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Aug 4, 2015 · The U.S. Postal Service adopted two-letter abbreviations for state names on July 1, 1963 to make room for the new zip code system. The web page explains the history, the original list of abbreviations, and the only change made since then.
Learn the short names of U.S. states and territories that were used in mailing addresses before the two-letter codes. See examples of how to use them in writing and references for more information.
In AP style, you use abbreviations for most state names when following a city name (for example, "Scranton, Pa."). In AP style, you always spell out Alaska, Hawaii, and state names with five or fewer letters.
Modern two-letter abbreviated codes for the states and territories originated in October 1963, with the issuance of Publication 59: Abbreviations for Use with ZIP Code, three months after the Post Office introduced ZIP codes in July 1963.
May 7, 2021 · Learn the origin and current postal codes of the US states, including Montana (MT) and other states with similar names. Find out how to use the abbreviations for mailing and data processing purposes.
In 1831 the USPS developed its first list of state abbreviations, each consisting of two letters except Ohio’s, which was simply “O.” In 1874 the list was updated to include new states, and longer abbreviations were introduced, largely to avoid confusion.
Dec 14, 2023 · Find the postal and traditional abbreviations for all 50 states and territories of the United States. Learn the history and facts behind each state name and abbreviation.
Jan 24, 2020 · Learn how to write state names in full, postal, and traditional abbreviations. Find the abbreviation for Louisiana as LA or La. in the chart of all 50 states.
Jun 25, 2024 · The first state abbreviations were drawn up in 1831 by the United States Postal Service. The goal was to have two-letter abbreviations like we have now, but there were a few exceptions.
This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territories These abbreviations (short names) were used in mailing addresses before the introduction of two-letter U.S. postal abbreviations. The traditional abbreviations are still commonly used in other ways besides mailing addresses.
