---
title: Creating Address Rules
description: Address Guard Pro lets you create checkout rules that control what happens when an address matches a specific condition. Rules can be used to warn customers, block checkout, or mark an order for review when an address contains risky or…
url: "https://wpruby.com/knowledgebase/creating-address-rules/"
updated: "2026-07-24"
category: WooCommerce Address Guard Pro
---

# Creating Address Rules

Address Guard Pro lets you create checkout rules that control what happens when an address matches a specific condition.

Rules can be used to warn customers, block checkout, or mark an order for review when an address contains risky or incomplete information.

You can use rules for cases such as:

- Missing house number
- PO box address
- Parcel locker address
- Invalid postcode and country combination
- Unverified address
- Provider errors
- Unsupported regions
- Custom address patterns

Table of Contents

 [Toggle](#)

- [Opening the Rules Tab](#Opening_the_Rules_Tab)
- [Rule Priority](#Rule_Priority)
- [Creating a New Rule](#Creating_a_New_Rule)
- [Rule Actions](#Rule_Actions)
  - [Block Checkout](#Block_Checkout)
  - [Warn Customer](#Warn_Customer)
  - [Mark for Review](#Mark_for_Review)
- [Using Rule Presets](#Using_Rule_Presets)
- [Recommended Starting Rules](#Recommended_Starting_Rules)
  - [Block Missing House Number](#Block_Missing_House_Number)
  - [Block PO Box Addresses](#Block_PO_Box_Addresses)
  - [Warn on Unverified Address](#Warn_on_Unverified_Address)
  - [Review Provider Errors](#Review_Provider_Errors)
- [Editing a Rule](#Editing_a_Rule)
- [Disabling a Rule](#Disabling_a_Rule)
- [Testing Rules](#Testing_Rules)

## Opening the Rules Tab

Go to:

**WooCommerce → Address Guard → Rules**

From this page, you can:

- View existing rules
- Enable or disable rules
- Create a new rule
- Create a rule from a preset
- Edit, duplicate, or delete rules
- Reorder rules by priority

## Rule Priority

Rules are evaluated by priority.

Lower priority numbers run first.

For example:

| Rule | Priority |
| --- | --- |
| Block missing house number | 10 |
| Warn on unverified address | 20 |

In this case, the missing house number rule is checked before the unverified address rule.

If multiple rules match, Address Guard Pro can apply the matching actions depending on your configuration.

## Creating a New Rule

To create a new rule:

1. Go to **WooCommerce → Address Guard → Rules**.
2. Click **Add rule**.
3. Enter a rule name.
4. Choose the condition that should trigger the rule.
5. Choose the action.
6. Set the priority.
7. Enable the rule.
8. Save your changes.

## Rule Actions

A rule can trigger different actions.

### Block Checkout

Use this when the customer should not be allowed to place the order until the address is fixed.

Common use cases:

- Missing house number
- PO box address
- Invalid postcode/country format
- Unsupported delivery address type

### Warn Customer

Use this when you want to alert the customer but still allow them to continue.

Common use cases:

- Address could not be fully verified
- Provider returned an uncertain result
- Address looks unusual but may still be valid

### Mark for Review

Use this when the order can be placed, but your team should review the address before fulfillment.

Common use cases:

- Provider error
- Parcel locker address
- Unverified address
- Address was changed or normalized

## Using Rule Presets

Rule presets help you quickly create common address rules.

To use a preset:

1. Go to **WooCommerce → Address Guard → Rules**.
2. Click **Create from preset**.
3. Choose the preset you want to use.
4. Click **Use preset**.
5. Review the created rule.
6. Save your changes.

Common presets include:

- Block PO boxes
- Warn on unverified address
- Block missing house number
- Flag parcel locker addresses
- Block invalid postcode/country combination
- Review provider errors manually

## Recommended Starting Rules

For most stores, start with these rules:

### Block Missing House Number

This prevents checkout when the street address appears to be missing a house or building number.

Recommended action:

**Block checkout**

### Block PO Box Addresses

Use this if your shipping carrier does not deliver to PO boxes.

Recommended action:

**Block checkout**

### Warn on Unverified Address

Use this when the address provider cannot fully verify an address.

Recommended action:

**Warn customer**

### Review Provider Errors

Use this when the validation provider returns an error or cannot complete the request.

Recommended action:

**Mark for review**

## Editing a Rule

To edit a rule:

1. Go to **WooCommerce → Address Guard → Rules**.
2. Find the rule.
3. Click the edit icon.
4. Update the rule settings.
5. Save your changes.

## Disabling a Rule

You can temporarily disable a rule without deleting it.

This is useful when testing checkout behavior or troubleshooting customer reports.

To disable a rule, turn off the rule toggle in the Rules tab.

## Testing Rules

After creating or editing rules, use the **Tester** tab to confirm how Address Guard Pro will handle different addresses.

Test both valid and invalid examples before switching important rules to **Block checkout**.