APA Government Document Citations

    Learn to cite government documents, reports, legislation, and official publications in APA format with detailed examples and best practices.

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    Published: September 15, 2025
    By heypaperhero Team

    Basic Government Document Format

    APA format for government documents follows standard author-date format, with the agency serving as the author.

    APA Government Document Format:

    Agency Name. (Year). Title of document (Report No. if applicable). Publisher. URL

    Federal Documents

    Federal government documents include reports, studies, and publications from executive agencies.

    Example:

    U.S. Department of Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. U.S. Government Printing Office.

    In-text citation: (U.S. Department of Education, 1983)

    Elements:

    • Agency: U.S. Department of Education
    • Date: 1983
    • Title: A nation at risk (italicized)
    • Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office

    Legislation and Laws

    For bills, acts, and other legislation, include the legislative body and relevant details.

    Federal Law Example:

    Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327 (1990). https://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm

    Congressional Bill Example:

    Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, H.R. 3684, 117th Cong. (2021). https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684

    In-text citation: (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) or (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2021)

    Court Cases

    Legal cases follow a specific format with case name, court, and decision information.

    Supreme Court Example:

    Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/347/483

    In-text citation: (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954)

    State and Local Documents

    State and local government documents follow similar patterns but specify the state or locality.

    State Document Example:

    California Department of Public Health. (2023). California cancer registry annual report. State of California. https://www.ccrcal.org/learn-about-ccr/publications/annual-report/

    Local Government Example:

    City of Austin Planning and Zoning Department. (2023). Austin climate equity plan. City of Austin. https://www.austintexas.gov/climate-equity-plan

    In-text citation: (California Department of Public Health, 2023) or (City of Austin Planning and Zoning Department, 2023)

    Reports with Report Numbers

    Many government reports include specific report numbers that should be included.

    Example:

    National Institute of Health. (2023). Clinical guidelines for treating depression (NIH Publication No. 23-MH-8088). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/

    International Documents

    Documents from international organizations or foreign governments.

    UN Document Example:

    United Nations General Assembly. (1948). Universal declaration of human rights (Resolution 217 A). United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

    Foreign Government Example:

    Statistics Canada. (2022, February 9). Census profile, 2021 census of population. Government of Canada. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/

    Key Citation Elements

    Required Elements:

    • • Government agency (author)
    • • Publication date
    • • Document title (italicized)
    • • Publisher
    • • URL (for online sources)

    Optional Elements:

    • • Report number
    • • Volume/issue numbers
    • • Page numbers
    • • DOI (if available)
    • • Government printing office info

    Best Practices

    APA Government Citation Tips:

    • Agency Names: Use the most specific agency name as the author
    • Abbreviations: Use standard abbreviations for well-known agencies in subsequent citations
    • Publication Dates: Use the document's publication date, not access date
    • Report Numbers: Include report numbers when available for easier retrieval
    • Persistent URLs: Use permanent government URLs when possible