How to add Zendesk Talk addresses for phone numbers: A complete guide

Setting up voice support for your business often means dealing with regulatory requirements that vary by country. If you're using Zendesk Talk, you've probably encountered the need to add addresses for your phone numbers. Some countries require a local business address before you can purchase or use a number, while others have no restrictions at all.

Let's break down what these address requirements mean, why they exist, and how to handle them efficiently in your Zendesk account.

What are Zendesk Talk address requirements?

Phone number address requirements exist because of telecommunications regulations in different countries. Governments want to know who's operating phone lines within their borders, whether for consumer protection, emergency services, or fraud prevention.

When you purchase a Zendesk Talk phone number, the system checks whether the country and number type require address verification. This isn't Zendesk being difficult, it's compliance with local telecom laws.

Here's the short version: requirements fall into three main categories:

• No requirements: Some countries let you buy numbers without any address information
• Address only: You need to provide a business address, but no documentation
• Full business verification: You must submit business registration documents, utility bills, or other proof that your business exists at the address you provide

The type of number matters too. Local numbers (geographic) often have stricter requirements than toll-free numbers. Mobile numbers frequently need the most documentation. A local number in Germany will have different requirements than a toll-free number in the same country.

Prerequisites for adding Zendesk Talk addresses

Before you start adding addresses, make sure you have the right setup. You'll need:

Source: Zendesk help center

You'll also want to gather your business documentation before starting. If you're setting up numbers in countries that require verification, have these ready:

• Business registration documents (dated within the past 3 months)
• Utility bills or tax notices showing your business address
• Government-issued ID for authorized representatives (some countries require this)

The 3-month document rule is strict. If your business registration is from last year, you'll need to request a current copy from your local registry before submitting.

How to add an address in Zendesk Talk

Adding an address is straightforward once you know where to look. Here's the process:

Step 1: Navigate to the Addresses tab

Go to Admin Center > Channels > Talk and email > Talk > Addresses tab.

This is where all your saved addresses live. You can have multiple addresses on file, which is useful if you operate in several countries.

Step 2: Click Add address

Click the Add address button to start the process. You'll see a form asking for your business details.

Step 3: Fill in address details

Enter the following information:

• Name: A label for this address (like "Berlin Office" or "Headquarters")
• Street: Street address (physical location, not PO Box where prohibited)
• City: City name
• Province/State: State, province, or region
• ZIP: Postal code
• Country Code: ISO country code (US, DE, FR, etc.)

Format the address according to local standards. For example, German addresses put the postal code before the city, while US addresses put it after. The system is flexible, but getting the format right reduces confusion during verification.

Step 4: Save and associate with phone numbers

Click Save to store the address. The address is now available to associate with phone numbers during purchase.

When you buy a new number that requires an address, you'll see a dropdown to select from your saved addresses. If the number requires business verification, you'll also need to select an approved verification bundle.

Source: Zendesk help center

Country-specific address requirements

The regulatory landscape varies significantly by country. Here's what to expect in different regions:

Countries requiring local addresses

Many European and Latin American countries require a local business address that matches the phone number's geographic region:

Argentina: For local numbers, your address must be within the locality or region covered by the phone number's prefix. You need a business registration document from the Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ) or Registro Público de Comercio (RPC), plus your commercial registry number.

Austria: Local numbers require an address within the locality or region. You need business registration documents and government-issued ID for an authorized representative.

Belgium: Requires an excerpt from the commercial register (extrait BCE), Belgian VAT number, and business registration number. The address must be within Belgium for national numbers or within the specific region for local numbers.

Source: Zendesk regulatory requirements

Countries with minimal requirements

Some countries make it easier:

Australia: Local and toll-free numbers require no documentation at all. You just provide a business name and address. Mobile numbers are stricter, requiring business registration and ID.

United States: Most numbers need only a business address, though some number types may require additional verification depending on carrier policies.

Mobile number requirements

Mobile numbers (+61 4 in Australia, +436 in Austria, etc.) typically have stricter requirements than landline numbers. This is because mobile numbers can be used across borders more easily, so regulators want extra assurance about who's operating them.

