The excited states of formamide in the gas phase have been calculated using multireference configuration interaction methods. The n pi* transition is calculated to be at 5.85 eV, and the pi pi* transition is placed at 7.94 eV. The corresponding experimental energies are 5.65 and 7.32 eV, respectively. In addition, a number of states with significant intensity are calculated to occur in the region of the experimental spectrum designated as the V-1 band. The experimental pi pi* transition dipole moment, 3.71 D, is estimated by assuming that the intensity of the V-1 band is due solely to the pi pi 8 transition. The calculated pi pi* transition dipole moment is 3.70 D, if only one unoccupied a " orbital is included in the active space. If the number of unoccupied a " orbitals in the active space is increased, the calculated pi pi 8 transition moment drops to 2.40 D, and another transition, the pi 3p pi, appears at 7.40 eV, but with only low to moderate intensity. The calculated orientation of the pi pi* transition dipole moment agrees with the experimental data, lying along the axis defined by the N and O atoms.