List of U.S. states by traditional abbreviation

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 1987 the Secretary of Commerce switched to the two-letter State Alpha Code for state abbreviations.

States
 State                                   Traditionalabbreviation  Otherabbreviations  Alabama                             Ala.AL Alaska                              Alaska               AK Arizona                             Ariz.AZ Arkansas                            Ark.AR California                          Calif.               CA Colorado                            Colo.                CO Connecticut                         Conn.CT Delaware                            Del.DE District of Columbia                D.C.DC Florida                             Fla.                 FL Georgia        Ga.GA Hawaii                              Hawaii               HI Idaho                               Idaho                ID Illinois                            Ill.IL Indiana                             Ind.IN Iowa                                Iowa                 IA Kansas                              Kans.                KS Kentucky                            Ky.                  KY Louisiana                           La.LA Maine                               Maine                ME Maryland                            Md.MD Massachusetts                       Mass.MA Michigan                            Mich.MI Minnesota                           Minn.MN Mississippi                         Miss.MS Missouri                            Mo.MO Montana                             Mont. MT Nebraska                            Nebr.                NE Nevada                              Nev.NV New Hampshire                       N.H.NH New Jersey                          N.J.NJ New Mexico                          N. Mex.              NM New York                            N.Y.NY North Carolina                      N.C.NC North Dakota                        N. Dak.              ND Ohio                                Ohio                 OH Oklahoma                            Okla.OK Oregon                              Ore.                OR Pennsylvania                        Penna                  PA Rhode Island                        R.I.RI South Carolina                      S.C.SC South Dakota                        S. Dak.              SD Tennessee                           Tenn.                TN Texas                               Tex.TX Utah                                UtahUT Vermont                             Vt.VT Virginia                            Va.VA Washington                          Wash.WA West Virginia                       W. Va.               WV Wisconsin                           Wis.                  WI Wyoming                             Wyo.WY

Territories
 Territory                   Traditionalabbreviation  Otherabbreviations American Samoa                      A.S.                 Guam                                Guam                GU Northern Mariana Islands            M.P. Panama Canal Zone                   C.Z. Puerto Rico                         P.R.PUR Virgin Islands  V.I.

 References 
 The Riverside Publishing Company. (1984). Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary.    
 Chicago Manual of Style and AP Style Manual state abbreviations
 FIPS State Codes of the US and Outlying Areas

Traditional abbreviation, List of U.S. states by