The Virginia abbreviation used by the U.S. Postal Service is VA, written as two capitals and never with a period. Its older counterpart, Va., still turns up in news datelines, some legal citations and older books.
Neighboring West Virginia has its own codes, and the letters VA also name a large federal agency, so a bit of care keeps things clear. Here is when to use each form and how to avoid the usual mix-ups.
Quick facts
Postal code
VATraditional abbreviation
Va.AP style
Va. in datelines; write Virginia in full in story textOfficial name
Commonwealth of VirginiaCapital city
RichmondNot to be confused with
WV (West Virginia) and the VA (Veterans Affairs)
Which Virginia abbreviation should you use?
| Form | Best for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| VA | Mailing addresses, labels, forms, data files | Roanoke, VA 24011 |
| Va. | AP datelines, traditional lists and citations | NORFOLK, Va. |
| Virginia | Sentences in nearly every style | We drove through Virginia on the way south. |
A simple rule: anything headed for a mailbox or a database gets VA. If a person is reading a sentence, write Virginia.
VA on mail and online forms
VA is one of the two-letter state codes the Postal Service set in the 1960s to work with ZIP Codes. Place it at the end of the address, between the town name and the ZIP Code. Most Virginia ZIP Codes start with 22, 23 or 24.
Return address on a package: "J. Morgan, 48 Laurel Ave, Charlottesville VA 22903." The carrier reads VA as Virginia and checks it against the ZIP Code.
The same code shows up on driver's licenses, vehicle records, voter forms and any drop-down list of states.
Va. and AP style
Va. is the older clipped spelling that editors relied on for generations. News writers following AP style put Va. right behind the opening city of a dateline but spell out Virginia inside the article. Some court documents and older reference books use Va. in citations as well.
Dateline: "ALEXANDRIA, Va. A new ferry route along the river opens this weekend." Further down, the writer says "northern Virginia," never "northern Va."
In academic and book publishing, the full name is usually preferred in text, and VA is used only in addresses.
Virginia vs West Virginia
The two states share a border and part of a name, so their codes are close too. Keep them straight:
- Virginia: VA, traditional Va.
- West Virginia: WV, traditional W.Va.
Writing VA when you mean West Virginia, or the other way around, can send mail to the wrong state. West Virginia split from Virginia during the Civil War and became its own state in 1863, which is why the names are so alike.
VA has other meanings too
Outside an address, VA often means something else entirely:
- The VA, with "the" in front, is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which runs veterans' benefits and health care. Read more on what VA stands for.
- VA in a job post often means virtual assistant, someone who handles office tasks remotely.
- VA on a vision chart record can mean visual acuity.
A city before it and a ZIP Code after it is the clearest sign VA means the state.
Is there a Virginia acronym?
People sometimes search for a "Virginia acronym," but VA is not an acronym, because the letters do not come from a string of separate words, and nobody pronounces VA as a word. It is a postal abbreviation that takes the V and the A at the start of the name. You say it letter by letter, "V A," or just say "Virginia." For the difference between these kinds of short forms, see acronym vs abbreviation.
Virginia is also one of four states that officially call themselves a commonwealth, but that does not change its codes. Our state abbreviations chart lists every state if you want to compare.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Virginia?
The postal abbreviation for Virginia is VA. In news datelines and older texts you will also meet Va.
What is the VA state abbreviation used for?
VA is the standard code for Virginia on envelopes, packages, IDs and online forms. It is always written in capitals.
What is the abbreviation for West Virginia?
West Virginia's postal code is WV, and its traditional abbreviation is W.Va. Do not use VA for West Virginia.
Does the Virginia state abbreviation have a period?
Never on the postal code VA. Only the traditional Va. ends with a dot.
Does VA mean Virginia or Veterans Affairs?
It depends on context. In an address it means Virginia. With "the" in front, as in "benefits from the VA," it usually means the Department of Veterans Affairs.