list of post-nominal letters

Post-nominal letters are letters placed after the name of an individual to indicate that that individual holds a position, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of post-nominal letters. Honours are listed first in descending order of precedence, followed by degrees and memberships of learned societies in ascending order. Obsolete positions are not listed unless recipients, who continue to use the post-nominals even after the order becomes obsolete, are still living.

The United Kingdom

Office	Post-nominal
Baronet
Baronet	Bt or Bart

Esquire
Esquire	Esq

Orders and Decorations
Victoria Cross	VC
George Cross	GC
Knight of the Order of the Garter	KG
Lady of the Order of the Garter	LG
Knight of the Order of the Thistle	KT
Lady of the Order of the Thistle	LT
Knight of the Order of Saint Patrick	KP
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath	GCB
Order of Merit	OM
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India	GCSI
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George	GCMG
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire	GCIE
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order	GCVO
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire	GBE
Companion of Honour	CH
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath	KCB
Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath	DCB
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India	KCSI
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George	KCMG
Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George	DCMG
Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire	KCIE
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	KCVO
Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	DCVO
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire	KBE
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire	DBE
Companion of the Order of the Bath	CB
Companion of the Order of the Star of India	CSI
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George	CMG
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire	CIE
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	CVO
Commander of the Order of the British Empire	CBE
Distinguished Service Order	DSO
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order	LVO
Officer of the Order of the British Empire	OBE
Imperial Service Order	ISO
Member of the Royal Victorian Order	MVO
Member of the Order of the British Empire	MBE
Indian Order of Merit (Military)	IOM
Royal Red Cross	RRC
Distinguished Service Cross	DSC
Military Cross	MC
Distinguished Flying Cross	DFC
Air Force Cross	AFC
Associate, Royal Red Cross	ARRC
Order of British India	OBI
Distinguished Conduct Medal	DCM
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal	CGM
George Medal	GM
Indian Distinguished Service Medal	IDSM
Distinguished Service Medal	DSM
Military Medal	MM
Distinguished Flying Medal	DFM
Air Force Medal	AFM
Medal for Saving Life at Sea	SGM
Indian Order of Merit (Civil)	IOM
Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry	CPM
Queen's Gallantry Medal	QGM
British Empire Medal	BEM
Queen's Police Medal	QPM
Queen's Fire Medal	QFSM
Colonial Police Medal for Merit	CPM
Meritorious Service Medal	MSM
Army Emergency Reserve Decoration	ERD
Volunteer Officer's Decoration	VD
Territorial Decoration	TD
Efficiency Decoration	ED
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve	RD
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	VRD
Air Efficiency Award	AE
Canadian Forces Decoration	CD

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations	Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations	Varies

Appointments to the Queen
Privy Counsellor 1	PC
Aide de Camp to Her Majesty	ADC
Honorary Physician to The Queen	QHP
Honorary Surgeon to The Queen	QHS
Honorary Dental Surgeon to The Queen	QHDS
Honorary Nursing Sister to The Queen	QHNS
Honorary Chaplain to The Queen	QHC

Legal Positions, Etc.
Queen's Counsel	QC
Justice of the Peace	JP
Deputy Lieutenant	DL

University Degrees 2
Doctorate	DD, PhD, MD, etc.
Master's Degree	MA, MSc, etc.
Bachelor's Degree	BA, BSc, etc.

Religious Orders 3
Society of Jesus	SJ

Medical Qualifications
Medicine	MB BS, MB BCh
Surgery	MS, etc.
Diplomas	MRCS, etc.

Nursing Qualifications
Adult Medical Nursing	RN, RGN
Child/Paediatric Nursing	RN, RSCN, RN(Child)
Mental Health Nursing	RMN
	Learning Disabilities Nursing	RNMN, RN(LD)	Enrolled Nurse (deprecated)	SEN	State Registered Nurse (deprecated)	SRN

Fellowship of Learned Societies 3
Fellow of the Royal Society	FRS
Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society	FRAS
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society	FRGS

Royal Academicians 3
President of the Royal Academy	PRA
Past President of the Royal Academy	PPRA
Royal Academician	RA
Associate of the Royal Academy	ARA

Fellowship or Membership of Professional Institutions
Chartered Engineer	CEng
Chartered Information Technology Professional	CITP
Chartered Mathematician	CMath
Engineering Technician	EngTech
Fellow of the British Computer Society	FBCS
Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications	FIMA
Incorporated Engineer	IEng
Member of the British Computer Society	MBCS
Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers	MIEE
Member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications	MIMA

Writers to the Signet
Writer to the Signet	WS

Legislators
Member of Parliament 4	MP
Member of the Scottish Parliament	MSP
Member of the National Assembly for Wales	AM
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly	MLA

Armed Forces 5
Royal Navy 6	RN
Royal Naval Reserve 6	RNR
Army 7	RE, RAPC, etc.
Royal Air Force 8	RAF
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 8	RAFVR
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)	RAFVR(T)
Royal Marines	RM
Royal Marine Reserve	RMR

