# U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual/Capitalization Rules

Proper names are capitalized.
    Rome
    Brussels
    John Macadam
    Macadam family
    Italy
    Anglo-Saxon
Derivatives of proper names used with a proper meaning are capitalized.
    Roman (of Rome)
    Johannean
    Italian
Derivatives of proper names used with acquired independent common meaning, or no longer identified with such names, are set lowercased. Since this depends upon general and long-continued usage, a more definite and all-inclusive rule cannot be formulated in advance.
    roman (type)
    brussels sprouts
    venetian blinds
    macadam (crushed rock)
    watt (electric unit)
    plaster of pairs
    italicize
    anglicize
    pasteurize
    Massachusetts Avenue; the avenue
    Washington Monument; the monument
    Statue of Liberty; the statue
    Hoover Dam; the dam ​
    Boston Light; the light
    Modoc National Forest; the national forest
    Panama Canal; the canal
    Soldiers' Home in Holyoke; the soldiers' home
    Johnson House (hotel); Johnson house (residence)
    Crow Reservation; the reservation
    Cape of Good Hope; the cape
    Jersey City
    Washington City
but city of Washington; the city
    Cook County; the county
    Great Lakes; the lakes
    Lake of the Woods; the lake
    North Platte River; the river
    Lower California
but lower Mississippi
    Charles the First; Charles I
    Seventeenth Census; the 1960 census
If a common noun or adjective forming an essential part of a name becomes separated from the rest of the name by an intervening common noun or adjective, the entire expression is no longer a proper noun and is therefore not capitalized.
    Union Station: union passenger station
    Eastern States: eastern farming States
    United States popularly elected government
A common noun used alone as a well-known short form of a specific proper name is capitalized.
    the Capitol building in Washington, DC; but State capital building
    the Channel (English Channel)
    the Chunnel (tunnel below English Channel)
    the District (District of Columbia)
The plural form of a common noun capitalized as part of a proper name is also capitalized.
    Seventh and I Streets
    Lakes Erie and Ontario
    Potomac and James Rivers
    State and Treasury Departments
    British, French, and United States Governments
    Presidents Washington and Adams
    abstract B
    act of 1928
    amendment 5
    apartment 2
    appendix C
    article I
    book II
    chapter III
    chart B
    class I
    collection 6
    column 2
    drawing 6
    exhibit D
    figure 7
    first district (not congressional)
    flight 007
    graph 8
    group 7
    history 301
    mile 7.5
    page 2
    paragraph 4
    part I
    phase 3
    plate IV
    region 3
    room A722
    rule 8
    schedule K
    section 3
    signature 4
    spring 1926
    station 27
    table 4
    title IV
    treaty of 1919
    volume X
    war of 1914
    ward 2
The following terms are lowercased, even with a name or number
    aqueduct
    irrigation project
    shipway
    breakwater
    jetty
    slip
    buoy
    levee
    spillway
    chute
    lock
    turnpike
    dike
    pier
    watershed
    dock
    reclamation project
    weir
    drydock
    ship canal
    wharf
To achieve greater distinction or to adhere to the authorized form, the word the (or its equivalent in a foreign language) is capitalized when used as a part of an official name or title. When such name or title is used adjectively, the is not capitalized, nor is the supplied at any time when not in copy.
    British Consul v. The Mermaid (title of legal case)
    The Dalles (OR); The Weirs (NH); but the Dalles region; the Weirs streets
    The Hague; but the Hague Court; the Second Hague Conference
    El Salvador; Las Cruces; L'Esterel
    The National Mall; The Mall (Washington, DC only)
    The Gambia but the Congo, the Sudan, the Netherlands
In common practice, rule 3.11 is disregarded in references to newspapers, periodicals, vessels, airships, trains, firm names, etc.
    the Washington Post
    the Times
    the Atlantic Monthly
    the Mermaid
    the U-3
    the Los Angeles
    the Federal Express
    the National Photo Co.
