How to Write a District of Columbia Address (With Examples)
Writing a District of Columbia address correctly comes down to three things: the right street format, the two-letter code DC and a ZIP code that matches the city.
The standard format
RECIPIENT NAME
STREET NUMBER AND NAME, UNIT
CITY, DC ZIP CODE
The state is always written as DC, two capital letters with no periods. USPS prefers the city, state and ZIP on the same final line.
Example: Washington
Thomas Nguyen
682 Lake Blvd
Washington, DC 20032
Example with an apartment in Washington
John Wright
9514 Ridge Way Apt 15
Washington, DC 20037
Example with a PO Box
John Rodriguez
PO Box 746
Washington, DC 20016
PO Boxes often have their own ZIP code, separate from street addresses in the same town. Check the ZIP with the post office that holds the box.
Common mistakes
- Writing the full state name or an old abbreviation instead of DC.
- Putting the apartment number on a line below the street address.
- Using a ZIP code from a neighboring city. One city can have many codes, but each street belongs to a specific one.
Counties and local details
District of Columbia is divided into 1 counties. The county does not appear in a mailing address, but it matters for sales tax, elections and some shipping rules, so many business systems store it separately.
Create realistic District of Columbia addresses for testing, with real cities, counties and ZIP codes.
Generate District of Columbia addresses