Appendix VIII. Protocol and Forms of Address
Information gathered from A Guide to Virginia Protocol and Traditions, 2002, which can be accessed on the General Assembly’s web site (under Publications) and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s web site. Another useful source is Etiquette and Protocol, A Guide for Campus Events by April L. Harris, 1999, which can be purchased from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) by calling (800) 554-8536. Copies of each publication are located on campus in the offices of the President, University Relations and University Development.
Forms of Address
The Honorable
In the federal government, The Honorable is used to address, by name, high officials and former high
officials of the American government (this includes officials who have held a commission), foreign
ministers and heads of international organizations. A person once entitled to The Honorable continues
to be so addressed. A wife or husband does not share the other’s official title. See page 5 of A Guide to
Virginia Protocol and Traditions for a more complete listing of federal and state positions that would
warrant the use of this title. (It includes American Ambassadors, Judges, Mayors, Governor’s Chief
of Staff and State legislators, but it is not used for other elected officials such as treasurer, sheriff, or
members of a board.) As a general rule, it is never abbreviated. Your Honor is never used, nor is The
Honorable used with military or scholastic rank.
Esquire
Esquire is a complimentary title. It is correct only when addressing an envelope and is always proper
form for correspondence to a lawyer and a clerk of court. For social correspondence, the abbreviation
Esq. is correct, but it is generally written in full when writing to a diplomat. All formally engraved
invitations are addressed to Mr. Stanley Smith; written invitations and other personal letters may be
addressed to Stanley Smith, Esquire. Mr. and Esquire are never used in the same address.
Courtesy Titles
In official usage, every individual’s name is preceded by a courtesy title such as Dr., Mr., Mrs., Miss,
Ms., The Honorable, etc.
Use of the Married Name: When a married woman uses her husband’s name, address invitations to both of them using his given name and their surname (Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Jones). It is incorrect to address a married woman as Mrs. when using her first name (Mrs. Kathleen Jones); that indicates she is divorced. When an invitation is addressed to her only, use “Mrs. Ralph Jones” or “Ms. Kathleen Jones.”
Use of the Maiden Name: To address a married couple when the wife has kept her maiden name, use “Mr. Stanley Jones and Ms. Kathleen Smith” written on the same line; if it doesn’t fit on one line, put her name on the second line preceded by “and” and indent it three spaces.
A Woman Who Outranks Her Husband: Her name precedes the male’s name (The Honorable Rebecca Linn and Mr. Robert Linn).
Ph.D.s: Use either the abbreviation “Dr.” before their names or the initials “Ph.D.” after, but not both.
Dr. and Dr.: When addressing invitations to a husband and wife who are both Ph.D.s or both medical doctors and who share a surname, use either “Drs. Boyer” (eliminating first names) or “Dr. Gene Boyer and Dr. Sally Boyer,” written on the same line.
Addressee |
Form of Address |
Salutation |
College and University Officials |
||
| dean of a college or university | Dean John Smith | Dear Dean Smith: |
| president of a college or university |
President John Smith | Dear President Smith: |
| professor at a college or university | Professor John Smith | Dear Professor Smith: |
Federal, State and Local Government Officials |
||
| attorney general | The Honorable John/Jane Smith The Attorney General of Virginia |
Dear Mr./Madam Attorney General: |
| governor | The Honorable Jane Smith Governor of ___ (Virginia, Maryland, etc.) | Dear Governor Smith: |
| governor’s cabinet secretaries | The Honorable John/Jane Smith Secretary of ___ (Finance, Education, etc.) |
Dear Mr./Madam Secretary: |
| judge, federal | The Honorable John Smith United States District Judge |
Dear Judge Smith: |
| judge, state or local | The Honorable Jane Smith Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals |
Dear Judge Smith: |
| lieutenant governor | The Honorable John Smith Lieutenant Governor of ___ (Virginia, etc.) |
Dear Lieutenant Governor Smith: |
| mayor | The Honorable John Smith Mayor of ___ (Fredericksburg, etc.) |
Dear Mayor Smith: |
| president, United States | The President | Dear Mr. President: |
| vice president, United States | The Vice President |
Dear Mr. Vice President: |
| representative, United States | The Honorable John Smith The United States House of Representatives |
Dear Mr. Smith: |
| senator, United States | The Honorable John Smith United States Senate |
Dear Senator Smith: |
Military Ranks—A Typical List |
||
| admiral, vice-admiral, rear admiral | (full rank + full name + comma + abbreviation of branch of service) |
Sir: Dear Admiral Smith: |
| cadet | Cadet John Smith United States Military Academy |
Dear Mr. Smith: |
| captain (air force, army, coast guard, marine corps or navy) | (full rank + full name + comma + abbreviation of branch of service) |
Dear Captain Smith: |
| colonel, lieutenant colonel (air force, army or marines) | (same as above) |
Dear Colonel Smith: |
| commander (coast guard or navy) | (same as above) | Dear Commander Smith: |
| corporal | (same as above) |
Dear Corporal Smith: |
| first lieutenant, second lieutenant (air force, army or marines) | (same as above) | Dear Lieutenant Smith: |
| general lieutenant general, major general, brigadier general (air force, army or marines) | (same as above) |
Sir: Dear General Smith: |
| lieutenant commander lieutenant, lieutenant (jg), ensign (coast guard or navy) | (same as above) | Dear Mr. Smith: |
| major (air force, army or marines) | (same as above) |
Dear Major Smith: |
| other ranks not listed here | (same as above) | Dear + rank + surname: |
Diplomats |
||
| ambassador to the United States | His Excellency John Smith Ambassador of ___ | Sir: Dear Mr. Ambassador: |
| American ambassador | The Honorable John Smith |
Sir: Dear Mr. Ambassador: |
Professional Ranks and Titles |
||
| attorney | Mr. John Smith Attorney-at-Law or John Smith, Esq. |
Dear Mr. Smith: |
| dentist | John Smith, D.D.S. (office address) or Dr. John Smith (home address) |
Dear Dr. Smith: |
| physician | John Smith, M.D. (office address) or Dr. John Smith (home address) |
Dear Dr. Smith: |
| veterinarian | John Smith, D.V.M. (office address) or Dr. John Smith (home address) |
Dear Dr. Smith: |