The standard Connecticut abbreviation is CT, the postal code you put on envelopes and in the state box of a form. The older written abbreviation is Conn., with a period, and it still appears in news datelines, citations and lists.
CT may look odd at first, since the letter T does not sit right after the C in the state's name. The Postal Service chose the first letter and a consonant that appears further along in the word, a pattern it also used for codes like PA and VT. Once you know that, CT is easy to read.
Quick facts
Postal code
CTTraditional abbreviation
Conn.AP style
Full name in text; Conn. in datelinesPeriod
No period in CT; Conn. needs oneCapital
HartfordStatehood
1788, the 5th stateNot to be confused with
CO (Colorado), CA (California), Ct. (Court)
Abbreviation for Connecticut: the options side by side
| Form | Best for | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| CT | Postal mail, forms, data files | Stamford, CT 06901 |
| Conn. | Newspaper datelines, legal citations, short lists | New Haven, Conn. |
| Connecticut | Sentences in essays, reports and letters | Her family lives in Connecticut. |
A good habit is to ask who will read the text. Scanners and letter carriers want CT. A reader of a paragraph wants the full name.
The CT state abbreviation on mail
CT was set when the Postal Service moved to two-letter codes in the 1960s. Write it in capitals after the city name and a comma, then add the ZIP code. Connecticut ZIP codes begin with 06, so a leading zero is normal.
Online checkout form: City: Hartford. State: CT. ZIP: 06103. Spreadsheets sometimes strip the leading zero from a ZIP like this, so check it before you print labels.
If a drop down menu lists full names, choose Connecticut; it will store CT behind the scenes.
Conn. and what AP style says
In AP style, news copy uses the full state name. A reporter writes "the town council in Connecticut voted," not "in CT." The traditional Conn. is used in a dateline, at the start of an article, and in places where a city and state appear together in a tight list.
Many legal and academic citations also use Conn. In a letter to a friend or a school essay, the whole name reads best.
What is the abbreviation for Connecticut often confused with?
- CO is Colorado. Since Connecticut starts with Co, people sometimes guess CO for it.
- CA is California.
- CT also means Central Time on schedules, as in "3 p.m. CT." See the Central Time abbreviation.
- Ct. with a period and a lowercase t means Court in street names, as in "14 Maple Ct."
On an address line, Ct. is part of the street, while CT next to the ZIP code is the state. A full address could even use both: "14 Maple Ct., Bristol, CT."
Connecticut facts that come up with the code
Among the thirteen colonies that formed the first states, Connecticut became the 5th state in 1788 when it ratified the Constitution. Hartford is the capital. Its best known nickname is the Constitution State. The second c in the name is silent, so people say "kuh-NET-ih-kut," which also explains why spelling the full name is harder than writing CT.
Neighbors include New York (NY), Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island (RI). All fifty codes are on the state abbreviations hub.
Connecticut abbreviation mistakes to avoid
- Writing "Ct" or "ct" for the state. Use two capitals.
- Adding periods, as in "C.T." The postal code has none.
- Leaving the period off Conn. when you use the traditional form.
- Using CT in the middle of a sentence in formal writing.
Questions people ask
What two letters does the post office use for Connecticut?
It is CT, written in capitals with no period. The USPS assigned it to the state.
Why is Connecticut CT and not CO?
CO was given to Colorado. Connecticut got C plus T, a consonant from later in its name, so the two states would not share a code.
What does Conn. mean?
Conn. is the traditional abbreviation for Connecticut. It still turns up in datelines, legal citations and older documents.
Does CT always mean Connecticut?
No. On a schedule it often means Central Time, and in a medical setting it can mean a CT scan. Next to a ZIP code, it means Connecticut.
How do you pronounce Connecticut?
Say "kuh-NET-ih-kut." The middle c is silent.