In foreign names such particles as d', da, de, della, den, du, van, and von are capitalized unless preceded by a forename or title. Individual usage, if ascertainable, should be followed.
    Da Ponte; Cardinal da Ponte
    Den Uyl; Johannes den Uyl; Prime Minister den Uyl
    Du Pont; E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.
    Van Rensselaer; Stephen van Rensselaer
    Von Braun; Dr. Wernher von Braun
but d'Orhigny; Alcide d'Orbigny; de la Madrid; Miguel de la Madrid
In anglicized names such particles are usually capitalized, even if preceded by a forename or title, but individual usage, if ascertainable, should be followed.
    Justice Van Devanter; Reginald De Koven
    Thomas De Quincey; William De Morgan
    Henry van Dyke (his usage)
    Samuel F. Du Pont (his usage); Irénée du Pont
If copy is not clear as to the form of such a name (for example, La Forge or Laforge), the two-word form should be used.
    De Kalb County (AL, GA, IL, IN)
but DeKalb County (TN)
In names set in capitals, de, von, etc., are also capitalized.
The full names of existing or proposed organized bodies and their shortened names are capitalized; other substitutes, which are most often regarded as common nouns, are capitalized only in certain specified instances to indicate preeminence or distinction.
National governmental units:
    U.S. Congress: 110th Congress; the Congress; Congress; the Senate; the House; Committee of the Whole, the Committee; but committee (all other congressional committees)
    Department of Agriculture: the Department; Division of Publications, the Division; similarly all major departmental units; but legislative, executive, and judicial departments
    Bureau of the Census: the Census Bureau, the Bureau; but the agency
    Environmental Protection Agency: the Agency
    Geological Survey: the Survey
    Government Printing Office: the Printing Office, the Office
    American Embassy, British Embassy: the Embassy; but the consulate; the consulate general
    Treasury of the United States: General Treasury; National Treasury; Public Treasury; the Treasury; Treasury notes; New York Subtreasury, the subtreasury
    Department of Defense: Military Establishment; Armed Forces; All-Volunteer Forces; but armed services
    U.S. Army: the Army; All-Volunteer Army; the Infantry; 81st Regiment; Army Establishment; the Army Band; Army officer; Regular Army officer; Reserve officer; Volunteer officer; but army shoe; Grant's army; Robinson's brigade; the brigade; the corps; the regiment; infantryman
    U.S. Navy: the Navy; the Marine Corps; Navy (Naval) Establishment; Navy officer; but naval shipyard; naval officer; naval station
    U.S. Air Force: the Air Force
    U.S. Coast Guard: the Coast Guard
    French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry; French Army; British Navy
International organizations:
    United Nations: the Council; the Assembly; the Secretariat
    Permanent Court of Arbitration: the Court; the Tribunal (only in the proceedings of a specific arbitration tribunal)
    Hague Peace Conference of 1907: the Hague Conference; the Peace Conference; the Conference
Common-noun substitutes:
    Virginia General Assembly: the assembly
    California State Highway Commission: Highway Commission of California; the highway commission; the commission
    Montgomery County Board of Health: the Board of Health, Montgomery County; the board of health; the board
    Common Council of the City of Pittsburgh: the common council; the council
    Buffalo Consumers' League: the consumers' league; the league
    Republican Party: the party ​
    Southern Railroad Co.: the Southern Railroad; Southern Co.; Southern Road; the railroad company; the company
    Riggs National Bank: the Riggs Bank; the bank
    Metropolitan Club: the club
    Yale School of Law: Yale University School of Law; School of Law, Yale University; school of law
The names of members and adherents of organized bodies are capitalized to distinguish them from the same words used merely in a descriptive sense.
    a Representative (U.S.)
    a Republican
    an Elk
    a Federalist
    a Shriner
    a Socialist
    an Odd Fellow
    a Communist
    a Boy Scout
    a Knight (K.C, K.R, etc.)
The official designations of countries, national domains, and their principal administrative divisions are capitalized only if used as part of proper names, as proper names, or as proper adjectives. (See Chapter 17, Principal Foreign Countries table.)
