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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
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Deceased Persons
Delegate, U.S., State
Dentist
Deputy Chief of Mission
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Designate, Elect,
Pro Tempore
Diplomats
District Attorney
Doctor, Chiropractor
Doctor of Dentistry
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Doctor, Military
Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine
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Doctorate
Doctorate, honorary
Earl
Elect, Designate
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Third, etc.
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of the President of
the United States
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of Her
White House Staff
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of a Governor
or Lt. Gov.
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General
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Honorable, The
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Introductions
Invitations
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Addressing
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Writing &
Addressing
Judge, former
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US Count
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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
Major
USA, USAF, USMC
Major General,
USA, USAF, USMC
Man, business
Man, social
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Judicial District, U.S.
Mayor, U.S. City
Mayor, Canadian City
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Mayor, Vice
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Monk,
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Most Reverend, The
Mother Superior
Mr. (Social)
Mr. (Business)
Mrs., Ms. (Use, Social Forms)
Mrs. vs. Ms.
Mr. & Mrs. / Couples
Name Tags
Nobility, British
Nobility, Other
Nun, Catholic
Nun, Orthodox
Nurse Officer, Police Pastor, Christian Clergy
Patriarch,
Christian Orthodox
Patriarch,
Ecumenical Patriarch
of Constantinople
People with Two Titles
Permanent
Representative
Petty Officer
Pharmacist
Physician
PhD
Place Cards
Police Chief
Police Officer
Pope, Catholic
Pope, Coptic
Postmaster General
Post-Nominal
Abbreviations
Presbyter, Orthodox
President, corporate
President of
College or
University
President of a
US State Assembly
President (current)
of the U.S.A.
President (former)
of the U.S.A.
President of the
U.S.A., spouse of
President-elect
of the U.S.
Priest, Catholic
Priest,
Christian Orthodox
Priest, Episcopal
Prime Minister
Principal
Professionals
& Academics
Professor
Pro Tempore,
Elect, Designate
Psychologist
Queen Rabbi
Ranger, Texas
Representative,
U.S., Federal
Representative,
U.S., State
Resident
Commissioner
Retired Military
1. Formula For
How to Address
2. Q&A / Blog On
Use of Rank by
Retired Military
3. Q&A / Blog on
How to Address
Retired Military
Reverend, The
Right Reverend, The
Same Sex Couple
School Board Member
Second Lieutenant
Secretary,
U.S. Department,
Member of the Cabinet
Secretary
of Defense, U.S.
Secretary, Assistant
Secretary General
of the U.N.
Senator, U.S., Federal
Senator, U.S., State
Senator, Canadian
Senior, Junior,
I, II, III, etc.
Senior Judge
Sergeant
Sergeant at Arms
Seventh Day
Adventist Minister
Sheriff
Sister, Catholic
Solicitor General
Speaker of the U.S.
House of
Representatives.
Specialist
Spouse of the
President of the U.S.
Spouse of the
Vice President
of the U.S.
Spouse of an
Elected Official
Surgeon General Texas Ranger
Town Manager
The Honorable
Tribal Officials
Two Titles,
Person With
Under Secretary
US Attorney
US Federal Officials
US State Officials
US Municipal Officials
Venerable, The
Veteran (not Retired)
Veterinarian
Very Reverend, The
Vice Mayor
Vice President
of the U.S.
Spouse of the
Vice President
of the U.S.
Vice President-elect
of the U.S.
Viscount and/or
Viscountess Warrant Officer
Widow
White House Staff
Woman, business
Woman, social Yacht Club Officer
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| How to Address U.S. City
& County Officials
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog
Site updated by Robert Hickey on May 20, 2013
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| How to Address a Letter to a Mayor?
How to Address a Letter to a Mayor & Spouse?
How to Address a City Manager / Adminstrator?
How to Address an Acting County Administrator?
How to Address a Letter to a City or County Council Member?
How to Address a Clerk of a City or County Council?
How to Address a Member of the School Board?
How to Address Municipal Officials Who Are Not Elected?
How to Address an Local Political Party Officials?
How to List an Elected Official in a Program?
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| Looking for Joint Forms of Address? (Two Names in the Address)
Link to Q&A just on Joint Forms of Address
How Do I Address a Former Official?
Link to Q&A /Blog just on Former Officials (not Military)
All about The Honorable
Link to Q&A just on officials in the U.S. addressed as The Honorable
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| How Do I Address People Who Work for the City but Were Not Elected?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
I will be addressing envelopes to municipal officials and would like to do that correctly. Please tell me how to address the administrator of utilities or engineer for the municipality. Thanks much.
