US State Traditional Abbreviations
36 abbreviations · part of Geography & Place Abbreviations
Before the 1963 two-letter postal codes, states were abbreviated with forms such as Calif., Mass. and Tenn., and these traditional abbreviations are still standard in edited writing. AP style uses them in datelines, photo captions and party labels (D-Calif.), the US Government Publishing Office manual and The Bluebook have their own slightly different lists, and none of them should appear on an envelope. This list covers the traditional forms whose letters differ from the postal code; forms such as Md., Ga. or N.Y. are explained on the postal code pages.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ala. | Alabama | Standard newspaper and reference abbreviation for Alabama, used by AP in datelines such as TUSCALOOSA, Ala., in party labels like R-Ala. and in sports agate. |
| Ariz. | Arizona | Arizona's abbreviation in news writing and citations: AP, the Government Publishing Office and The Bluebook all use Ariz. |
| Ark. | Arkansas | Used by AP in datelines (FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.), party affiliations (R-Ark.), photo captions and agate, and by The Bluebook and the Government Publishing Office. |
| Cal. | California | Older abbreviation for California found in 19th- and early 20th-century documents and still required by The Bluebook for California cases and statutes, as in Cal. |
| Calif. | California | AP and Government Publishing Office abbreviation for California, seen in datelines (OAKLAND, Calif.), in political labels such as D-Calif., and throughout older… |
| Colo. | Colorado | Colorado's abbreviation in AP datelines and party labels (BOULDER, Colo.; D-Colo.), also listed by the Government Publishing Office and The Bluebook. |
| Conn. | Connecticut | Connecticut's abbreviation in AP style, the GPO manual and The Bluebook, found in datelines (NEW HAVEN, Conn.), in labels such as D-Conn., and in citations to the… |
| Del. | Delaware | Delaware's traditional abbreviation, used by AP in datelines (DOVER, Del.), party labels (D-Del.) and by lawyers citing Delaware statutes and the Court of Chancery (Del. |
| Fla. | Florida | Florida's abbreviation in AP style, The Bluebook and the GPO manual, familiar from datelines such as TAMPA, Fla., from political labels like R-Fla., and from citations… |
| Ill. | Illinois | Illinois appears as Ill. in AP datelines (PEORIA, Ill.), party labels (D-Ill.), the GPO manual and The Bluebook, which also uses Ill. for the Illinois Reports and Ill. |
| Ind. | Indiana | Indiana's traditional abbreviation, used by AP in datelines (SOUTH BEND, Ind.), in party labels such as R-Ind., by the Government Publishing Office and by The Bluebook. |
| Kan. | Kansas | AP's abbreviation for Kansas, used in datelines (LAWRENCE, Kan.), party labels (R-Kan.) and sports and stock tables. |
| Kans. | Kansas | Four-letter abbreviation of Kansas preferred by the US Government Publishing Office style manual and common in older atlases, scientific specimen labels and federal… |
| Mass. | Massachusetts | Long-established abbreviation for Massachusetts, used in AP datelines (WORCESTER, Mass.), party labels (D-Mass.), the GPO manual, The Bluebook and everyday writing. |
| Mich. | Michigan | Michigan's abbreviation in AP style, the GPO manual and The Bluebook. |
| Minn. | Minnesota | Minnesota's abbreviation in AP datelines (DULUTH, Minn.), congressional party labels, the Government Publishing Office manual and The Bluebook, which also uses Minn. |
| Miss. | Mississippi | AP, GPO and Bluebook abbreviation of Mississippi, used in datelines (OXFORD, Miss.), party labels (R-Miss.) and legal citations. |
| Mont. | Montana | Montana's abbreviation in AP datelines (MISSOULA, Mont.), party labels (R-Mont.), the GPO style manual and The Bluebook. |
| N.Dak. | North Dakota | Traditional and GPO-style abbreviation of North Dakota, usually printed N. |
| N.Mex. | New Mexico | Older and Government Publishing Office abbreviation of New Mexico, printed N. |
| Neb. | Nebraska | AP and Bluebook abbreviation for Nebraska, used in datelines (KEARNEY, Neb.), party labels (R-Neb.), sports agate and citations to the Nebraska Reports. |
| Nebr. | Nebraska | Government Publishing Office abbreviation of Nebraska, also found in older atlases, herbarium labels, agricultural research bulletins and federal reports. |
| Nev. | Nevada | Nevada's traditional abbreviation, used in AP datelines (RENO, Nev.), party labels (D-Nev.), GPO and Bluebook style, and legal citations such as Nev. |
| Okla. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma's abbreviation in AP style, the GPO manual and The Bluebook, seen in datelines (NORMAN, Okla.), party labels (R-Okla.) and the citation Okla. |
| Ore. | Oregon | AP's abbreviation for Oregon, used in datelines (BEND, Ore.), party labels (D-Ore.) and news tables. |
| Oreg. | Oregon | Government Publishing Office abbreviation for Oregon, widely used in forestry, geology and other federal and scientific publications and on older maps of the Pacific… |
| Penn. | Pennsylvania | Informal and older abbreviation of Pennsylvania found in 18th- and 19th-century documents and in some business names. |
| Penna. | Pennsylvania | Four-letter abbreviation of Pennsylvania that was standard in the 19th and early 20th centuries, notably in railroad names (Penna. |
| S.Dak. | South Dakota | South Dakota's traditional abbreviation, printed S. |
| Tenn. | Tennessee | Tennessee's abbreviation in AP datelines (KNOXVILLE, Tenn.), party labels (R-Tenn.), the GPO manual and The Bluebook. |
| Tex. | Texas | Traditional abbreviation of Texas, used by the Government Publishing Office, The Bluebook (Tex. |
| W.Va. | West Virginia | West Virginia's abbreviation: AP writes W.Va. with no space, while the GPO manual and The Bluebook write W. |
| Wash. | Washington | AP, GPO and Bluebook abbreviation of Washington State, as in SPOKANE, Wash., or D-Wash. |
| Wis. | Wisconsin | Wisconsin's abbreviation in AP, GPO and Bluebook style, used in datelines (GREEN BAY, Wis.), party labels (D-Wis.) and citations of Wisconsin statutes (Wis. |
| Wisc. | Wisconsin | Informal four-letter abbreviation of Wisconsin, widespread in academic affiliations, business listings and casual writing. |
| Wyo. | Wyoming | Wyoming's abbreviation in AP datelines (JACKSON, Wyo.), party labels (R-Wyo.), GPO and Bluebook style, and in the citation Wyo. |
More geography & place abbreviations
- Address Abbreviations (118)
- Australian State and Territory Abbreviations (10)
- Canadian Province and Territory Abbreviations (26)
- City and Neighborhood Abbreviations (59)
- Country Code Abbreviations (270)
- Country Name Abbreviations (30)
- Direction Abbreviations (23)
- Geographic Feature Abbreviations (46)
- Region Abbreviations (60)
- US State Abbreviations (51)
- US Territory and Military Mail Abbreviations (18)