    United States: the Republic; the Nation; the Union; the Government; also Federal, Federal Government; but republic (when not referring specifically to one such entity); republican (in general sense); a nation devoted to peace
    New York State: the State, a State (a definite political subdivision of first rank); State of Veracruz; Balkan States; six States of Australia; State rights; but state (referring to a federal government, the body politic); foreign states; church and state; statehood; state's evidence
    Territory (Canada): Yukon, Northwest Territories; the Territory(ies), Territorial; but territory of American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands
    Dominion of Canada: the Dominion; but dominion (in general sense) Ontario Province, Province of Ontario: the Province, Provincial; but province, provincial (in general sense)
    British Commonwealth, Commonwealth of Virginia: the Commonwealth; but a commonwealth government (general sense) ​
    Swiss Confederation: the Confederation; the Federal Council; the Federal Government; but confederation, federal (in general sense)
    French Government: the Government; French and Italian Governments: the Governments; but government (in general sense); the Churchill government; European governments
    Cherokee Nation: the nation; but Greek nation; American nations
    National Government (of any specific nation); but national customs
    Allied Powers, Allies (in World Wars I and II); but our allies, weaker allies; Central Powers (in World War I); but the powers; European powers
    Republic of South Africa: the Republic; but republic (in general sense)
A descriptive term used to denote a definite region, locality, or geographic feature is a proper name and is therefore capitalized; also for temporary distinction a coined name of a region is capitalized.
    the North Atlantic States
    the Gulf States
    the Central States
    the Pacific Coast States
    the Lake States
    East North Central States
    Eastern North Central States
    Far Western States
    Eastern United States
    the West
    the Midwest
    the Middle West
    the Far West
    the Eastern Shore (Chesapeake Bay)
    the Badlands (SD and NE)
    the Continental Divide
    Deep South
    Midsouth
    the Far East
    Far Eastern
    the East
    Middle East
    Middle Eastern
    Mideast
    Mideastern (Asia)
    Near East (Balkans, etc.)
    the Promised Land
    the Continent (continental Europe)
    the Western Hemisphere
    the North Pole
    the North and South Poles
    the Temperate Zone
    the Torrid Zone
    the East Side
    Lower East Side (sections of a city)
    Western Europe, Central Europe (political entities)
    but
    lower 48 (States)
    the Northeast corridor
    north; south; east; west
    northerly; northern; northward
    eastern; oriental; occidental
    east Pennsylvania
    southern California
    northern Virginia
    west Florida; but West Florida (1763-1819)
    eastern region; western region
    north-central region
    east coast; eastern seaboard
    northern Italy
    southern France
but East Germany; West Germany (former political entities)
The names of calendar divisions are capitalized.
    January; February; March; etc.
    Monday; Tuesday; Wednesday; etc.
but spring; summer; autumn (fall); winter
The names of holidays and ecclesiastic feast and fast days are capitalized.
    April Fools' Day
    Arbor Day
    Armed Forces Day
    Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
    Christmas Day, Eve
    Columbus Day
    Father's Day
    Feast of the Passover; the Passover
    Flag Day Rosh Hashanah
    Fourth of July; the Fourth
    Halloween
    Hanukkah
    Hogmanay
    Inauguration Day (Federal)
    Independence Day
    Labor Day
    Lincoln's Birthday
    Memorial Day (also Decoration Day)
    Mother's Day
    New Year's Day, Eve
    Presidents Day
    Ramadan
    St. Valentine's Day
    Thanksgiving Day
    Washington's Birthday
    Yom Kippur
but election day, primary day
Trade names, variety names, and names of market grades and brands are capitalized. Some trade names have come into usage as generic terms (e.g., cellophane, thermos, and aspirin); when reference is being made to the formal company or specific product name, capitalization should be used. (See Chapter 4 "Capitalization Examples" trade names and trademarks.)
