When Should President, Senator, Governor, and Other Government Titles Be Capitalized?
Learn when President, Senator, Governor, Mayor, Judge, Prime Minister, and other government titles are capitalized before names, after names, and in generic references.
Government titles follow the same basic distinction as many professional titles: a formal title directly before a person's name is often capitalized, while a generic reference to the office is usually lowercase.
Write:
President Jordan Lee
but:
the president addressed the audience
The exact details can vary by AP, Chicago, government house style, legal context, and institutional preference.
Formal Title Before a Name
Capitalize a formal title immediately before a name.
Examples:
President Maria Lopez
Senator Daniel Reed
Governor Aisha Khan
Mayor James Chen
Judge Priya Patel
The title functions as part of the person's identification.
Generic Reference to the Office
Lowercase the title when it is used generically.
Examples:
the president
a senator
the governor
the mayor
the judge
Sentence:
The governor announced the proposal.
The role is being described rather than attached to a person's name.
Title After a Name
A title following a name is often lowercase when it acts as a description.
Example:
Maria Lopez, president of the association
James Chen, mayor of the city
Formal biographical or government documents may apply different display conventions.
Is “President” Always Capitalized?
No.
Formal:
President Lopez
Generic:
the president
Title case heading:
What the President Does
In the heading, “President” can be capitalized because Title Case capitalizes major nouns. That does not mean it should be capitalized every time in body text.
Is “Senator” Capitalized?
Before a name:
Senator Reed
Generic:
the senator introduced a bill
Plural before names can also be styled according to the governing guide:
Senators Reed and Khan
Check AP or house style for formal publication.
Is “Governor” Capitalized?
Formal title:
Governor Khan
Generic:
the governor spoke today
In a resume, directory, biography, or heading, display capitalization can differ from prose.
Is “Mayor” Capitalized?
Before name:
Mayor Chen
Generic:
the mayor attended the meeting
A city website may capitalize the office in formal labels:
Office of the Mayor
That is a proper institutional name, which is a separate reason for capitalization.
Prime Minister
Formal title before a name:
Prime Minister Ahmed
Generic:
the prime minister
When referring to the official office or government body, follow the country's official naming and the publication style.
Judge and Justice
Before a name:
Judge Patel
Justice Rivera
Generic:
the judge
the justice
Court writing can have additional conventions, so legal documents should follow the court's rules and the relevant citation style.
Secretary and Minister
Formal:
Secretary Adams
Foreign Minister Lee
Generic:
the secretary of state
the foreign minister
Official department names can introduce capitals:
Department of State
The office title and the department name are different capitalization questions.
Government Bodies
Formal names are capitalized:
United States Senate
House of Representatives
Department of Education
Generic references can be lowercase:
the department
the senate may be capitalized or lowercase depending on whether the writer means the formal institution and which style guide is being followed.
Government names are one area where a house style matters.
Congress
In U.S. contexts, Congress is commonly capitalized when referring to the national legislative body.
Generic concepts:
a congress of delegates
can be lowercase.
The proper name status determines the case.
Federal, State, and Local
Words such as federal, state, and local are usually lowercase in generic use:
federal law
state government
local council
They can be capitalized as part of an official name:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Do not capitalize “Federal” just because the topic involves the national government unless the governing style calls for it.
Chicago 18 Personal Title Update
Chicago 18 changed its guidance for personal titles before names. Personal titles are now capitalized before a name even when modified by an adjective.
This matters for constructions involving former officeholders.
Writers following Chicago should check the current rule rather than older online explanations.
AP Government Titles
AP Stylebook has detailed guidance for formal titles. Many formal titles are capitalized before a name and lowercase elsewhere.
AP also encourages clarity and often shortens long titles or places them after the name.
A newsroom's house style can add conventions for local offices and repeated references.
Government Titles in Headlines
Title case can capitalize role nouns:
Why the Governor Changed the Policy
Sentence case:
Why the governor changed the policy
The difference comes from heading style.
Do not use headline capitalization as evidence for body prose.
Government Titles in Direct Address
When directly addressing an officeholder, capitalization can depend on formality and style.
Examples:
Thank you, Senator.
Good morning, Governor.
Some styles capitalize titles used as direct address because they substitute for the person's name.
Check the governing editorial guide in formal correspondence.
Historical Titles
Historical titles can follow similar principles:
King Henry VIII
Queen Victoria
Generic:
the king
the queen
Some historical and religious styles have special traditions.
International Titles
Do not assume every country's government title maps neatly to a U.S. convention.
Use the official English form where available, and follow the style guide for capitalization and abbreviation.
Precision is more important than forcing every office into the same template.
Common Mistakes
Capitalizing every office reference
Wrong:
The President met with the Senator.
unless a particular house style specifically requires those capitals.
Lowercasing a formal title before a name
president Lopez
is usually wrong in ordinary formal style.
Confusing office names and person titles
Office of the Mayor
can be a proper institutional name even when the mayor is lowercase in prose.
Applying title case everywhere
Heading capitalization should not leak into body text.
A Practical Test
Ask:
- Is the title directly before a person's name?
- Is it a generic description of an office?
- Is it part of an official institutional name?
- Is the text a Title Case heading?
- Does a newsroom, court, government agency, or publisher have a house rule?
The answer normally tells you whether a capital is appropriate.
Related Resources
- Use the Title Case Converter
- When Should Job Titles Be Capitalized?
- Are Seasons Capitalized? Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Explained
- Are Academic Degrees Capitalized? Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, and More
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “president” capitalized?
Capitalize it as a formal title before a name. Lowercase it in generic references unless a specific style requires otherwise.
Is “senator” capitalized without a name?
Usually lowercase in ordinary prose. Direct address and formal institutional contexts can differ.
Is “governor” capitalized in a headline?
In Title Case, yes because it is a major noun. In sentence case, it can be lowercase unless it is part of a formal name.
Is “federal government” capitalized?
Usually no in generic use. Capitalize words that form part of official proper names.