1-1 Business Office. The address is as follows:

Talladega County 9-1-1 
PO Drawer J
Talladega, AL 35161

A private drive is any road, path or driveway which serves 5 or more addressable structures and is not maintained by a governmental entity or agency through the use of public funds.

Contact the Talladega County 9-1-1 Business Office at 256-761-9119. Or you may report this on-line using this form.

Where you live determines what government entity maintains street signage. If you live within the city limits of a municipality, that municipality maintains those street signs. If you live outside a municipality, Talladega County maintains those street signs. No matter where you live, you can always contact the Talladega County 9-1-1 Business Office to report any issue with street signs and we will contact the appropriate government entity. Submit a report of damaged or missing street signs here
 

A 9-1-1 address is a site location address. A 9-1-1 address is assigned using a distance measuring instrument (DMI), accurate to 1/1000 of a mile. A 9-1-1 standardized measuring system is used. From the beginning of the road, in all areas of Talladega County except Talladega City Limits, structures on the right side of the road are assigned even numbers and structures on the left side of the road are assigned odd numbers.

People placing emergency calls often have difficulty providing their addresses. Children, visitors, hearing or speech impaired callers, or callers in a life threatening situation, may not be able to provide address information to Public Safety Telecommunicators. 9-1-1 calls from a wireline phone automatically gives the Telecommunicators the address, allowing the appropriate law enforcement, fire or medical personnel to be dispatched even if the caller is unable to communicate.