State and Territory Abbreviations

Spell out state names; however, in instances where space is a consideration (lists, tabular material), use the standard state abbreviations below. Example: “Nearly half a million residents call Denver, Colorado, home.” Note the comma between the city and the state name, and another one following the state name. Use the two-letter postal abbreviations (with no periods) for states and territories in addresses with zip codes only (including addresses in running text).

Note that eight states’ names do not have standard abbreviations: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.