The Alaska abbreviation for mail and forms is AK, two capital letters with no period. It belongs on envelopes, shipping labels and the state field of any form, as in "Anchorage, AK 99501."
In ordinary writing, Alaska is a short name, so style guides spell it out rather than shorten it. That makes Alaska one of the few states without a common traditional abbreviation; you may meet the old form "Alas." only in very old books and records.
Quick facts
Postal code
AKTraditional
Rare; old form Alas.In running text
Alaska, always spelled outCapital city
JuneauStatehood
1959, the 49th stateNot to be confused with
AL (Alabama), AR (Arkansas), AS (American Samoa)
Why the Alaska abbreviation is AK
When the Postal Service set up two-letter codes, it needed a separate pair for every state and territory. AL was taken by Alabama, so Alaska got AK, using the first letter and the hard "k" sound in the middle of the name. So AK is one of the codes that skips the second letter of the name.
The codes work as a set, so each one must be unique. You can see the whole set on the state abbreviations hub.
Abbreviation for Alaska: which form to use
| Setting | Write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Mail and packages | AK | Fairbanks, AK 99701 |
| Online and paper forms | AK | State: AK |
| Articles, essays, letters | Alaska | We drove through Alaska in June. |
| Very old records | Alas. | Seen in some historical documents |
News style is simple here: spell out Alaska in every sentence, whether it stands alone or follows a city. School papers and business letters follow the same habit.
AK state abbreviation on an address
Mailing label: "Juneau, AK 99801." Put the city first, add a comma, write AK, and finish with the ZIP code. Alaska ZIP codes begin with 995 through 999, which is one quick way to check that a label is right.
Packages to Alaska can take longer and sometimes cost more to ship, so online stores often ask you to confirm the state. Choosing AL by mistake sends the package toward Alabama, thousands of miles away.
Codes people confuse with AK
- AL: Alabama, not Alaska. This is the most common mistake, because "Al" looks like the start of both names.
- AR: Arkansas.
- AZ: Arizona.
- AS: American Samoa, a US territory in the Pacific.
Away from the mail, AK can mean other things, such as a rifle model name or a short form of "also known," covered on the AK meaning page. On an address, though, AK is always Alaska.
Alaska state abbreviation facts worth knowing
Alaska is the largest state by area, and it became the 49th state in 1959, a few months before Hawaii. The capital is Juneau, which cannot be reached by road from the rest of North America, so mail and goods arrive by air or sea.
Like Louisiana with its parishes, Alaska has its own local setup: instead of counties it uses boroughs, and much of the state is in one large unorganized borough. If a form asks for a county, Alaskans usually enter their borough or census area.
Using AK and Alaska in sentences
- "Billing address: 12 Glacier Way, Ketchikan, AK 99901."
- "Her family moved to Alaska for her father's job."
- "Pick AK, not AL, from the drop-down list."
- "The Alaska Range has the tallest peak in North America."
Only the address lines use AK. In the other sentences the state name stands in full, which is how teachers and editors expect it. Our how to abbreviate guide explains when a shortened word earns a period.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Alaska?
The postal abbreviation is AK. In sentences, write the full name, Alaska.
Why isn't Alaska abbreviated AL?
AL was assigned to Alabama. Every state needs its own code, so Alaska received AK.
Is AK or AL Alaska?
AK is Alaska. AL is Alabama.
Does Alaska have an acronym?
No. AK is a mailing code rather than an acronym, and people read it as two letters, A K.
Is there a period after AK?
No. Postal codes never take periods. Write AK with two capitals.