In Australia, for example, mobile numbers require:

• Business registration document
• Business ID number
• Proof of address (utility bill, tax notice, etc.)

While local Australian numbers need just a name and address with no documentation.

Source: Zendesk regulatory requirements

Documentation guidelines

When submitting business verification documents:

• All documents must be dated within the past 3 months
• PO Box addresses are not accepted where physical addresses are required
• Authorized representatives may need notarized power of attorney documentation
• Some countries require an executed Letter of Authorization (LOA)

The review process takes up to 3 business days. Plan accordingly if you're launching voice support in a new country.

Source: Zendesk regulatory requirements

Managing addresses via the Talk API

For teams managing many numbers or building automated workflows, the Talk API lets you work with addresses programmatically.

When to use the API

Consider the API when:

• You manage phone numbers across multiple countries
• You need to integrate address management into your internal systems
• You're building automation for compliance reporting
• You want to sync addresses with your CRM or business directory

List all addresses

To retrieve all addresses in your account:

GET /api/v2/channels/voice/addresses

This returns a list of address objects with all stored details.

Show a specific address

To get details for a single address:

GET /api/v2/channels/voice/addresses/{address_id}

Address JSON format

Addresses are represented as JSON objects with these properties:

{
  "city": "San Francisco",
  "country_code": "US",
  "id": 900000076706,
  "name": "Zendesk",
  "provider_reference": "AD499983e566f656f862549f965ec10e36",
  "province": "California",
  "state": null,
  "street": "1019 Market Street",
  "zip": "94103"
}

Source: Zendesk API documentation

Code examples

Here's how to list addresses using curl:

curl https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/api/v2/channels/voice/addresses.json \
  -v -u {email_address}/token:{api_token}

And in Python:

import requests
from requests.auth import HTTPBasicAuth

url = "https://your-subdomain.zendesk.com/api/v2/channels/voice/addresses"
headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json"}
auth = HTTPBasicAuth(f'{email}/token', api_token)

response = requests.request("GET", url, auth=auth, headers=headers)
print(response.text)

Source: Zendesk API documentation

Troubleshooting common address issues

Even with clear requirements, things sometimes go wrong. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them.

Address verification failures

If your address is rejected, check these common causes:

• PO Box where physical address required: Some countries explicitly prohibit PO Boxes. Use a street address.
• Address doesn't match number region: For local numbers, the address must be in the same geographic area as the phone number prefix.
• Incomplete information: Make sure all fields are filled, including province/state where applicable.

Mismatched business registration documents

When documents don't match your application:

• Ensure the business name on documents exactly matches what you entered
• Check that the address on your utility bill or registration matches the address you're submitting
• Verify documents are dated within the past 3 months

Review process delays

The standard review time is up to 3 business days. If it's taking longer:

• Check your email (including spam) for requests for additional documentation
• Verify you submitted through the correct channel (self-service vs. support ticket)
• Contact Zendesk Customer Support with your submission reference number

Getting help

For address-related issues, you have two options:

1. Self-service: Check status in the Business Verification tab in Admin Center
2. Assisted submission: Contact Zendesk Customer Support with your documentation ready

Source: Zendesk regulatory requirements

Streamlining voice support with eesel AI

Managing phone numbers and addresses is just the administrative side of voice support. Once calls start coming in, you need systems to handle them efficiently.

This is where eesel AI fits in. While Zendesk Talk handles the telephony infrastructure, we can help with what happens after the call ends.

When a call creates a ticket in Zendesk, our AI Agent can:

• Draft follow-up responses based on your help center and past tickets
• Route voice-created tickets to the right team automatically
• Look up customer information and order history to provide context
• Handle routine follow-up questions without human intervention

Our AI Triage product can tag voice tickets by topic, sentiment, and urgency as they come in. This means your team spends less time on manual categorization and more time solving problems.

If you're already using Zendesk, we integrate directly. We learn from your existing tickets, help center, and macros, so the AI understands your business context from day one.

The combination works well: Zendesk Talk for voice infrastructure, eesel AI for intelligent ticket handling. You handle the regulatory requirements once, then let automation take care of the ongoing workflow.