diff --git a/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/forms.py b/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/forms.py
index 22e9f68a37..e56087545a 100644
--- a/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/forms.py
+++ b/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/forms.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 USA-specific Form helpers
 """
 
-from django.newforms.fields import RegexField
+from django.newforms import ValidationError
+from django.newforms.fields import Field, RegexField, EMPTY_VALUES
 from django.utils.translation import gettext
 
 class USZipCodeField(RegexField):
@@ -11,3 +12,25 @@ class USZipCodeField(RegexField):
             max_length=None, min_length=None,
             error_message=gettext(u'Enter a zip code in the format XXXXX or XXXXX-XXXX.'),
             *args, **kwargs)
+
+class USStateField(Field):
+    """
+    A form field that validates its input is a U.S. state name or abbreviation.
+    It normalizes the input to the standard two-leter postal service
+    abbreviation for the given state.
+    """
+    def clean(self, value):
+        from us_states import STATES_NORMALIZED # relative import
+        super(USStateField, self).clean(value)
+        if value in EMPTY_VALUES:
+            return u''
+        try:
+            value = value.strip().lower()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+        else:
+            try:
+                return STATES_NORMALIZED[value.strip().lower()].decode('ascii')
+            except KeyError:
+                pass
+        raise ValidationError(u'Enter a U.S. state or territory.')
diff --git a/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/us_states.py b/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/us_states.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..46bd0019e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/contrib/localflavor/usa/us_states.py
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+"""
+A mapping of state misspellings/abbreviations to normalized abbreviations.
+
+This exists in this standalone file so that it's only imported into memory
+when explicitly needed.
+"""
+
+STATES_NORMALIZED = {
+    'ak': 'AK',
+    'al': 'AL',
+    'ala': 'AL',
+    'alabama': 'AL',
+    'alaska': 'AK',
+    'american samao': 'AS',
+    'american samoa': 'AS',
+    'ar': 'AR',
+    'ariz': 'AZ',
+    'arizona': 'AZ',
+    'ark': 'AR',
+    'arkansas': 'AR',
+    'as': 'AS',
+    'az': 'AZ',
+    'ca': 'CA',
+    'calf': 'CA',
+    'calif': 'CA',
+    'california': 'CA',
+    'co': 'CO',
+    'colo': 'CO',
+    'colorado': 'CO',
+    'conn': 'CT',
+    'connecticut': 'CT',
+    'ct': 'CT',
+    'dc': 'DC',
+    'de': 'DE',
+    'del': 'DE',
+    'delaware': 'DE',
+    'district of columbia': 'DC',
+    'federated states of micronesia': 'FM',
+    'fl': 'FL',
+    'fla': 'FL',
+    'florida': 'FL',
+    'fm': 'FM',
+    'ga': 'GA',
+    'georgia': 'GA',
+    'gu': 'GU',
+    'guam': 'GU',
+    'hawaii': 'HI',
+    'hi': 'HI',
+    'ia': 'IA',
+    'id': 'ID',
+    'idaho': 'ID',
+    'il': 'IL',
+    'ill': 'IL',
+    'illinois': 'IL',
+    'in': 'IN',
+    'ind': 'IN',
+    'indiana': 'IN',
+    'iowa': 'IA',
+    'kan': 'KS',
+    'kans': 'KS',
+    'kansas': 'KS',
+    'kentucky': 'KY',
+    'ks': 'KS',
+    'ky': 'KY',
+    'la': 'LA',
+    'louisiana': 'LA',
+    'ma': 'MA',
+    'maine': 'ME',
+    'marianas islands': 'MP',
+    'marianas islands of the pacific': 'MP',
+    'marinas islands of the pacific': 'MP',
+    'maryland': 'MD',
+    'mass': 'MA',
+    'massachusetts': 'MA',
+    'massachussetts': 'MA',
+    'md': 'MD',
+    'me': 'ME',
+    'mi': 'MI',
+    'mich': 'MI',
+    'michigan': 'MI',
