How to Write a California Address (With Examples)

Address basics  |   |  2 min read

Writing a California address correctly comes down to three things: the right street format, the two-letter code CA and a ZIP code that matches the city.

The standard format

RECIPIENT NAME STREET NUMBER AND NAME, UNIT CITY, CA ZIP CODE

The state is always written as CA, two capital letters with no periods. USPS prefers the city, state and ZIP on the same final line.

Example: Sacramento

Kevin Clark 5386 Center Way Sacramento, CA 95817

Example with an apartment in Los Angeles

Emily Nguyen 4107 Cedar St Apt 28B Los Angeles, CA 90044

Example with a PO Box

Matthew Wilson PO Box 8756 Sacramento, CA 95816

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 CA.
  • 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

California is divided into 58 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 California addresses for testing, with real cities, counties and ZIP codes.

Generate California addresses