Abbess,
    Christian Orthodox       
Abbot,
    Christian Orthodox        
Accountant        
Acting Official       
Adjutant General     
Admiral         
Admiral, Texas Navy   
Adventist Minister       
Alderman         
Archbishop, Catholic        
Archbishop,
   Christian Orthodox        
Archdeacon, Episcopal        
Archimandrite        
Architect
Archpriest        
Ambassador to the U.S.
   from a foreign country      
Ambassador of the U.S.        
American Indian Chief        
Assemblyman
   U.S., State / or           
   Assemblywoman            
Associate Justice,
   U.S. Supreme Court          
Associate Justice of a
   State Supreme Court
Astronaut      
Attorney         
Attorney General           
Attorney General,
       Assistant   
Attorney, U.S.         
Australian Officials    

Baron, Baroness           
British Officials,
   Royalty, Nobility     
Brother, Catholic         
Brother,
   Christian Orthodox          
Bishop, Catholic            
Bishop,
   Christian Orthodox         
Bishop, Episcopal        
Board Member     
Boy        
Brigadier General       
Business Cards      

Canadian Officials    
Candidate    
Captain,
   USA, USAF, USMC     
Cardinal             
Chairman
    Federal Reserve      
Chairwoman      
Chancellor      
Chaplain in the
    Armed Services        
Chaplain of Congress          
Chargé d’Affaires         
Chief Executive Officer 
Chief Judge          
Chief Justice,
      U.S. Supreme Court 
Chief Justice, of a State
      Supreme Court             
Chief of Police          
Chief of Staff     
Chief Operating
   Officer          
Child            
Chiropractor     
City Manager    
Clergy & Religious
    Officials     
Club Official          
Colonel, Kentucky      
Colonel, USA, USAF,
    or USMC     
Commandant       
Commissioner, Court     
Commissioner         
Commodore of a         
      Yacht Club         
Congressman, U.S.               
Congresswoman, U.S.   
Consul and or
   Consul General    
Consultant      
Corporate Executive         
Councilman
    Councilwoman      
Counselor (Diplomat)      
Countess     
County Officials       
Couples     
Curator        

Dalai Lama          
Deacon         
Dean, academic            
Dean, clergy            
Deceased Persons        
Delegate, U.S., State            
Dentist             
Deputy Chief of Mission      
Deputy Marshal          
Designate, Elect,
    Pro Tempore      
Diplomats      
District Attorney           
Doctor, Chiropractor     
Doctor of Dentistry           
Doctor of Medicine              
Doctor, Military           
Doctor of
   Veterinary Medicine          
Doctor of Osteopathy            
Doctor, Other Disciplines     
Doctorate        
Doctorate, honorary      

Earl            
Elect, Designate
   Pro Tempore      
Emeritus/emerita      
Eminence     
Emperor    
Engineer    
Etiquette    
Excellency           

Family     
Fiancee      
Firefighter    
First, Second,
   Third, etc.        
First Lady, Spouse
   of the President of
   the United States 
First Lady, Member
    of Her   
    White House Staff      
First Lady, Spouse
   of a Governor
   or Lt. Gov.    
First Lieutenant   
Flag Protocol     
Former Officials    
Freeholder       

Gay Couple      
Geshe
General
    USA, USAF, USMC
Girl
Governor General         
Governor, Lieutenant 
Governor, Lt., Spouse   
Governor, Tribal Council          
Governor, U.S. State       
Governor, Former    
Governor
    Spouse of     
Governor's Staff,
    Member of      
Governors, Board of 

High Commissioner    
Honorable, The          
Honorary degrees    
Honourable, The       

Indian Chief         
Inspector General    
Interim Official   
Introductions       
Invitations  
   Writing &  
   Addressing  
Invitations
    Military:
    Writing &
    Addressing

Judge, former     
Judge of US City or
        US Count     
Judge, US Federal            
Junior, Senior,
    I, II, III, etc.       
Justice, Associate
     Federal
     Supreme Court
Justice, Associate
     State
     Supreme Court

King     
Knight      

Late, The
   (deceased persons)        
Lawyer      
Lesbian Couple    
Lieutenant      
Lieutenant Colonel,     
   USA, USAF, USMC          
Lieutenant General,
   USA, USAF, USMC      
Lieutenant Governor         

How to Address Acting Officials
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog

How to Address an Acting Official?
     I think I have looked through all the relevant places on your site and have been unable to find the answer to this question:
     How does one address a letter to an "Acting" Deputy Attorney General?  In particular, does one refer to him as "Honorable" - I believe that "Honorable" is used for all presidential appointees; however, the current Deputy Attorney General is "Acting" (i.e. named by the Attorney General to the position until the President's nominee gets confirmed by the Senate).
          -- Anup Sanjay

Dear Mr. Sanjay:
    1) Acting officials are not always in the job pending their appointment for the job. Sometimes they are in the position until a permanent appointment is made. You say this is the case here: he's acting until the President's nominee is confirmed. Around the government, It's not unusual for an type of office to be filled with both officials who are The Honorable and those not addressed as The Honorable.
    2) There is an exception: unconfirmed cabinet-level officials ... acting secretary, secretary ad-interim, and secretary designates ... are addressed as The Honorable.  So it would apply to the corresponding attorneys general too.
    However, I know of no source that says the courtesy is offered to any pre-confirmation office holder below the cabinet level.  I include a list of the offices addressed as The Honorable in my book on page 78.
    So, for an acting deputy who pending appointment .... he or she would not be The Honorable until appointment and confirmation are complete.  Until then he's  "Mr./Ms."
    To double check .... I've looked it up in several books I have, including the brand new one by Ambassador Mary Mel French, United States Protocol: The Guide to Official Diplomatic Etiquette, and all say the same .... cabinet / yes .... below cabinet / no.
    3) There have been cases where an appointee had been elected to an office in a general election .... and was The Honorable from before ... so in that case he or she would already be The Honorable and not have to wait.
       -- Robert Hickey

How to Address an Acting Mayor?
     Good morning from Hawaii:
     We have a question about the use of "The Honorable."  Would it be appropriate to use this for an acting mayor?
     Thank you for your assistance.
              -- Cheryl

Dear Cheryl:
    The Honorable is reserved for officials elected in a general election ... or those very high officials appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the US Senate.
    So if he or she is serving as an acting mayor through an appointment ... he or she would not be The Honorable  ... unless he or she was The Honorable due to other elected service.
              -- Robert Hickey

Hi Robert:
      Thanks for the speedy reply.  This really helps us.  We have an acting mayor who was formerly an elected legislator. Consequently, we will continue to refer to him as "The Honorable."  We appreciate your assistance!
              -- Cheryl