--- Vicki Cassidy
Dear Ms. Cassidy:
Anyone who is appointed or simply hired for their job -- which (I am assuming) includes an engineer or administrator -- is addressed as:
Mr./Ms./Dr./whatever (full name)
(Title of office held)
Address
Only elected officials and judges are addressed as "the Honorable"
-- Robert Hickey
How to List an Elected Official in a Program?
How does one list the governor or the mayor in a program for an event at which they will be speaking. I found the forms of address in you book, but just not sure if that's what I should use on a program?
-- Susan in Honolulu
Dear Susan:
Use this formula:
1) list by name
2) identify by office
(Program)
Welcome Remarks
The Honorable Linda Lingle, Governor of the State of Hawaii
The Honorable Mufi Hannemann, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu
-- Robert Hickey Robert,
I don't think it's necessary to list their offices. Everyone will know who they are. O.K?
-- Susan in Honolulu
Dear Susan:
You are right, sometimes offices are not included because those present may know who Linda Lingle and Mufi Hanneman are. But programs also serve as keepsakes and as a record of the event. Often to include / not to include offices, date, year, and location are made with posterity in mind.
I am sending our Annual Report to the Clerks of the City Councils of the surrounding cities. How would I address the envelope and the greeting in the letter?
-- Janine Steele
Dear Ms. Steele:
Usually clerks are appointed. If they are appointed ... then on the envelope they are:
Mr./Ms. (full name)
Clerk of (insert the name of the body here)
(Address)
and the salutation is:
Dear Mr./Ms. (surname):
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Member of a School Board?
When addressing a letter or writing a salutation of a letter, is a member of school board addressed as The Honorable?
-- P. Green
Dear P. Green:
School boards -- if elected -- are technically eligible, but whether they are or are not addressed as The Honorable is by local tradition: Where I grew up, in Arlington, Virginia, the school board is not addressed as The Honorable .... I now live in New York City where they are. Call your school board's office and find out what's the tradition in your jurisdiction.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address Local Officials and Political Party Officers?
We are mailing formal invitations to a local charitable event, and there is some disagreement on use of “The Honorable.” Do the following get "The Honorable":
Local officials such as Commissioners - ?
Local political party chairpersons - ?
-- TEW in Nevada
Dear TEW:
Local political party chairpersons ... no
Local officials .... if elected ... yes
Local officials .... if appointed ... no
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Letter to The Mayor?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
I need to write a letter to our Mayor. How do I address the envelope? When I met him I called him Mayor Neville, which is what everyone calls him.
--- Renee Montgomery
Dear Ms. Montgomery:
In conversation, either Mr. Mayor or Mayor (surname) is good. Mr. Mayor is the more formal option since using just the title of an office is always the most formal.
Address the envelope line-for-line like this:
The Honorable (full name)
Mayor of (city)
Address
Open the letter with the salutation:
Dear Mr. Mayor:
Or as I mentioned, a slightly less formal option would be:
Dear Mayor (surname):
Close the letter with:
Sincerely,
Renee Montogomery
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address an Envelope to a Mayor and His Wife?
How does one address the envelope of an invitation to the mayor of a city and his wife?
-- Susan Hensley
Dear Ms. Hensley:
I cover how to all sorts of elected officials and their spouses in Chapter Nine: Joint Forms of Address.
You didn't tell me the names ... so depending those ... there are several options.
If she uses "Mrs." and uses the same last name ... then traditionally her first name does not appear:
The Honorable William Stanton
and Mrs. Stanton
(Address)
This is the form the White House would use for a married couple using the same last name. The rule is not to break up "The Honorable" from "(name)"
What you want to avoid is:
The Honorable and Mrs. William Stanton
(Address)
If she uses a different last name, then her first name does appear, e.g.:
The Honorable Alan Greenspan
and Ms. Andrea Mitchell
(Address)
If she has her own rank, courtesy title, or some special honorific, then her first name does appear:
The Honorable William Stanton
and Lieutenant Linda Stanton
(Address)
The Honorable William Stanton
and Dr. Linda Stanton
(Address)
The Honorable William Stanton
and the Reverend Linda Stanton
(Address)
Probably more answer than you wanted ... but I hope that is useful.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address the Mayor and City Council?
What is the proper salutation when addressing a Mayor and multiple city council members in the same letter?
Do I write?
Honorable John Smith and Athens City Council Members
OR
Mayor John Smith and Athens City Council Members.
Then as a salutation:
Dear Mayor Smith and Athens City Council Members?
I have to have the letter for signature in the morning, and it's my first day on the job.
-- Thank you, Tonyalee in Athens
Dear Tonyalee:
It would be best to address a letter to actual officials rather than addressing one by name and the others by their office. I'd prefer you address it to the Mayor (by name) and find out the names of the members of the City Council so you could use them.
