How to Cite a Government Document in Chicago Style

Government documents are primary sources of immense value for research in law, policy, history, and social sciences. These sources range from legislation and congressional reports to statistical databases and agency publications. Chicago style provides specific guidelines for citing various government document types. This guide covers both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems.

Types of Government Documents

Government documents include:

• Legislative documents (bills, resolutions, statutes)
• Congressional reports and hearings
• Executive orders and presidential documents
• Agency publications and reports
• Statistical data and databases
• Government-issued standards and guidelines

Each type has specific citation requirements.

Federal Legislative Documents in Notes-Bibliography

Bills and Resolutions

Format:

1. Congress, Bill or Resolution Number, Title (Year), U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives, Congress.gov, URL.

Example:

1. U.S. Congress, H.R. 1234, Climate Action Reform Act of 2024, 118th Congress, https://congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1234.

Enacted Statutes (Laws)

Format:

1. Statute Title, statute number, year codified.

Example:

1. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (1990).

Congressional Reports

Format:

1. Committee or House/Senate, Title of Report, Report Number, Congress, Year, page.

Example:

1. U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Climate Policy Framework Report, Senate Report 117-45, 117th Congress, 2023, 23.

Federal Agency Documents in Notes-Bibliography

Agency Reports and Publications

Format:

1. Federal Agency, Title of Publication (Place: Publisher, Year), page.

Example:

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental Status Report 2024 (Washington, DC: EPA Publications, 2024), 156.

Online Agency Documents

Format:

1. Federal Agency, "Document Title," Agency Website, Publication Date, accessed Date, URL.

Example:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "2024 Influenza Surveillance Report," CDC.gov, February 2024, accessed March 16, 2026, https://www.cdc.gov/flu/surveillance/2024.

State and Local Government Documents

State and local documents follow similar formats with the specific government body as author.

State Legislative Document

Format:

1. State Name, Bill or Resolution Number, Title (Year), State Legislature, URL.

Example:

1. California Assembly, A.B. 1234, Education Funding Reform Act of 2024, California Legislature, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1234.

Local Government Document

Format:

1. City or County Name, Department, "Document Title," Year, page.

Example:

1. New York City Department of Transportation, "2024 Transit Plan," 2024, 45.

Author-Date System for Government Documents

Federal Agency In-Text Citation

(Federal Agency Year, page)
(EPA 2024, 156)

Federal Agency Reference List

Federal Agency. Year. Title of Publication. Place: Publisher.

Example:

EPA. 2024. National Environmental Status Report 2024. Washington, DC: EPA Publications.

Online Government Document Reference List

Federal Agency. Year. "Document Title." Agency Website. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Statutes and Laws in Author-Date

For laws and statutes, include the codified form and year:

In-text:

(Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990)

Reference list:

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (1990).

Congressional Hearings in Notes-Bibliography

Congressional hearings document testimony and discussion before legislative committees.

Format:

1. Witness First Last, testimony before U.S. Committee Name, Congress, on "Hearing Title," Congressional Record Volume:Page (Year).

Example:

1. Dr. Jennifer Chen, testimony before U.S. Senate Committee on Energy, 118th Congress, on "The Future of Renewable Energy," Congressional Record 170:S4523 (2024).

Executive Orders

Executive orders are presidential directives with legal authority.

Notes-Bibliography Executive Order

1. President Name, "Executive Order Title," Executive Order Number, Federal Register Volume, issue, Year.

Example:

1. President Biden, "Executive Order on Climate Action," Executive Order 14008, Federal Register 86, no. 26, 2021.

Author-Date Executive Order

Reference list:

President Name. Year. "Executive Order Title." Executive Order Number. Federal Register, volume, issue.

Government Standards and Guidelines

Government agencies often publish technical standards and guidelines.

Notes-Bibliography Standard

1. Government Agency, Standard or Guideline Number: Title (Year), page.

Example:

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST Cybersecurity Framework 1.1: Core Guidance (2023), 34.

Census and Statistical Data

Government statistical databases require clear identification of the dataset and year.

Notes-Bibliography Statistical Data

1. U.S. Census Bureau, "Dataset Title," Census.gov, Year, accessed Date, URL.

Example:

1. U.S. Census Bureau, "2020 Decennial Census: Population Estimates," Census.gov, 2021, accessed March 16, 2026, https://www.census.gov/topics/population.html.

Treaties and International Agreements

Treaties are cited as government documents with emphasis on the signatory nations.

Notes-Bibliography Treaty

1. Name of Treaty, signatories, date signed, treaty number, Year ratified.

Example:

1. Paris Agreement on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed December 12, 2015, UNTS 54113, ratified November 4, 2016.

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Identify the government body (federal, state, or local).

Step 2: Determine the document type (bill, report, statute, etc.).

Step 3: Locate the document title and number or identifier.

Step 4: Find the publication date and place.

Step 5: Note page numbers or specific sections cited.

Step 6: Collect URL if the document is online.

Step 7: Verify the official agency name and spelling.

Step 8: Apply the appropriate format for your system.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using generic “U.S. Government” instead of the specific agency name
2. Omitting document or statute numbers that uniquely identify the source
3. Confusing publication date with enactment date for legislation
4. Inconsistent formatting of agency names or acronyms
5. Missing the Code designation (U.S.C., C.F.R., etc.) for statutes
6. Using outdated URLs for online government documents
7. Failing to include the Congress number for congressional documents

Using Citation Generators for Government Documents

Several tools support government document citations:

• EasyBib: Government document section with statute and bill options
• Zotero: Strong support for government documents and legal sources
• CitationMachine: Offers government documents citation type
• Government websites: Many agencies provide proper citation formats

Always verify that generated citations include complete official information.

Practice Examples

Example 1: Federal Agency Report

Notes-Bibliography:

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change Impacts Report 2024 (Washington, DC: EPA, 2024), 89.

Bibliography:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change Impacts Report 2024. Washington, DC: EPA, 2024.

Author-Date:

(EPA 2024, 89)

EPA. 2024. Climate Change Impacts Report 2024. Washington, DC: EPA.

Example 2: Statute/Law

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, 42 U.S.C. § 18001 (2010).

Author-Date:

(Affordable Care Act 2010)

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. 42 U.S.C. § 18001 (2010).

Example 3: Congressional Report

Notes-Bibliography:

1. U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means, Healthcare Reform Framework, House Report 118-234, 118th Congress, 2024, 56.

Bibliography:
U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means. Healthcare Reform Framework. House Report 118-234, 118th Congress, 2024.

Example 4: Online Government Database

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment Data 2024," BLS.gov, accessed March 16, 2026, https://www.bls.gov/data/employment-2024.

Bibliography:
Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Employment Data 2024." BLS.gov. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://www.bls.gov/data/employment-2024.

Citing Government Documents with Confidence

Government documents provide authoritative, often public-domain information essential for policy research, legal analysis, and historical study. Chicago style’s specific requirements ensure that readers can locate the exact agency, document, and version you consulted.

Use our citation generator to verify your government document citations, especially for complex legislative sources. With these guidelines, you’ll cite government documents professionally while maintaining academic standards and enabling source verification.