Forms of Address
How to address a Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is addressed as "The Honorable [Full Name], Secretary of [Department]" on the envelope. The salutation is "Dear Mr./Madam Secretary:" and the same short form is used in conversation. A Deputy, Under, or Assistant Secretary is addressed by their specific title rather than the plain "Secretary" form.
Checked September 10, 2026/6 min read
Written by Claire PostReviewed against USPS Publication 28
What is on this page6 sections
A Cabinet Secretary title follows a clean, consistent pattern across all 15 executive departments: The Honorable, the full name, “Secretary of [Department],” and the same “Mr./Madam Secretary” salutation no matter which department it is.
The exceptions are worth knowing precisely because they are exceptions: the Attorney General uses a different title entirely, and everyone below the Secretary rank, Deputy, Under, and Assistant Secretaries, drops the office-based salutation in favor of a personal one.
Step by step
Start with The Honorable and the full name
Then the specific office line: "Secretary of [Department]," naming the department they lead. The Attorney General is technically a Cabinet member too, but uses its own distinct title rather than "Secretary."
THE HONORABLE LAURA K BENNETTSECRETARY OF COMMERCE1401 CONSTITUTION AVE NWWASHINGTON DC 20230CorrectStandard envelope format for a Cabinet Secretary. Use Secretary in the salutation and in conversation
"Dear Mr. Secretary:" or "Dear Madam Secretary:" applies the same way regardless of the specific department. Spoken, it is simply "Mr./Madam Secretary."
Address a Deputy Secretary by their full title
A Deputy Secretary is addressed as "The Honorable [Full Name], Deputy Secretary of [Department]," and the salutation shifts to "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:" rather than the plain "Secretary" form reserved for the department head.
Know that Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary follow the same pattern
Both use The Honorable and their exact title, "Under Secretary of [Department] for [Area]" or "Assistant Secretary of [Department] for [Area]," with a personal salutation rather than an office-based one.
Quick reference
| Who | Envelope (office line) | Salutation |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Secretary | Secretary of [Department] | Dear Mr./Madam Secretary: |
| Deputy Secretary | Deputy Secretary of [Department] | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| Under Secretary | Under Secretary of [Department] for [Area] | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| Assistant Secretary | Assistant Secretary of [Department] for [Area] | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
Special cases
The rule above covers most people. Here is what changes for the rest.
Is the Secretary of State addressed any differently than other Cabinet Secretaries?
The envelope and salutation pattern is the same, "Secretary of State" in place of the department name, "Dear Mr./Madam Secretary:" in the salutation. Diplomatic settings sometimes add extra formality, but the core US form does not change.
Is the Attorney General addressed like a Cabinet Secretary?
No. The Attorney General leads the Department of Justice but uses its own distinct title rather than "Secretary of Justice." See <a href="/forms-of-address/attorney-general/">how to address an Attorney General</a> for that specific format.
Key terms on this page
- The Honorable
- A courtesy title used before the full name of a current or former holder of a high government office, including a Cabinet Secretary.
- Under Secretary
- A senior department official ranking below the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, typically responsible for one specific policy area within the department.