How to Cite a Government Document in APA 7th Edition

This guide explains how to format a government document citation in APA 7th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a government document in APA 7th Edition:

Template

Agency or Author. (Year). *Title of document* (Publication No. xxx). Publisher. https://www.example.com

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(U.S. Department of Education, 2024)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

U.S. Department of Education. (2024). Digest of education statistics (NCES 2024-009). National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
Use the full name of the government agency or authoring body. If an individual author is listed, use their name followed by the agency in the publisher position.
2
Add the year
Place the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a period.
3
Write the document title
Italicize the title of the document. Use sentence case. If there is a publication number, include it in parentheses after the title (not italicized).
4
Add the publisher
Include the name of the issuing body or parent department. If the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher to avoid repetition.
5
Include the URL or DOI
Provide the full URL or DOI where the document can be accessed. Do not add a period after the URL.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using an abbreviation for the government agency instead of its full name on first reference.
Omitting the publication or document number when one is available.
Confusing the authoring agency with the parent department — list the most specific body as the author.
Forgetting to italicize the document title.
Including "Retrieved from" before the URL when a stable publication date exists.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a government document when no individual author is listed?

Use the government agency as the author. Spell out the full name — do not use abbreviations unless the agency is better known by its abbreviation (e.g., NASA). The parent department goes in the publisher position.

Should I include the publication number for government documents?

Yes. If the document has a publication, report, or catalogue number, include it in parentheses after the title. This helps readers locate the specific document.

How do I cite an executive order or presidential document in APA?

Cite the president as the author, the title of the executive order in italics, and the executive order number. Include the Federal Register volume and page numbers and the URL.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your government document:

Author/Agency
Title
Publication Number
Publisher
Year
URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author

Use the full name of the government agency or authoring body. If an individual author is listed, use their name followed by the agency in the publisher position.

Add the year

Place the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a period.

Write the document title

Italicize the title of the document. Use sentence case. If there is a publication number, include it in parentheses after the title (not italicized).

Add the publisher

Include the name of the issuing body or parent department. If the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher to avoid repetition.

Include the URL or DOI

Provide the full URL or DOI where the document can be accessed. Do not add a period after the URL.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using an abbreviation for the government agency instead of its full name on first reference.

Omitting the publication or document number when one is available.

Confusing the authoring agency with the parent department — list the most specific body as the author.

Forgetting to italicize the document title.

Including "Retrieved from" before the URL when a stable publication date exists.