When you mail a letter, do you write out the whole state or just the postal abbreviation?

Question

Some people try to be show-offs by writing out the whole state. BFD!

Answer 1

Just the 2 letter abbreviation is all the Post Office needs or wants!

Answer 2

I think the United States Postal Service prefers the two-letter state abbreviations. People might not know the correct abbreviation so just spell the whole word. I wouldn't know if Mississippi was MI or if that was the one for Michigan or Missouri, so I'd have to write the whole state of find a list of correct state abbreviations. If I was in a big hurry I'd just write out the whole state. That would not be showing-off.

Answer 3

Maybe older people write the whole state out because that's how they were brought up. They're not showing off. My mom uses a 3 or 4 letter abbreviation but, I believe that nowadays the Postal Service prefers that we use the 2-letter abbreviation. To answer your question though, I use the 2-letter.

Answer 4

This is how I would address it:



Mary Smith

123 Happy Street

Anytown, Georgia



I would use the same format on the return address.



I would make sure the letter was 1/2 ounce or less.



Put a 3 cent stamp on it. Then write "Non-domestic Mail" under the return address and mail it.



I just did this with 9 recent letters and they all arrived at their destinations. Why pay 16 times more than you have to?

Answer 5

Just the abbreviation; I would only write out the whole state if I didn't know the postal abbreviation.

Answer 6

I hardly write letters any more, except for Christmas Cards. If I know the 2 letter abbreviation, I will use it. If not, I will write it out. It has nothing to do with showing off and everything to do with not knowing the abbreviation.

Answer 7

It is appropriate to use the assigned two letter abbreviation on all mail. This is what the post office wants. This was the purpose of making the standard two letter abbreviations. It is suppose to make things more streamline. Machines read the information that we write on the envelopes.

Answer 8

When mailing a letter, you are supposed to use the postal abreviation, but it is not a big deal if you dont. If you know people that are trying to show off by writing out the entire name of the state, tell them that they are actually making a fool out of themselves because they're incorrect.

Answer 9

It doesn't really matter because the mail is sorted by zip code. As far as "showing off", there have been several times that I wasn't sure about the abbreviation, but am quite capable of spelling out the entire name of a state, so it wasn't "showing off", just trying to insure that my mail got to it's intended destination.

Answer 10

I only write out the states name if I don't know what the correct abbreviation is. Like all those states that start with M

Maryland, Montana, Missouri, Maine, whatever else I missed

Answer 11

I don't think they're showing off--they're more than likely doing things the "old fashioned" way. In years past, the proper way was to write the entire state's name. Now, the post office can sort mail faster and easier (and get it to its desination more quickly) if you abbreviate, use all caps. and no punctuation.



You don't HAVE to, but just for future reference, the proper way to address something being mailed is:



MS MARY SMITH

123 HAPPY ST

ANYTOWN GA 12345

Answer 12

I just write the abbreviation it is easier because some of the state are big and hard to spell.

Answer 13

You only need to write the abbreviation. Post Office will know where it's going.

Answer 14

The postal service actually WANTS you to write the abbriviation, it is easier for them. Of course, if you write out the whole state, your letter won't be sent back, it's just what the postal service prefers than you do.

Answer 15

I write the state abbreviation,if I know it.Many people were taught at an early age to write it all out.I really don' think they are showing off-it's the way they were raised.

Answer 16

State abbreviation for me. My handwriting is big so I wouldn't have the room to write Western Australia instead I write W.A.

N.T for Northern Territory another example.

Answer 17

The 2 letters are acceptable

Answer 18

I think the post office prefers the abbreviation, try reading Massachusetts with bad handwriting-even if it is a machine scanning it

Answer 19

for me if its in the USA i use postal abbreviations, but if i am mailing it out of the country i write it out.

Answer 20

Just the postal abbreviation, although it doesn't really matter... letters are sorted by zip code.

Answer 21

show offs for knowing how to spell?

some people actually don't know the abbreviations for some States

yeah its no BFD

why sweat the unimportant mundane stuff

Answer 22

Unless it is a formal invitation, use the approved postal code to ensure speedy delivery.



Formal invitation should have everything written out.

Answer 23

I just use the postal abbrevitaion.

Answer 24

the postal abbreviation, I am a sucker for shorthand and shortcuts.

Answer 25

just the abbreviation

pennsylvania is too long to write out

Answer 26

I sometimes do both.