APA Citation Generator

Government Document

How to Cite a Government Document in APA Style

Citing a government document in APA 7th edition style requires the following elements:

  • Name of government agency or department
  • Year of publication
  • Title of the document (in italics)
  • Report or publication number (if available)
  • Publisher (if different from the authoring agency)
  • DOI or URL

General Format

Government Agency. (Year). Title of document (Report No. xxx). Publisher (if different from agency). DOI or URL


Government Document Citation Examples in APA Style

Example 1: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Healthy People 2030: Building a healthier future for all. https://health.gov/healthypeople

Example 2: National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Anxiety disorders (NIH Publication No. 21-MH-8090). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders

Example 3: Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Climate change indicators in the United States (EPA 430-R-22-003). https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators

Example 4: U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). Income and poverty in the United States: 2020 (Current Population Reports, P60-273). U.S. Government Publishing Office. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-273.html

Example 5: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2022). Australia's health 2022: Data insights (Australia's Health Series No. 18. Cat. No. AUS 240). AIHW. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2022-data-insights

Example 6: European Commission. (2023). Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2023. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/desi


Key Points to Remember

Use the full name of the government agency or department as the author.

Include the year of publication or "n.d." if no date is available.

Italicize the title of the document and use sentence case capitalization.

Include report numbers or publication numbers in parentheses after the title, if available.

If the publisher is different from the authoring agency, include it after the report number.

Provide a DOI if available; otherwise, use the URL of the document.

For documents from non-U.S. governments, include the country name if not evident from the agency name.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I cite a government document with no individual author?

A: Use the name of the government agency as the author.

Q: What if the document is updated regularly?

A: Use the most recent update date and include a retrieval date in your citation: Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Q: How do I cite a government document from a state or local government?

A: Follow the same format, but include the state or city name before the agency name if it's not already part of the agency name.

Q: Should I include the URL for print government documents?

A: If you accessed the document online, include the URL even if a print version exists.

Q: How do I cite a government document in a language other than English?

A: Cite the document in its original language, then provide an English translation of the title in square brackets immediately after the original title.

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