The official Maine abbreviation is ME, the code the U.S. Postal Service uses for Pine Tree State mail. It belongs on mailing envelopes, shipping labels, web checkout pages and any state box with room for just two letters. The older traditional abbreviation, Me., still turns up in some reference lists and old documents, but it is rarely needed today.
Inside a normal sentence, writing the whole word tends to work better. Maine is only five letters long, so shortening it saves almost nothing, and several style guides never abbreviate it at all.
Quick facts
Postal code
ME (two capitals, no period)Traditional
Me.AP style
Maine, always spelled outUsed on
Mail, shipping labels, forms, databasesCapital city
AugustaNot to be confused with
MA (Massachusetts), MD (Maryland), MI (Michigan)
Every Maine abbreviation in one table
| Form | Type | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| ME | USPS postal code | Addresses, forms, drop down menus, spreadsheets |
| Me. | Traditional abbreviation | Older documents, some legal and library citations |
| Maine | Full name | Running text, news stories, essays, letters |
Notice the difference in punctuation. ME has two capitals and no dot at all. Me. mixes one capital, one lowercase letter and a period.
Writing ME in an address
Put ME after the town on the final address line, leaving one space before the ZIP code. Machines that sort mail read that line, so the short form helps your letter move faster.
Addressed envelope:
Jordan Lee
45 Harbor Road
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Town, comma, ME, ZIP: that order never changes. No period follows ME.
Online checkout pages and job applications work the same way. When a state menu lists codes, pick ME. Picking MA by mistake sends things to Massachusetts.
What is the abbreviation for Maine in writing?
In a sentence, spell it out: "She moved to Maine for the summer." Most American style guides now prefer the full state name in running text, and AP style, the rulebook most American newsrooms use, lists Maine as one of eight states never to be shortened, along with Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Ohio, Texas and Utah.
The traditional form Me. survives in a few places, such as older legal citations and some library catalogs. If you are writing a school paper or a work report and no specific guide is assigned, use the full name in sentences and ME in addresses.
ME, MA, MD and other look-alike codes
Eight states share an M at the start of their codes, which makes this corner of the alphabet a frequent source of misdirected mail. Here is the full set:
- ME: Maine
- MA: Massachusetts
- MD: Maryland
- MI: Michigan
- MN: Minnesota
- MO: Missouri
- MS: Mississippi
- MT: Montana
A simple rule for Maine: the code is the first and last letters of the name, M and E. Massachusetts uses its first two letters, which is why MA belongs to it and not to Maine.
A few facts behind the name
Maine sits in the far northeast corner of the country, in New England. Its capital is Augusta, and Portland is its largest city. It was once part of Massachusetts and became its own state in 1820. Its nickname is the Pine Tree State, and people who live there are called Mainers.
The state's ZIP codes begin with 039 through 049, which can help you spot a typo: a Maine address with a ZIP starting with 01 or 02 is likely meant for Massachusetts.
Quick tips for the ME code
- Capitalize both letters: ME, not Me or me, in an address.
- Do not add a period: ME, not M.E.
- Do not confuse it with the word "me" when reading a spreadsheet; check the column header.
- Use the full name in sentences, especially in news and school writing.
- People sometimes search for a Maine acronym, but ME is a postal code, not an acronym. See acronym vs abbreviation for the difference.
Our state abbreviations page lists all fifty codes plus the territories.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Maine?
The postal abbreviation is ME. The older traditional abbreviation is Me., but in most sentences you should simply write Maine.
Is Maine ME or MA?
Maine is ME. MA is the code for Massachusetts, its neighbor to the south, and the two are mixed up often.
Does the Maine state abbreviation take a period?
No. ME is always written without one. Only the older form, Me., ends in a period, and you will rarely need it.
Why does Maine use ME?
MA already belongs to Massachusetts, so the code for Maine uses its first and last letters instead. That keeps every state code different.
Should I abbreviate Maine in an essay?
No. Spell out Maine in essays and other running text, and save ME for addresses, forms and tables.