    Choice lamb (market grade)
    Red Radiance rose (variety)
    Xerox (the company)
but photocopy (the process)
The name of a phylum, class, order, family, or genus is capitalized. The name of a species is not capitalized, even though derived from a proper name. (See rule 11.9.)
    Arthropoda (phylum), Crustacea (class), Hypoparia (order), Agnostidae (family), Agnostus (genus)
    Agnostus canadensis; Aconitum wilsoni; Epigaea repens (genus and species)
In scientific descriptions coined terms derived from proper names are not capitalized.
    aviculoid
    menodontine
Any plural formed by adding s to a Latin generic name is capitalized.
    Rhynchonellas
    Spirifers
In soil science the 12 soil orders are capitalized. (See Chapter 4 "Capitalization Examples" soil orders.)
    Alfisols
    Andisols
    Aridisols
Capitalize the names of the celestial bodies as well as the planets.
    Sun
    Earth
    Venus
    Moon
    Mercury
    Mars
    Jupiter
    Uranus
    Saturn
    Neptune
but the moons of Jupiter
Names of historical or political events used as a proper name are capitalized.
    Battle of Bunker Hill
    Christian Era
    D-day
    Dust Bowl
    Fall of Rome
    Great Depression
    Great Society
    Holocaust, the
    Middle Ages
    New Deal
    New Federalism
    New Frontier
    Prohibition
    Restoration, the
    Reformation
    Renaissance
    Revolution, the
    American, 1775
    English, 1688
    French, 1789
    Russian, 1917
    V-E Day
    War of 1812
    War on Poverty
but Korean war; cold war; Vietnam war; gulf war
A vivid personification is capitalized.
    The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York;
but I spoke with the chair yesterday.
    For Nature wields her scepter mercilessly.
    All are architects of Fate,
       Working in these walls of Time.
Words denoting the Deity except who, whose, and whom; names for the Bible and other sacred writings and their parts; names of confessions of faith and of religious bodies and their adherents; and words specifically denoting Satan are all capitalized.
    Heavenly Father; the Almighty; Lord; Thee; Thou; He; Him; but himself; You, Your; Thy, Thine; [God's] fatherhood
    Mass; red Mass; Communion
    Divine Father; but divine providence; divine guidance; divine service
    Son of Man; Jesus' sonship; the Messiah; but a messiah; messiahship; messianic; messianize; christology; christological
    Bible, Holy Scriptures, Scriptures, Word; Koran; also Biblical; Scriptural; Koranic
    New Testament; Ten Commandments
    Gospel (memoir of Christ); but gospel music
    Apostles' Creed; Augsburg Confession; Thirty-nine Articles
    Episcopal Church; an Episcopalian; Catholicism; a Protestant
    Christian; also Christendom; Christianity; Christianize
    Black Friars; Brother(s); King's Daughters; Daughter(s); Ursuline Sisters; Sister(s)
    Satan; the Devil; but a devil; the devils; devil's advocate
Civil, religious, military, and professional titles, as well as those of nobility, immediately preceding a name are capitalized.
    President Bush
    Queen Elizabeth II
    Ambassador Acton
    Lieutenant Fowler
    Chairman Williams
    Dr. Bellinger
    Nurse Joyce Norton
    Professor Leverett
    Examiner Jones (law)
    Vice-Presidential candidate Smith
but baseball player Ripken; maintenance man Flow; foreman Collins
To indicate preeminence or distinction in certain specified instances, a common-noun title immediately following the name of a person or used alone as a substitute for it is capitalized.
