The most common government abbreviation in American English is govt., with a period at the end. A second form, gov't, swaps the dropped letters for an apostrophe and shows up in headlines, notes and casual writing. Out loud, people still say "government."
A third short form, gov., is best avoided for this word, because readers usually take it to mean governor. Below you will find which abbreviation for government suits forms, notes and signs, how to write the plural and where the letters G or GOV stand for government inside longer acronyms.
Quick facts
Standard abbreviation
govt. (Govt. at the start of a line or in a name)Informal form
gov'tPlural
govts.Period or no period
Period in US use; British writing often drops it (govt)Used in
Forms, tables, notes, labels, headlinesAvoid
gov., which usually means governorRelated
Dept. for department, Natl. for national
Each government abbreviation compared
| Form | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| govt. | Standard, neutral | Local govt. offices close at 4:30. |
| Govt. | Same, capitalized in names and headings | U.S. Govt. Property |
| gov't | Informal, common in headlines and notes | Gov't shutdown talks resume |
| gov. | Ambiguous; usually read as governor | Gov. Ellis signed the bill. |
Govt. is the safest pick whenever you need a short form. It is clear, it is listed in most American style references and nobody mistakes it for a person's title.
Where you will see govt. and gov't
The word is long, so it gets shortened wherever space is tight:
- ID requirements: "Bring a valid govt.-issued photo ID" on a notice for a polling place, a bank or an airport counter.
- Property tags: stickers that say "Govt. Property, Do Not Remove" on office equipment.
- Class notes: students jot "3 branches of govt." in a civics notebook.
- Headlines: news headlines often use gov't to save room.
- Tables and charts: a budget chart might label a column "Govt. spending."
Job application line: "Previous employer type: Private / Nonprofit / Govt." Checking Govt. means you worked for a public agency, such as a city, a state office or a federal department.
Is gov. ever an abbreviation for government?
Occasionally, yes, in very casual notes. But in most writing, Gov. before a name is the standard title abbreviation for governor, the elected head of a state. "Gov. Lee" means Governor Lee, not "Government Lee." To avoid that mix-up, use govt. or gov't for the word government and save Gov. for the title.
You also see .gov at the end of web addresses. That ending marks sites run by government bodies in the United States, but it is a domain label, not something to use in a sentence.
Plural, capitals and punctuation
- Plural: govts., as in "state and local govts."
- Capitals: lowercase in running notes (govt. offices), capitalized when it begins a line or is part of a proper name or label (Govt. Center, U.S. Govt.).
- Period: American writers end govt. with a period. In Britain the dot is commonly dropped, since the short form closes on the same t as the full word.
- Apostrophe form: gov't works like a contraction, so it needs no period.
- Possessive: write it out in full ("the government's plan") rather than stacking punctuation onto an abbreviation.
In formal essays and reports, spell out government. The short forms belong in notes, tables, forms and other tight spaces. Broader rules for trimming words live in our how to abbreviate guide.
When G or GOV stands for government in acronyms
Inside longer acronyms, the word often shrinks to a single letter. A few you may meet at work or in the news:
- GAO: Government Accountability Office, the federal office that audits how public money is spent.
- GPO: Government Publishing Office, which prints and publishes official federal documents.
- GFE: government-furnished equipment, gear a contractor receives from an agency.
- GOV: government-owned vehicle, in federal travel and fleet rules.
- B2G: business to government, sales from companies to public agencies.
For many more, explore our section on government and military acronyms, including GSA, where the G means General rather than government.
Questions people ask
How do you shorten the word government?
The standard abbreviation for government is govt. In informal writing and headlines, gov't is also common.
Is it govt or gov't?
Both are understood. Govt. is the usual choice in forms, tables and notes, while gov't feels more casual and is popular in headlines.
Does govt. need a period?
Americans usually add one. Writers in Britain often skip it, because the short form keeps the word's final letter.
Can I write gov. for government?
It is better not to. Gov. usually stands for governor, so readers may misread it.
How do you abbreviate governments, plural?
Write govts. with a period. In formal writing, spell out the word instead.