State Abbreviation Guide

What Is the Abbreviation for Washington?

The standard 2-letter abbreviation for Washington is WA.

State Abbreviation
WA
Traditional Form
Wash.
Capital
Olympia
Region
West

Washington Abbreviation

The abbreviation for Washington is WA. In older writing you might see Wash., but today's mailing, form, and database standard is WA.

2-letter postal code
WA
Traditional / AP style
Wash.
Address format
Olympia, WA
Takes periods?
No — write WA, not WA.

Washington Abbreviation for Mailing and Forms

Use WA for Washington in mailing addresses, shipping labels, government forms, and business records.

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

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

AP Style and Traditional Washington Abbreviation

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

What Does WA Stand For?

Washington uses the USPS abbreviation WA.

WA became Washington's standard postal abbreviation in 1963. The older form Wash. still appears in older writing, but WA is the form used in current addresses and forms.

How to Write a Washington Address

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

John Smith 123 Main St Olympia, WA 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 Washington and are commonly looked up alongside it.

FAQ

What is the abbreviation for Washington?

The standard USPS abbreviation for Washington is WA.

What is the postal abbreviation for Washington?

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

How do you abbreviate Washington?

Abbreviate Washington as WA in current USPS, mailing, and database use.

What is the two-letter abbreviation for Washington?

WA is the official two-letter abbreviation for Washington.

What is the Washington state code?

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

Why is Washington abbreviated WA?

Washington uses the USPS abbreviation WA.

What does WA stand for?

WA stands for Washington in the USPS state abbreviation system.

What is the old abbreviation for Washington?

Older editorial styles often wrote Washington as Wash.. For mailing and database use, the modern standard is WA.

How do you write a Washington mailing address?

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

What state is WA?

WA is the postal abbreviation for Washington, located in the West region. The capital is Olympia.