Title of a head or assistant head of state:
    George W. Bush, President of the United States: the President; the President-elect; the Executive; the Chief Magistrate; the Commander in Chief; ex-President Clinton; former President Truman; similarly the Vice President; the Vice-President-elect; ex-Vice-President Gore
    Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia: the Governor of Virginia; the Governor; similarly the Lieutenant Governor; but secretary of state of Idaho; attorney general of Maine
Title of a head or assistant head of an existing or a proposed National governmental unit:
    Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State: the Secretary; similarly the Acting Secretary; the Under Secretary; the Assistant Secretary; the Director; the Chief or Assistant Chief; the Chief Clerk; but Secretaries of the military departments; secretaryship
Titles of the military:
    General of the Army(ies): United States only; Supreme Allied Commander; Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Joint Chiefs of Staff; Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force; the Chief of Staff; but the commanding general; general (military title standing alone not capitalized)
Titles of members of diplomatic corps:
    Walter S. Gifford, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary: the American Ambassador; the British Ambassador; the Ambassador; the Senior Ambassador; His Excellency; similarly the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; the Envoy; the Minister; the Chargé d'Affaires; the Charge; Ambassador at Large; Minister Without Portfolio; but the consul general; the consul; the attaché
Title of a ruler or prince:
    Elizabeth II, Queen of England: the Queen; the Crown; Her Most Gracious Majesty; Her Majesty; similarly the Emperor; the Sultan
    Charles, Prince of Wales: the Prince; His Royal Highness
Titles not capitalized:
    Charles F. Hughes, rear admiral, U.S. Navy: the rear admiral
    Steven Knapp, president of The George Washington University: the president
    C.H. Eckles, professor of dairy husbandry: the professor
    Barbara Prophet, chairwoman of the committee; the chairman; the chairperson; the chair
In formal lists of delegates and representatives of governments, all titles and descriptive designations immediately following the names should be capitalized if any one is capitalized.
A title in the second person is capitalized.
    Your Excellency
    Your Highness
    Your Honor
    Mr. Chairman
    Madam Chairman
    Mr. Secretary
but not salutations:
       my dear General
       my dear sir
In the full or short English titles of periodicals, series of publications, annual reports, historic documents, and works of art, the first word and all important words are capitalized.
    Statutes at Large; Revised Statutes; District Code; Bancroft's :History; Journal (House or Senate) (short titles); but the code; the statutes
    Atlantic Charter; Balfour Declaration; but British white paper
    Chicago's American; but Chicago American Publishing Co.
    Reader's Digest; but New York Times Magazine; Newsweek magazine
    Monograph 55; Research Paper 123; Bulletin 420; Circular A; Article 15: Uniform Code of Military Justice; Senate Document 70; House :Resolution 45; Presidential Proclamation No. 24; Executive Order No. 24; Royal Decree No. 24; Public Law 89-1; Private and Union Calendars; Calendar No. 80; Calendar Wednesday; Committee Print No. 32, committee print; but Senate bill 416; House bill 61; Congressional Record
    Annual Report of the Public Printer, 2007; but seventh annual report, 19th annual report
    Declaration of Independence; the Declaration
    Constitution (United States or with name of country); constitutional; but New York State constitution: first amendment, 12th amendment
    Kellogg Pact; North Atlantic Pact; Atlantic Pact; Treaty of Versailles; Jay Treaty; but treaty of peace, the treaty (descriptive designations); treaty of 1919
    United States v. Four Hundred Twenty-two Casks of Wine (law)
    American Gothic, Nighthawks (paintings)
In the short or popular titles of acts (Federal, State, or foreign) the first word and all important words are capitalized.
    Revenue Act; Walsh-Healey Act; Freedom of Information Act; Classification Act; but the act; Harrison narcotic law; Harrison narcotic bill; interstate commerce law; sunset law
The capitalization of the titles of books, etc., written in a foreign language is to conform to the national practice in that language.
The first word of a sentence, of an independent clause or phrase, of a direct quotation, of a formally introduced series of items or phrases following a comma or colon, or of a line of poetry, is capitalized.
    The question is, Shall the bill pass?
    He asked, "And where are you going?"
    The vote was as follows: In the affirmative, 23; in the negative, 11; not voting, 3.
             Lives of great men all remind us
                We can make our lives sublime.
The first word of a fragmentary quotation is not capitalized.
    She objected "to the phraseology, not to the ideas."
The first word following a colon, an exclamation point, or a question mark is not capitalized if the matter following is merely a supplementary remark making the meaning clearer.
