How to Cite Laws and Legislation

Learn how to properly cite laws, statutes, regulations, and other legislative documents in APA format.

Basic Format

Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year).

Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL

Examples

Federal Statute

Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (1990).

Federal Regulation

Protection of Human Subjects, 45 C.F.R. § 46 (2009).

State Statute

Mental Health Systems Act, Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 5150 (West 2020).

Types of Legal Documents

Statutes

  • Include the official name of the statute
  • Provide the source (e.g., U.S.C., state codes)
  • Include section numbers
  • Add the year of enactment or latest revision

Regulations

  • Cite the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.)
  • Include title and section numbers
  • Add the year of the latest version
  • Note any amendments or revisions

Bills and Resolutions

  • Specify the type (H.R. or S. for House/Senate bills)
  • Include bill number
  • Add congressional session information
  • Note the status (e.g., "as introduced")

Special Considerations

Additional Guidelines

  • For pending legislation, include the current status and date
  • When citing repealed laws, indicate this fact in the citation
  • For historical statutes, include original and current versions if relevant
  • Use proper legal abbreviations as specified in The Bluebook

In-Text Citations

First Citation

Use the full name of the act:

The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 requires...

Subsequent Citations

Use the common abbreviation:

Under the ADA, employers must...

Online Sources

Digital Access

  • Include URLs for online versions of laws and regulations
  • Use official government websites when possible (e.g., congress.gov, govinfo.gov)
  • Add retrieval dates for documents that may be updated
  • Note any digital formatting or version information