The Arizona abbreviation for addresses is AZ, written in capitals with no period. It is the code the Postal Service assigns to the state, so it goes on envelopes, packages and the state box of any form: Tempe, AZ 85281.
Writers also use a longer traditional form, Ariz., in news datelines, lists and older documents. The letters AZ are easy to remember because they take the first letter and the last sound of the name, but they are also easy to confuse with three other A codes, covered below.
Quick facts
Postal code
AZTraditional
Ariz. (with a period)AP style
Ariz. in datelines; Arizona in story textCapital city
PhoenixZIP codes start with
85 or 86Nickname
The Grand Canyon StateNot to be confused with
AR (Arkansas), AK (Alaska), AL (Alabama)
AZ, Ariz. or Arizona: which one to use
| Form | Type | Best setting |
|---|---|---|
| AZ | Postal code | Mailing labels, online forms, databases, maps |
| Ariz. | Traditional abbreviation | Datelines, photo captions, footnotes |
| Arizona | Full name | Sentences, school papers, letters, reports |
Postal codes are made for sorting and data. Traditional forms are made for print where space is short. The full name is made for readers.
The four A codes people swap
Four states have postal codes that begin with A, and AZ is the only one that does not use the second letter of the state name.
| Code | State | Memory hook |
|---|---|---|
| AZ | Arizona | The buzzing z inside Arizona |
| AR | Arkansas | The first two letters, A R |
| AK | Alaska | The k sound in the last part |
| AL | Alabama | The first two letters, A L |
The usual error is writing AR for Arizona, since both names start with Ar. If you remember that Arkansas took AR, Arizona had to use the Z. The Arkansas, Alaska and Alabama pages cover those codes.
Writing AZ in an address
Put the city, a comma, the two letters and the ZIP code on one line. Do not add a period after AZ, and do not spell the state out on the same line as the code.
A shipping label:
Lena Park
2200 Saguaro Way
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
A ZIP code starting with 86 points to the northern part of the state, while Phoenix area codes usually start with 85.
On many websites you pick the state from a menu. Arizona sits right after Alaska and just before Arkansas, so take a second look before moving on.
The arizona abbreviation in news writing
Newsrooms in the US mostly write Arizona in full once a story gets going. The shortened Ariz. is kept for datelines and the odd list.
- Dateline: "YUMA, Ariz."
- Story text: "The team trains near Tucson, Arizona, each spring."
- Later mentions: the city alone is usually enough once readers know the state.
School and business writers can follow the same idea: Arizona in sentences, AZ in addresses.
Time zone and other quick facts
Arizona uses Mountain Time but, in most of the state, does not switch to daylight saving time. That means for part of the year its clocks match the Pacific Time states instead. Some areas, such as the Navajo Nation, do observe daylight saving time.
The state capital is Phoenix, and its nickname is the Grand Canyon State. For time zone short forms, see the Mountain Time abbreviation page.
Tips for getting it right
- Use AZ, in capitals, with no period, on anything that will be mailed.
- Use Ariz. only in tight print spaces such as datelines.
- Spell out Arizona in sentences.
- Double check AZ against AR before you send.
All 50 codes, with the rules behind them, are on our state abbreviations hub page.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Arizona?
The postal abbreviation is AZ. The traditional abbreviation, used in some print writing, is Ariz.
Is Arizona AR or AZ?
Arizona is AZ. AR is Arkansas, and the two are often confused because both names start with the letters Ar.
Why is Arizona abbreviated AZ?
The Postal Service needed a unique two-letter code for each state. AR went to Arkansas, so Arizona received AZ, which still matches a sound in its name.
Does Ariz. have a period?
Yes. Traditional abbreviations like Ariz. end with a period. The postal code AZ never takes one.
What does AZ mean in a text?
In texting and social posts, AZ almost always means Arizona. A message like "Flying back to AZ tomorrow" means returning to the state.