Notes: 1 The letters "PC" are used only by peers. For other Privy Counsellors, "Rt. Hon." before the name suffices. The distinction is caused because peers may already hold the title "Rt. Hon." while not being a Privy Counsellor, while the same cannot be said of commoners. 2 The exact post-nominal for university degrees varies based on the faculty in which the degree was obtained. 3 There are too many religious orders, learned societies, royal academies, and professional institutions to be listed. One example is provided in each case; the format shown should be followed for other organizations, except that the initials of the organization should be substituted. 4 "Member of Parliament" is used in the UK and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In the UK, members of the House of Commons are described Members of Parliament, but members of the House of Lords are not. 5 In the Armed Forces, two or more branches may have officers with the same or similar titles, such as "Captain," which is a position in the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines. To differentiate between the branches, post-nominals such as "RN" are used. However, such post-nominals are not used for the higher positions, since the higher officers are differently-titled in each branch. 6 "RN" or "RNR" is used for officers with the rank of Captain or below. 7 In the Army, the initials of the regiment or corps of the officer are used as post-nominals. 8 "RAF" or "RAFVR" technically should be used for officers with the rank of Air Chief Marshal and below, though, in practice, it is used for officers with the rank of Wing Commander and below.

Australia

Office	Post-nominal
Orders and Decorations
Victoria Cross	VC
Cross of Valour	CV
Order of Merit	OM
Knight of the Order of Australia	AK
Dame of the Order of Australia	AD
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order	GCVO
Companion of the Order of Australia	AC
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	KCVO
Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	DCVO
Officer of the Order of Australia	AO
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire	DBE
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	CVO
Star of Gallantry	SG
Star of Courage	SC
Distinguished Service Cross	DSC
Military Cross	MC
Distinguished Flying Cross	DFC
Member of the Order of Australia	AM
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order	LVO
Member of the Royal Victorian Order	MVO
Conspicuous Service Cross	CSC
Nursing Service Cross	NSC
Medal for Gallantry	MG
Bravery Medal	BM
Distinguished Service Medal	DSM
Public Service Medal	PSM
Australian Police Medal	APM
Australian Fire Service Medal	AFSM
Ambulance Services Medal	ASM
Emergency Services Medal	ESM
Medal of the Order of Australia	OAM
Conspicuous Service Medal	CSM
Australian Antarctic Medal	AAM
Royal Victorian Medal	RVM

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations	Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations	Varies

Degrees, Orders, Societies, Academicians etc.
See Section on the United Kingdom above

Legislators 1
Member of Parliament	MP
Member of the Legislative Assembly	MLA
Member of the Legislative Council	MLC
Member of the House of Assembly (Tasmania)	MHA

Notes: 1 "Member of Parliament" is used in Australia and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In Australia, members of the House of Representatives are described as Members of Parliament, but members of the Senate are not.

Canada

Office	Post-nominal
Higher National Decorations
Victoria Cross	VC
Cross of Valour	CV

Appointments to the Queen
Privy Counsellor	PC

National Orders
Companion of the Order of Canada	CC
Officer of the Order of Canada	OC
Member of the Order of Canada	CM
Commander of the Order of Military Merit	CMM
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces	COM
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order	RVO
Officer of the Order of Military Merit	OMM
Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces	OOM
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order	LVO
Member of the Order of Military Merit	MMM
Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces	MOM
Member of the Royal Victorian Order	MVO

Provincial Orders
Grand Officier de l'Ordre national du Qubec	GOQ
Officier de l'Ordre national du Qubec	OQ
Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Qubec	CQ
Saskatchewan Order of Merit	SOM
Order of Ontario	OOnt
Order of British Columbia	OBC
Alberta Order of Excellence	AOE
Order of Prince Edward Island	OPEI
Order of Manitoba	OM
Order of New Brunswick	ONB
Order of Nova Scotia	ONS
National Decorations
Star of Military Valour	SMV
Star of Bravery	SB
Meritorious Service Cross	MSC
Medal of Military Valour	MMV
Medal of Bravery	MB
Meritorious Service Medal	MSM
Royal Victorian Medal	RVM
Canadian Forces Decoration	CD
Member of the United Empire Loyalists	UE

Provincial Decorations
Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship	OMC
Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal	SVM

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations	Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations	Varies

Degrees, Orders, Societies, Academicians etc.
See Section on the United Kingdom above

Legal Positions
Queen's Counsel	QC

Legislators
Member of Parliament 1	MP
Member of the Legislative Assembly	MLA
Member of a Provincial Legislature/Parliament 1	MPP

1 "Member of Parliament" is used in Canada and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In Canada, members of the House of Commons are described Members of Parliament, but members of the Senate are not. 2 Esquire (or Esq. as a suffix) is now commonly used in the UK in place of the prefix Mr. in formal address, according to the "Dictionary of Genealogy" it has no real meaning. In the US it is considered in many places only to be used for lawyers.