BUT trying to answer what you've asked with the info you provide .... Here's a nice option
ENVELOPE and ADDRESS BLOCK on the letter
The Honorable John Smith, Mayor of Athens
and Members of the Athens City Council
Athens City Hall
301 College Avenue
Athens, State, ZIP
Note: For symmetry, Athens mentioned in both name/titles
SALUTATION
Dear Mayor Smith and Members of the City Council:
Note: For symmetry, Athens mentioned in neither
-- Robert Hickey Hi Robert,
Well, I finally got the word to send out those letters with the Mayoral and City Council Members salutation. The best part of the story, is that my boss came to me to ask if I was sure I had the proper salutations? And of course, I gave her a very broad smile, and as I printed out your answer, I explained how wonderful you were to reply to my email. Of course she was delighted with me....and you! She took the printout and I assume went to her boss with the backup proof. The letters were sent on Thursday.
Thank you!
Tonyalee
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How to Address City Manager or County Administrator?
I was wondering if you could assist me with something? I have a new City Manager of the City of Montgomery, coming in to visit our company this Friday. Would he be The Honorable? If I was to put his title on an agenda how would I format it, possibly as I have stated below?
The Honorable Edvin Perez
Montgomery City Manager
-- Shelby in Aerospace Is our county administrator The Honorable just like a mayor?
-- Marc in Michigan
Dear Shelby & Marc:
City managers and administrators are NOT The Honorable ... because because they were hired/appointed by the elected body ... the city council ... but were not themselves elected.
Only the elected officials get The Honorable.
So address them as:
Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full Name)
(Name of Job) (Name of Jurisdiction)
-- Robert Hickey
How To Address an Acting County Administrator?
What is the proper form of address in a letter to an Acting County Administrator? It is an appointed (un-elected) position. Also, should the salutation be Dear Madame Administrator, Dear Madame Acting Administrator, Dear Ms. Administrator or what?
-- Beverly Shaw, Russell City, California
Dear Ms. Shaw:
I cover this on page 200 in my book, but here is the quick answer. This appointed official is most formally addressed:
Ms. (Name)
and identified by her position:
Acting County Administrator
Acting officials don't get to use the honorifics of an office ... they are just identified as "the acting." E.g., an acting governor is not addressed as Governor (Name).
I would not use Madame Administrator in any context.
I don't think I've ever encountered a County/City Administrator, County/City Manager, or County/City Board Member who used their office as their honorific. Sometimes a Chairman of a Board or Council is addressed as Chairman (name) in the context of their duties ... but it's more situational -- for clarity -- than official.
And yes ... Commissioners do tend to be addressed as Mr./Madame Commissioner and Commissioner (name).
So, back to your official. On an envelope and address block write:
Ms. (Full Name)
Acting County Administrator
Address
And in the salutation write:
Dear Ms. (surname)
-- Robert Hickey
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Not Finding Your Question Answered?
Below are other topics covered in my blog and at right is a list of officials, Between the two I probably have what you are looking for.
After hunting around a bit, if you don't see your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day (unless I am traveling.)
If I think your question is of interest to others, I will post the question & answer – with your name and any personal specifics changed.
-- Robert Hickey USE OF NAMES & HONORIFICS
Mr., Miss, Jr., III, & Names
Married Women
Deceased Persons
People with Two Titles
Post-Nominal Abbreviations and Initials
Joint Forms of Address (How to address a couple?)
USE OF SPECIFIC OFFICIAL TITLES
Former Officials
Professionals and Academics
United States Federal Officials, Currently In Office
United States State Officials, Currently In Office
United States Municipal Officials, Currently In Office
All About The Honorable with U.S. Officials
Former United States Officials of all types
United States Armed Services, Active Duty
Addressing Retired Personnel
Use of Rank by Retired Personnel
Use of Rank by Veterans
Tribal Officials
Clergy and Religious Officials
Canadian Officials
Australian Officials
British Officials, Royalty, and Nobility
Diplomats and International Representatives
Foreign National Officials and Nobility SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
Business Cards
Etiquette
Flags and Anthem Protocol
Introductions
Invitations: Writing & Addressing
Invitations: Just Armed Service Personnel
Name Tags
Names on Programs, Signs, & Lists
Naming a Building or Road
Place Cards
Plaques, Awards, Diplomas, Certificates
Precedence: Ordering Officials
Thank You Notes
Site updated by Robert Hickey on May 20, 2013
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Back to Main Page of the Robert Hickey's BLOG Robert Hickey is the author of Honor & Respect:
The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
Published by The Protocol School of Washington®
Foreword by Pamela Eyring
Copyright © 2013 Robert Hickey. All Rights Reserved.
Book Photo: Marc Goodman.
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All information on www.formsofaddress.info is copyright © 2013 by Robert Hickey.
The Protocol School of Washington® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Honor & Respect is dedicated to Dorothea Johnson, Founder of The Protocol School of Washington®
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