How to Cite a Government Document in APA Format

Citing a government document in APA format requires the government agency as author, year, document title, document number (if applicable), publisher, and URL. Government documents include laws, regulations, policy briefs, and official publications.

Basic Government Document Citation Format

The standard APA 7th edition format for a government document citation is:

Reference list entry:

Agency Name. (Year). Title of document (Document No. xxx). Publisher. https://www.example.com/document

Parenthetical in-text citation: (Agency Name, Year)

Narrative in-text citation: Agency Name (Year)

In-Text Citation Examples

When you reference a government document within your paper, you have two options:

• Parenthetical: Air quality standards were updated to reflect new scientific evidence (Environmental Protection Agency, 2024).
• Narrative: The Environmental Protection Agency (2024) updated air quality standards to reflect new scientific evidence.

Common Variations

Federal Government Document

Use the broadest agency as the author and include subordinate agencies as part of the hierarchy.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Morbidity and mortality weekly report (Vol. 73, No. 5). https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

Congressional Report or Document

Include the Congress number and session.

U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2023). Federal student loan programs: Actions needed to improve oversight (GAO-23-104578). https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-104578

International Government Document

World Health Organization. (2023). World health statistics 2023. https://www.who.int/data/gho/publications/world-health-statistics

Tips for Citing Government Documents

• Use the government agency as the author when no individual author is listed.
• Do not repeat the publisher if the author and publisher are the same agency.
• Include document or publication numbers when available.
• Abbreviate the agency name in subsequent in-text citations after spelling it out the first time: (EPA, 2024).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I handle abbreviations for government agencies? Spell out the full name the first time with the abbreviation in brackets: (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2024). Use the abbreviation in subsequent citations: (EPA, 2024).

How do I cite a state government document? Follow the same format. Use the state agency as the author and include the state name if it is not obvious from context.

What if the government document has no date? Use (n.d.) in place of the year, following standard APA guidelines for undated sources.