+    'micronesia': 'FM',
+    'minn': 'MN',
+    'minnesota': 'MN',
+    'miss': 'MS',
+    'mississippi': 'MS',
+    'missouri': 'MO',
+    'mn': 'MN',
+    'mo': 'MO',
+    'mont': 'MT',
+    'montana': 'MT',
+    'mp': 'MP',
+    'ms': 'MS',
+    'mt': 'MT',
+    'n d': 'ND',
+    'n dak': 'ND',
+    'n h': 'NH',
+    'n j': 'NJ',
+    'n m': 'NM',
+    'n mex': 'NM',
+    'nc': 'NC',
+    'nd': 'ND',
+    'ne': 'NE',
+    'neb': 'NE',
+    'nebr': 'NE',
+    'nebraska': 'NE',
+    'nev': 'NV',
+    'nevada': 'NV',
+    'new hampshire': 'NH',
+    'new jersey': 'NJ',
+    'new mexico': 'NM',
+    'new york': 'NY',
+    'nh': 'NH',
+    'nj': 'NJ',
+    'nm': 'NM',
+    'nmex': 'NM',
+    'north carolina': 'NC',
+    'north dakota': 'ND',
+    'northern mariana islands': 'MP',
+    'nv': 'NV',
+    'ny': 'NY',
+    'oh': 'OH',
+    'ohio': 'OH',
+    'ok': 'OK',
+    'okla': 'OK',
+    'oklahoma': 'OK',
+    'or': 'OR',
+    'ore': 'OR',
+    'oreg': 'OR',
+    'oregon': 'OR',
+    'pa': 'PA',
+    'penn': 'PA',
+    'pennsylvania': 'PA',
+    'pr': 'PR',
+    'puerto rico': 'PR',
+    'rhode island': 'RI',
+    'ri': 'RI',
+    's dak': 'SD',
+    'sc': 'SC',
+    'sd': 'SD',
+    'sdak': 'SD',
+    'south carolina': 'SC',
+    'south dakota': 'SD',
+    'tenn': 'TN',
+    'tennessee': 'TN',
+    'territory of hawaii': 'HI',
+    'tex': 'TX',
+    'texas': 'TX',
+    'tn': 'TN',
+    'tx': 'TX',
+    'us virgin islands': 'VI',
+    'usvi': 'VI',
+    'ut': 'UT',
+    'utah': 'UT',
+    'va': 'VA',
+    'vermont': 'VT',
+    'vi': 'VI',
+    'viginia': 'VA',
+    'virgin islands': 'VI',
+    'virgina': 'VA',
+    'virginia': 'VA',
+    'vt': 'VT',
+    'w va': 'WV',
+    'wa': 'WA',
+    'wash': 'WA',
+    'washington': 'WA',
+    'west virginia': 'WV',
+    'wi': 'WI',
+    'wis': 'WI',
+    'wisc': 'WI',
+    'wisconsin': 'WI',
+    'wv': 'WV',
+    'wva': 'WV',
+    'wy': 'WY',
+    'wyo': 'WY',
+    'wyoming': 'WY',
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/forms/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/forms/tests.py
index 5c360a7272..63cb2f927e 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/forms/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/forms/tests.py
@@ -3282,6 +3282,51 @@ u''
 >>> f.clean('')
 u''
 
+# USStateField ################################################################
+
+USStateField validates that the data is either an abbreviation or name of a
+U.S. state.
+>>> from django.contrib.localflavor.usa.forms import USStateField
+>>> f = USStateField()
+>>> f.clean('il')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('IL')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('illinois')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('  illinois ')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean(60606)
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+...
+ValidationError: [u'Enter a U.S. state or territory.']
+>>> f.clean(None)
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+...
+ValidationError: [u'This field is required.']
+>>> f.clean('')
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+...
+ValidationError: [u'This field is required.']
+
+>>> f = USStateField(required=False)
+>>> f.clean('il')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('IL')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('illinois')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean('  illinois ')
+u'IL'
+>>> f.clean(60606)
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+...
+ValidationError: [u'Enter a U.S. state or territory.']
+>>> f.clean(None)
+u''
+>>> f.clean('')
+u''
+
 #################################
 # Tests of underlying functions #
 #################################