The most widely used France abbreviation is FR, the code ISO 3166 gives France in its two letter list. Its three letter partner is FRA. Between them they cover country menus, shipping labels, passports, sports results and spreadsheets.
A few other short forms appear in special places: F on cars, .fr at the end of web addresses and the old style Fr. in some printed references. Each one belongs to a different system, so the right choice depends on what you are filling in.
Quick facts
Two letter code
FRThree letter code
FRACar sticker code
FWeb ending
.frCalling code
+33Written short form
Fr. (also means French, Father or franc)
France abbreviation by system
| System | Code | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ISO two letter | FR | Online checkout, shipping, bank and tax forms |
| ISO three letter | FRA | Passports, data tables, team lists |
| ISO number | 250 | Statistics and some official records |
| Vehicle code | F | The band at the edge of a French license plate |
| Internet domain | .fr | Websites based in France |
| Olympic and soccer code | FRA | Scoreboards and medal tables |
| Phone | +33 | Calling a French number from abroad |
To compare these systems for other countries, visit the country codes hub.
When to write FR and when to write France
Use FR wherever a system asks for a country code: a drop down menu, a data field or a form with a two character box. For a mailing address, write FRANCE in capitals as the last line. Mail carriers read the full name, not the code.
A package label: "75008 Paris" on one line and "FRANCE" below it. Paris postal codes begin with 75, the number for the city's department, and the last digits mark the district.
In essays, articles and emails, just write France. It is a short word, and no reader will stumble on it.
The abbreviation for France in older writing: Fr.
Before country codes were common, dictionaries, atlases and footnotes used Fr. for France or French. You may still see it in a reference book, in language labels such as "from Fr." in word histories, or on a map legend.
The trouble is that Fr. has other jobs. It is the usual short form of Father for a priest, as in Fr. Daniel. It also stood for the franc, the French money used before the euro. If there is any chance of confusion, use FR or spell the word out.
Overseas regions with their own codes
France includes several overseas departments and regions, and some have separate ISO codes so mail and data can be sorted correctly:
- GP for Guadeloupe
- MQ for Martinique
- GF for French Guiana
- RE for Réunion
- YT for Mayotte
A shipping form may list these places on their own instead of under France, so look for the specific name if you are sending something there.
Mixups with other country codes
- FR vs FI: FI is Finland, not France.
- F vs FL: F is the vehicle code for France, while FL is Liechtenstein.
- FRA vs FR: the same country in two systems. Pick the one the form asks for.
- Neighbors: Spain is ES, Germany is DE, Italy is IT and Switzerland is CH. Spain and Germany trip people up because the codes come from Spanish and German names.
City, airport and money codes
Travelers meet a second layer of French codes. CDG is the main Paris airport, named for Charles de Gaulle, and ORY is the city's other large airport, Orly. France uses the euro, coded EUR. On websites, fr-FR marks French as used in France, while fr-CA marks the French used in Canada. That last code connects to the Canada abbreviation page, since French is an official language there.
Questions people ask
Which two letter code belongs to France?
It is FR. This ISO 3166 code is the one used on most international forms, in online stores and in data systems.
What is the three letter code for France?
France's three letter code is FRA. It shows up on passports and in sports, such as Olympic medal tables and soccer scoreboards.
Why do French cars have an F on the plate?
F is the international vehicle code for France. It sits on the blue band at the left edge of the plate, so drivers in other countries know where the car is registered.
Is Fr. the abbreviation for France?
It can be, mostly in older reference books and word histories. Because Fr. also means Father and once meant the franc, FR or the full name is clearer today.
What is the abbreviation for France in the Olympics?
The Olympic code is FRA. It matches the ISO three letter code, though not every country's Olympic code matches its ISO code.