Correctly Addressed

Forms of Address

How to address the President

A sitting president is addressed by office, not by name: "The President, The White House." The salutation in a letter is "Dear Mr. President:" or "Dear Madam President:", and the same form is used in conversation. A former president reverts to "The Honorable [Full Name]" on the envelope and "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:" in the salutation.

Checked September 10, 2026/6 min read

Claire Post

Written by Claire PostReviewed against USPS Publication 28

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What is on this page7 sections
  1. 01Step by step
  2. 02Real examples
  3. 03Quick reference
  4. 04Special cases
  5. 05Key terms
  6. 06Check before you mail
  7. 07Questions people ask
The White House exterior with lawn and fountain on a sunny day.

Of every title on this site, the presidency is the one exception to a rule that holds almost everywhere else: while in office, the President is addressed by the office itself, not by name. Nothing about the envelope changes between administrations except which building it is going to.

That single rule resolves most of the confusion. The salutation, the spoken form, and the envelope line all follow from the same idea, right up until the day the President leaves office and the form switches back to a personal one.

Step by step

  1. Address the envelope to the office while the President is in office

    Write "The President" as the first line, not the President full name. The office is the addressee, which is why nothing on the envelope changes from one administration to the next except the destination.

    THE PRESIDENTTHE WHITE HOUSE1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NWWASHINGTON DC 20500
    CorrectStandard envelope format for a sitting president.

  2. Open the letter with the correct salutation

    "Dear Mr. President:" or "Dear Madam President:" depending on the officeholder. This is one of a small number of titles where the salutation uses the office name rather than the surname.

  3. Use the same form when speaking directly

    "Mr. President" or "Madam President" in person, on a call, or when introducing them. Never combine it with the last name, and never shorten it.

  4. Switch to a personal form once they leave office

    A former president is addressed as "The Honorable [Full Name]" on the envelope and "Dear Mr. [Last Name]:" or "Dear Ms. [Last Name]:" in the salutation. In conversation, many people continue using "Mr. President" as a courtesy title for life, though it is no longer the required form.

  5. Know that a president-elect is not yet addressed as President

    Between the election and the inauguration, the correct form is still "The Honorable [Full Name]," not "Mr./Madam President." The office titled form only applies after the oath of office.

An American flag waving against a clear blue sky.

A few real examples

The steps above cover the rule. These show it applied to a spread of real situations, so you can match yours to the closest one.

THE HONORABLE JOHN A SMITH123 POST-PRESIDENCY LANEANYTOWN TX 75001
CorrectA former president, addressed by name rather than office.
A close-up of a hand signing a formal document with a pen.

Quick reference

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WhoEnvelopeSalutation
Sitting PresidentThe President, The White HouseDear Mr./Madam President:
Former PresidentThe Honorable [Full Name]Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:
President-electThe Honorable [Full Name]Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:
First Lady / First Gentleman[Title] [Full Name], The White HouseDear Mrs./Mr. [Last Name]:

Special cases

The rule above covers most people. Here is what changes for the rest.

How do I address a letter to both the President and First Lady together?

List the President first: "The President and Mrs./Mr. [Last Name]," on one line, followed by "The White House" on the next. The salutation becomes "Dear Mr./Madam President and Mrs./Mr. [Last Name]:"

Will mail to the White House actually reach the President personally?

The volume of mail addressed to the President is enormous, and most of it is read and answered by staff rather than the President directly. Mail also goes through a security screening process before it reaches the White House complex, which can add real time to delivery. For anything time-sensitive, do not rely on postal mail alone.

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 former president.
President-elect
The individual who has won a presidential election but has not yet been sworn into office. Addressed by name, not by the office title, until the inauguration.
Salutation
The greeting line at the top of a formal letter, written above the body text, such as "Dear Mr. President:"

Check the address before you mail

Questions people ask

Do I need to know the sitting President name to address a letter correctly?
No. Since the envelope addresses the office rather than the individual, "The President, The White House" is complete and correct regardless of who currently holds the office.
Is "Mr. President" ever used for someone who was never actually elected president?
No, it is reserved for the actual holder of the office and, informally, former holders of the office. It is not used as a general honorific for other political roles.
What about a foreign head of state, is the format the same?
The general pattern of office-first address is common internationally, but the exact title and protocol vary by country. Verify the specific country own protocol office guidance rather than assuming the US format transfers directly.

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