American State Abbreviations
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/05/08 - Updated: 2021/02/18
Category Topic: Medical Calculators and Charts - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: List of United States State abbreviations for U.S. postal services including U.S.A. possessions and military states. The United States Postal Service (USPS) state abbreviations help process mail with optical character recognition and other automated equipment.
Introduction
These postal abbreviations are distinguished from traditional abbreviations such as Calif., Fla., or Tex.
Main Content
The United States Postal Service has established a set of abbreviations to help process mail with optical character recognition and other automated equipment. There are also official USPS abbreviations for other parts of the address, such as street designators (street, avenue, road, etc.).
The traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territories, widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U.S. postal abbreviations, are still used for other purposes, and are still recognized by the U.S. Postal Service.
The table below shows the US Postal Service (USPS) abbreviation for each of the United States, districts, territories, and possessions.
| American State | U.S. State Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| ALABAMA | AL |
| ALASKA | AK |
| AMERICAN SAMOA | AS |
| ARIZONA | AZ |
| ARKANSAS | AR |
| CALIFORNIA | CA |
| COLORADO | CO |
| CONNECTICUT | CT |
| DELAWARE | DE |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | DC |
| FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA | FM |
| FLORIDA | FL |
| GEORGIA | GA |
| GUAM | GU |
| HAWAII | HI |
| IDAHO | ID |
| ILLINOIS | IL |
| INDIANA | IN |
| IOWA | IA |
| KANSAS | KS |
| KENTUCKY | KY |
| LOUISIANA | LA |
| MAINE | ME |
| MARSHALL ISLANDS | MH |
| MARYLAND | MD |
| MASSACHUSETTS | MA |
| MICHIGAN | MI |
| MINNESOTA | MN |
| MISSISSIPPI | MS |
| MISSOURI | MO |
| MONTANA | MT |
| NEBRASKA | NE |
| NEVADA | NV |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | NH |
| NEW JERSEY | NJ |
| NEW MEXICO | NM |
| NEW YORK | NY |
| NORTH CAROLINA | NC |
| NORTH DAKOTA | ND |
| NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS | MP |
| OHIO | OH |
| OKLAHOMA | OK |
| OREGON | OR |
| PALAU | PW |
| PENNSYLVANIA | PA |
| PUERTO RICO | PR |
| RHODE ISLAND | RI |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | SC |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | SD |
| TENNESSEE | TN |
| TEXAS | TX |
| UTAH | UT |
| VERMONT | VT |
| VIRGIN ISLANDS | VI |
| VIRGINIA | VA |
| WASHINGTON | WA |
| WEST VIRGINIA | WV |
| WISCONSIN | WI |
| WYOMING | WY |
| Military States | Abbreviation |
| Armed Forces Africa | AE |
| Armed Forces Americas | AA |
| Armed Forces Canada | AE |
| Armed Forces Europe | AE |
| Armed Forces Middle East | AE |
| Armed Forces Pacific | AP |
Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.