    Revolutions are not made: they come.
    Intelligence is not replaced by mechanism: even the televox must be guided by its master's voice.
    But two months dead! nay, not so much; not two.
    What is this? Your knees to me? to your corrected son?
The first word following Whereas in resolutions, contracts, etc., is not capitalized; the first word following an enacting or resolving clause is capitalized.
    Whereas the Constitution provides * * *; and
    Whereas, moreover, * * *: Therefore be it
    Whereas the Senate provided for the * * *: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That * * *; and be it further
    Resolved (jointly), That * * *
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That * * *. (Concurrent resolution, Federal Government.)
    Resolved by the Senate of Oklahoma (the House of Representatives concurring therein), That * * *, (Concurrent resolution, using name of State.)
    Resolved by the senate (the house of representatives concurring therein), That * * *. (Concurrent resolution, not using name of State.)
    Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California (jointly), That * * *. (Joint resolution, using name of State.)
    Resolved by the Washington Board of Trade, That * * *
    Provided, That * * *
    Provided further, That * * *
    Provided, however, That * * *
    And provided further, That * * *
    Ordered, That * * *
    Be it enacted, That * * *
Unless otherwise marked, centerheads are set in capitals, and sideheads are set in lowercase and only the first word and proper names are capitalized. In centerheads making two lines, wordbreaks should be avoided. The first line should be centered and set as full as possible.
In heads set in caps, a small-cap c or ac, if available, is used in such names as McLean or MacLeod; otherwise a lowercase c or ac is used. In heads set in small caps, a thin space is used after the c or the ac.
In such names as LeRoy, DeHostis, LaFollette, etc. (one-word forms only), set in caps, the second letter of the particle is made a small cap, if available; otherwise lowercase is used. In heads set in small caps, a thin space is used. (See rule 3.15.)
    World en Route to All-Out War
    Curfew To Be Set for 10 o'Clock
    Man Hit With 2-Inch Pipe
    No-Par-Value Stock for Sale
    Yankees May Be Winners in Zig-Zag Race
    Ex-Senator Is To Be Admitted
    Notice of Filing and Order on Exemption From Requirements
    but Building on Twenty-first Street (if spelled)
    One Hundred Twenty-three Years (if spelled)
    Only One-tenth of Shipping Was Idle
    Many 35-Millimeter Films in Production
    Built-Up Stockpiles Are Necessary (Up is an adverb here)
    His Per Diem Was Increased (Per Diem is used as a noun here); Lower Taxes per Person (per is a preposition here)
If a normally lowercased short word is used in juxtaposition with a capitalized word of like significance, it should also be capitalized.
    Buildings In and Near the Minneapolis Mall
In a heading set in caps and lowercase or in caps and small caps, a normally lowercased last word, if it is the only lowercased word in the heading, should also be capitalized.
    All Returns Are In
The first element of an infinitive is capitalized.
    Controls To Be Applied
but Aid Sent to Disaster Area
In matter set in caps and small caps, such abbreviations as etc., et al., and p.m. are set in small caps; in matter set in caps and lowercase, these abbreviations are set in lowercase.
    Planes, Guns, Ships, etc.
    Planes, Guns, Ships, etc.
    James Bros. et al. (no comma)
    James Bros. et al.
    In re the 8 p.m. Meeting
    In re the 8 p.m. Meeting
Paragraph series letters in parentheses appearing in heads set in caps, caps and small caps, small caps, or in caps and lowercase are to be set as in copy.
    section 1.580(f)(1)
The first word and all principal words in addresses, salutations, and signatures are capitalized. See Chapter 16 "Datelines, Addresses, and Signatures."
The interjection "O" is always capitalized. Interjections within a sentence are not capitalized.
    Sail on, O Ship of State!
    For lo! the days are hastening on.
    But, oh, how fortunate!
Where historic, documentary, technical, or scientific accuracy is required, capitalization and other features of style of the original text should be followed.