The standard Florida abbreviation for mailing is FL, the two-letter postal code. In print, the traditional short form is Fla., which is also the form AP style uses when it shortens the name.
You need FL whenever you fill in an address or a state field on a form. You need Fla. far less often, mostly in datelines, captions and reference lists. Inside an ordinary sentence, plain Florida usually reads best.
Quick facts
Postal code
FLTraditional
Fla.AP style
Fla. when shortened, Florida in body textWrong forms
FA, FLA and F.L. are not standardCapital
TallahasseeStatehood
1845, the 27th state
Every Florida abbreviation side by side
| Form | Used for | How it looks |
|---|---|---|
| FL | Envelopes, packages, online forms, ID cards | Orlando, FL 32801 |
| Fla. | Datelines, captions, citations, short lists | TAMPA, Fla. |
| Florida | Ordinary sentences in most styles | We drove to Florida in March. |
The choice depends on the reader. Codes are for sorting machines and forms. Full words are for people reading a paragraph.
Why FL is the abbreviation for Florida on mail
When ZIP codes began in the 1960s, the Postal Service gave every state a two-letter code so addresses would fit cleanly on one line. Florida got FL. The code is always two capitals, with no period, and it goes after the city name, ahead of the five-digit ZIP.
Shipping form: City: Gainesville. State: FL. ZIP: 32601. The state box is sized for exactly two letters, so FLA or Fla. may be rejected or cut off.
Banks, schools, airlines and government offices all store Florida as FL, so using the code keeps your records matching.
What is the abbreviation for Florida in AP style and older guides?
Inside a news story, AP style writes every state name out. When a shortened form is needed, such as after a city in a dateline, AP writes Fla. The same form appears in many traditional style guides, legal citations and older reference books.
You may also notice FLA in all capitals on signs, sports gear and airport displays. That is a casual or branding choice, not an official code. On a letter or a form, stick with FL.
FL is easy to confuse with these codes
- FL is Florida. It is the only state code that starts with F.
- LA is Louisiana, not Los Angeles and not Florida, even though both states sit on the Gulf Coast.
- GA is Georgia, Florida's neighbor to the north.
- AL is Alabama, its neighbor to the northwest.
- FA and FD are not used for any state.
All fifty codes sit on one page in the state abbreviations section, or check the Louisiana and Georgia pages for the neighbors.
Florida in a few quick facts
Florida became a state in 1845 and was the 27th to join. Tallahassee is the capital, while Jacksonville is the largest city by population. The state is known as the Sunshine State, a nickname you will see on many of its license plates.
The name itself comes from Spanish and is often linked to the word for flowers and to the Easter season, called Pascua Florida in Spanish. None of this affects the code, but it explains why the full name looks the way it does.
Writing the abbreviation for Florida correctly
- Use FL in capitals with no periods for any address.
- Use Fla. with a capital F and a period in datelines or citations if your style calls for it.
- In a sentence, put commas on both sides: "They retired to Naples, Fla., near the coast."
- Do not abbreviate Florida when it stands alone: write "Florida has long coastlines," not "FL has long coastlines."
- Stay consistent within one document.
FL is a code, not an acronym; the page on acronym vs abbreviation untangles the labels.
Questions people ask
What is the official abbreviation for Florida?
The official postal abbreviation is FL. It is the form required on mail and used on most government and business forms.
Is FLA a correct abbreviation for Florida?
FLA is common on signs and sports gear, but it is not the postal code. Use FL on mail and Fla. in traditional writing.
What is the abbreviation for Florida with a period?
That is Fla. It is the traditional form and the one AP style uses in datelines.
How do you abbreviate Florida in an address?
Write the city, a comma, FL and then the ZIP code, as in Miami, FL 33130. No period goes after FL.