MLA Citation
MLA 9th Edition Guide
government

How to Cite a Government Document in MLA 9.

Government documents in MLA 9 use the issuing agency as the author. The format varies slightly depending on whether the document is a report, a law, or a website page — here is how to handle each.

Updated January 15, 2024

MLA 9 government document format

Agency Name. Title of Document. Publisher/Department, Date. URL.

Example:

United States, Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2030. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2020, health.gov/healthypeople.


Government website page

United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19 Vaccines.” CDC, 15 Mar. 2023, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines.


Congressional report or bill

United States, Congress, Senate. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 117th Congress, 1st session, Senate Bill 3684, Government Publishing Office, 2021, www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3684.


Key rules

  • The government body acts as the author (country → department → sub-agency)
  • Document title is italicised
  • Include the document or report number if available
  • URL is essential for online documents

In-text citation

(United States, Department of Health) — shorten to the relevant level

For very long agency names, establish an abbreviation in your first citation: (United States, Dept. of Health [HHS])

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