State Abbreviation Guide

What Is the Abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

The standard 2-letter abbreviation for Pennsylvania is PA.

State Abbreviation
PA
Traditional Form
Pa.
Capital
Harrisburg
Region
Northeast

Pennsylvania Abbreviation

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

2-letter postal code
PA
Traditional / AP style
Pa.
Address format
Harrisburg, PA
Takes periods?
No — write PA, not PA.

Pennsylvania Abbreviation for Mailing and Forms

Use PA for Pennsylvania 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 PA in uppercase. The form PA. with a period is incorrect for postal use.

AP Style and Traditional Pennsylvania Abbreviation

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

What Does PA Stand For?

Pennsylvania's USPS abbreviation is PA.

PA has been Pennsylvania's standard postal abbreviation since 1963. Older forms such as Pa. and Penn. still appear in older material, but PA is the standard postal form today.

How to Write a Pennsylvania Address

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

John Smith 123 Main St Harrisburg, PA 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 Pennsylvania and are commonly looked up alongside it.

FAQ

What is the abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

The standard USPS abbreviation for Pennsylvania is PA.

What is the postal abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

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

How do you abbreviate Pennsylvania?

Abbreviate Pennsylvania as PA in current USPS, mailing, and database use.

What is the two-letter abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

PA is the official two-letter abbreviation for Pennsylvania.

What is the Pennsylvania state code?

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

Why is Pennsylvania abbreviated PA?

Pennsylvania's USPS abbreviation is PA.

What does PA stand for?

PA stands for Pennsylvania in the USPS state abbreviation system.

What is the old abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

Older editorial styles often wrote Pennsylvania as Pa.. For mailing and database use, the modern standard is PA.

How do you write a Pennsylvania mailing address?

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

What state is PA?

PA is the postal abbreviation for Pennsylvania, located in the Northeast region. The capital is Harrisburg.