Question:

How do I format an inside address?

General Address Formatting

Addresses for officers and enlisted personnel should include title/rank and full name followed by a comma and the initials USA, USN, USAF, USMC, or USCG.

Mayor

The Honorable ... (full name)
Mayor of ... (city)
City, State ZIP Code

OR:

The Mayor of the City of ...
City, State ZIP Code

Dear Mr. Mayor:
Dear Madam Mayor:
Dear Mayor ...(last name):

Cabinet Member

The Honorable ... (full name)
Secretary of ... (department)
Washington, DC (ZIP code)

Dear Mr. (or Madam) Secretary:

State Senator

The Honorable ... (full name)
The State Senate
State Capital, State ZIP Code

Dear Senator ... :

Episcopal Dean

The Very Reverend ... (full name)
Dean of ... (place)
Address

Very Reverend Sir:

OR:

Dear Dean ...:

Navy and Coast Guard Officers

Rear Admiral ... (full name), USN (OR: USCG)
Address

Sir:
Madam:
Dear Admiral ...:

For officers below the rank of commander, use:

Dear Mr. ...:

Minister Without Doctorate

The Reverend ... (full name)
Address

Reverend Sir:
Reverend Madam:
Dear Mr. ...:
Dear Ms. (Mrs., Miss) ...:

Sister

Sister ... (name, followed by comma and initials of order)
Address

Dear Sister ...:
Dear Sister:

Teacher

... (Full name)
... (name of school)
Address

Mr. (or Dr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss) ...:

Minister With Doctorate

The Reverend Dr. ... (full name)
Address

Or:
The Reverend ... (full name), D.D.
Address

Dear Dr. ...:

U.S. House of Representatives Member

The Honorable ... (full name)
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

OR:

The Honorable ... (full name)
Representative in Congress
(Local Address)

Dear Representative ... (surname):

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

The Chief Justice of the United States
Washington, DC 20543

OR:

The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543

Dear Mr. (or Madam) Chief Justice:

Judge of Federal, State, or Local Court

The Honorable ... (full name)
Judge of the ... (name of court)
Address

Dear Judge ... (surname):

President of College or University

(Full name, followed by comma and highest degree)
President, (name of college)
Address

Dear President ...:
Dear Dr. ...:

Vice President of the United States

The Vice President
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

OR:

The Honorable ... (full name)
Vice President of the United States
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Vice President:

Secretary General of the United Nations

His (or "Her") Excellency ... (Full name)
Secretary General of the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017

Excellency:
Dear Mr. Secretary General:
Dear Madam Secretary General:

Former President of the United States

The Honorable ... (full name)
local address

Dear Mr. ....

Compass Points

James Smith
447 Bleeker Street, NW

Harriet Gibson
303 Canal Avenue South

John Kelly
343 SE 12th Street

Dean of College or University

... (Full name, followed by comma and highest degree)
Dean, ... (name of school or division)
... (name of college)
Address

Dear Dr. ...
Dear Dean ...

Writing to an Organization

When writing to an individual at an organization, the individual's name should be listed on the first line.
Kathy Baker
First Union Bank
avoid
First Union Bank
Kathy Baker

President of the United States

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

United States Senator

The Honorable ... (full name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

OR:

The Honorable ...(full name)
United States Senator
Local Address

Dear Senator ... (surname):

fort, mount, point, port, Saint, Sainte

For addresses, spell out the following:
Fort, Mount, Point, Port.

But abbreviate: St. (Saint) and Ste. (Sainte)

Governor

The Honorable ... (full name)
Governor of ... (state)
State Capital, State ZIP Code

Dear Governor ... :

Monsignor

The Reverend Monsignor ... (full name)
Address

Reverend Monsignor:
Dear Monsignor ...:

Professor

Professor ... (full name)
Department of ... (subject)
... (name of college)
Address

Dear Professor (or Dr. or Mr.)

Enlisted Personnel

Sergeant ... (full name), USA
Address

Dear Sergeant ...:

Seaman ... (full name), USN
Address

Dear Seaman ...:

Mother Superior

The Reverend Mother Superior
Address

OR:

Reverend Mother:
Dear Reverend Mother:
Dear Mother ...:

Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Mr. Justice ... (surname) (Or "Madam")
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543

Dear Mr. (or Madam) Justice:

Methodist Bishop

The Reverend ... (full name)
Bishop of .. (place)
Address

Reverend Sir:

OR:

Dear Bishop ...:

Priest

The Reverend ... (full name, followed by comma and initials of order)
Address

Reverend Father:
Dear Father ...:
Dear Father:

Pope

His Holiness the Pope
OR: His Holiness Pope ... (given name)
Vatican City
00187 Rome
ITALY

Your Holiness:
Most Holy Father:

Rabbi Without Doctorate

Rabbi ... (full name)
address

Dear Rabbi ...:

Cardinal

His Eminence ... (given name)
Cardinal of ... (surname)
Archbishop of ... (place)
Address

Your Eminence:
Dear Cardinal:

State Representative or Assembly Member

The Honorable ... (full name)
House of Representatives (OR: The State Assembly)
State Capital, State ZIP Code

Dear Mr. ...:

Episcopal Bishop

The Right Reverend ... (full name)
Bishop of ... (place)
Address

Right Reverend Sir:

OR:

Dear Bishop ...:

Superintendent of Schools

... (full name)
Superintendent of ... Schools
Address

Dear Mr. (or Dr.) ...:

Two People

Individuals should be listed separately in the address.

John Smith
Sally Smith
Address

Avoid:
John and Sally Smith
Address

Archbishop and Bishop

The Most Reverend ... (full name)
Archbishop (OR: Bishop) of ... (place)
Address

Your Excellency:
Dear Archbishop (OR: Bishop) ...:

Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps Officers

Lieutenant General ... (full name), USA (OR: USAF) (OR: USMC)
Address

Sir:
Madam:
Dear General ...: (NOT: Dear Lieutenant General ...:)

Rabbi With Doctorate

Rabbi ... (full name), D.D.
Address

Dear Rabbi ...:
Dear Dr. ...:

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