How to Cite Government Documents

Learn how to properly cite government publications, reports, legislation, and other official documents.

Government Reports

How to cite official reports and publications from government agencies.

Laws and Legislation

Guidelines for citing laws, bills, statutes, and regulations.

Court Cases

How to cite court decisions and legal cases.

Government Data

Citations for government statistics, datasets, and databases.

General Guidelines

  • Include the government agency as the author
  • Specify the document type (report, bill, etc.)
  • Add publication or document numbers
  • Include retrieval information for online documents
  • Note the government level (federal, state, local)

Basic Elements

Agency Information

  • Full name of government agency
  • Parent department if applicable
  • Subdivision or office if specified
  • Geographic jurisdiction when relevant

Document Details

  • Official title of document
  • Publication or report number
  • Series information if part of one
  • Version or edition if applicable

Publication Information

  • Publication date or year
  • Publisher information
  • URL or database name
  • Retrieval date if content may change

Special Cases

International Documents

  • Include country of origin
  • Provide English translations
  • Note original language
  • Add international body information

Historical Documents

  • Include original publication date
  • Note any reprints or collections
  • Add archival information
  • Specify document version used

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't confuse agency names with department names
  • Don't omit document or report numbers
  • Don't forget to specify government level
  • Don't use unofficial abbreviations
  • Don't cite superseded versions without noting updates