State Abbreviation Guide

What Is the Abbreviation for Massachusetts?

The standard 2-letter abbreviation for Massachusetts is MA.

State Abbreviation
MA
Traditional Form
Mass.
Capital
Boston
Region
Northeast

Massachusetts Abbreviation

Massachusetts's abbreviation is MA. You may also see Mass. in older writing, but MA is the form used in mailing addresses, forms, databases, and current style guides.

2-letter postal code
MA
Traditional / AP style
Mass.
Address format
Boston, MA
Takes periods?
No — write MA, not MA.

Massachusetts Abbreviation for Mailing and Forms

Use MA for Massachusetts in mailing addresses, shipping labels, official forms, and database records.

Mailing addresses
Shipping labels
Online checkout forms
Tax documents
Spreadsheets & databases
Government & school records

In all of these contexts write MA in uppercase. The form MA. with a period is incorrect for postal use.

AP Style and Traditional Massachusetts Abbreviation

Postal & forms MA Mailing addresses, shipping labels, online forms, and all data entry.
AP Style & editorial Mass. Newspapers, news releases, and most editorial style guides when a city name comes first.

What Does MA Stand For?

Massachusetts uses the USPS abbreviation MA.

MA became Massachusetts's standard postal abbreviation in 1963. The older form Mass. still appears in older publications, but MA is the form used in current addresses and forms.

How to Write a Massachusetts Address

In a U.S. mailing address, write the city name, then MA in uppercase, then the five-digit ZIP Code. Never put a period after the abbreviation.

John Smith 123 Main St Boston, MA ZIP

The same format applies in checkout forms, school worksheets, CRM systems, spreadsheets, shipping labels, and government databases — anywhere a two-letter state code is required.

Related Abbreviation Questions

These states share a first letter, region, or alphabetical position with Massachusetts and are commonly looked up alongside it.

FAQ

What is the abbreviation for Massachusetts?

The standard USPS abbreviation for Massachusetts is MA.

What is the postal abbreviation for Massachusetts?

MA is the two-letter postal abbreviation for Massachusetts. It is the form used in mailing addresses, shipping labels, forms, and databases.

How do you abbreviate Massachusetts?

Abbreviate Massachusetts as MA in current USPS, mailing, and database use.

What is the two-letter abbreviation for Massachusetts?

MA is the official two-letter abbreviation for Massachusetts.

What is the Massachusetts state code?

MA is the two-letter state code used for Massachusetts in mailing addresses, forms, spreadsheets, and databases.

Why is Massachusetts abbreviated MA?

Massachusetts uses the USPS abbreviation MA.

What does MA stand for?

MA stands for Massachusetts in the USPS state abbreviation system.

What is the old abbreviation for Massachusetts?

Older editorial styles often wrote Massachusetts as Mass.. For mailing and database use, the modern standard is MA.

How do you write a Massachusetts mailing address?

Use the city name, then the two-letter postal code MA, then the ZIP Code. For example: Boston, MA 00000.

What state is MA?

MA is the postal abbreviation for Massachusetts, located in the Northeast region. The capital is Boston.