State Abbreviations: All 50 States, DC and Possessions (USPS)
USPS Publication 28, Appendix B prints the two-letter state and possession abbreviations: 59 entries from Alabama (AL) to Wyoming (WY), then a directional table and three military codes, AA, AE and AP. The full table is below, with a search box.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 2, 2026 · Methodology & sources
When we checked on November 2, 2026, Appendix B was read from an Internet Archive copy captured October 23, 2026, not the live page, and the Pub 28 section 225.1 text was read from an Internet Archive copy captured July 12, 2026, not the live page. The tables below are Appendix B in the order USPS prints them; the live Pub 28 may have changed since.
The USPS two-letter list
“Use the abbreviations below when addressing mail.”
State/Possession (Pub 28 Appendix B)
| State/Possession | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Geographic directional (Pub 28 Appendix B)
| Geographic directional | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| North | N |
| East | E |
| South | S |
| West | W |
| Northeast | NE |
| Southeast | SE |
| Northwest | NW |
| Southwest | SW |
Military "State" (Pub 28 Appendix B)
| Military "State" | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Armed Forces Europe, the Middle East, and Canada | AE |
| Armed Forces Pacific | AP |
| Armed Forces Americas (except Canada) | AA |
The state table has 59 entries: 50 states, the District of Columbia and eight others (our count). The eight others are American Samoa (AS), the Federated States of Micronesia (FM), Guam (GU), the Marshall Islands (MH), the Northern Mariana Islands (MP), Palau (PW), Puerto Rico (PR) and the Virgin Islands (VI). Pub 28 lists them all under one State/Possession heading, including FM, MH and PW.
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B heads its table State/Possession and does not use the word territory.
NE appears twice in Appendix B: as Nebraska in the state table and as Northeast in the directional table.
Why two letters
“Using the two–letter state abbreviations makes it possible to enter the city, state, and Five–Digit ZIP Code (or ZIP+4 Code) on the last line of the address within 28 positions when necessary: 13 positions for city, 1 space between the city and state abbreviation, 2 positions for the state, 2 spaces (preferred) between the state and ZIP Code, and 10 positions for the ZIP+4 Code.”
13 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 10 = 28 (our sum of the positions Pub 28 lists).
AA, AE and AP: two Pub 28 wordings
“Overseas military addresses must contain the APO or FPO designation along with a two–character “state” abbreviation of AE, AP, or AA and the ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code.”
“AE is used for armed forces in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Canada; AP is for the Pacific; and AA is the Americas excluding Canada.”
Appendix B names AE Armed Forces Europe, the Middle East, and Canada, while section 225.1 describes AE as covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Canada. Pub 28 words AE differently in the two places, and this page shows both. For the address format, see how to address military mail.
Using the abbreviations in an address
The state abbreviation goes on the last line of the address with the city and ZIP Code. See how to address an envelope and how to address a postcard.
Frequently asked questions
What are the two-letter abbreviations for the 50 states?
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) listed them in the table on this page, for example California as CA, New York as NY and Texas as TX. The table had 59 entries under the heading State/Possession.
What is the abbreviation for Washington, D.C.?
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) listed the District of Columbia as DC.
What are the abbreviations for Puerto Rico, Guam and the other possessions?
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) listed American Samoa as AS, Guam as GU, Northern Mariana Islands as MP, Puerto Rico as PR and Virgin Islands as VI. Under the same State/Possession heading it listed the Federated States of Micronesia as FM, Marshall Islands as MH and Palau as PW.
What are AA, AE and AP?
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) listed AA as Armed Forces Americas (except Canada), AE as Armed Forces Europe, the Middle East, and Canada, and AP as Armed Forces Pacific. USPS Pub 28 section 225.1 (as captured July 12, 2026) worded AE differently and added Africa.
Do military addresses use AA, AE or AP in place of a state?
USPS Pub 28 section 225.1 (as captured July 12, 2026) said overseas military addresses must contain the APO or FPO designation along with a two-character state abbreviation of AE, AP or AA and the ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code. USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) printed the three codes in a military table beside the state table.
Is NE Nebraska or Northeast?
Both. USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) listed NE for Nebraska in its state table and NE for Northeast in its geographic directional table.
Why does USPS use two-letter abbreviations?
USPS Pub 28 Appendix B (as captured October 23, 2026) said two-letter state abbreviations make it possible to enter the city, state and ZIP Code on the last line within 28 positions when necessary: 13 positions for the city, 1 space, 2 positions for the state, 2 spaces (preferred) and 10 positions for the ZIP+4 Code.
Related guides
Sources (reviewed November 2, 2026): USPS Publication 28: Appendix B · USPS Publication 28: 225 Military Addresses