The US has 50 states, a national capital along with commonwealths, and other territories around the world. Each state has its own unique shortened name codes called state abbreviations used in written documents and mailing addresses. According to the US systems and tradition, all the states or territories are represented by abbreviations and codes for different purposes, including data processing and postal addresses.
U.S. states 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.
For example, they can be used in writing after a city (like in "Miami, Fla."). In. To make room for the ZIP Code, state names needed to be abbreviated.
The Department provided an initial list of abbreviations in June 1963, but many had three or four letters, which was still too long. In October 1963, the Department settled on the current two. In October 1963, the United States Postal Service published an updated list of two-letter state abbreviations, 49 of which have stayed the same ever since.
Nebraska is the sole exception, changing from NB to NE in 1969. State postal abbreviations originated in 1831, when there were 28 states and regions in the U.S. The initial abbreviations included "O." for Ohio and "Mic.
T." for the. There are 50 states in the United States, 4 of which are using the term of "commonwealth" in their official names instead of "State". The 4 commonwealth states are Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Last updated on November 20th, 2025 United States postal abbreviations for states and territories. Did you know? For the most part, these state abbreviations have stayed the same since 1963. One exception is Nebraska, which changed its abbreviation from NB to NE in 1967 to avoid confusion with the Canadian province New Brunswick.
Also included is a fact for each state. You can click on the. List of state abbreviations.
The two. State information resources for all things about the 50 United States including alphabetical states list, state abbreviations, symbols, flags, maps, state capitals, songs, birds, flowers, trees and much more.