How to Cite a Government Report in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)

Citing government reports can feel overwhelming. Unlike books or journal articles, government documents often have unusual authors, publication structures, and access methods.

But here's the good news: once you understand the pattern for each citation style, government reports become just as easy to cite as any other source.

In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to cite government reports in APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, and Chicago/Turabian style—with real examples you can copy and adapt.

Table of Contents

• What Counts as a Government Report?
• How to Cite a Government Report in APA Format
• How to Cite a Government Report in MLA Format
• How to Cite a Government Report in Chicago Format
• How to Find Citation Information on Government Reports
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• FAQ

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What Counts as a Government Report?

Government reports include any official document published by a government agency at any level. Common examples include:

• Federal agency reports (CDC, FBI, EPA, NIH)
• Congressional reports and hearings
• Census Bureau data and reports
• White House publications
• State and local government documents
• International government documents (UN, WHO, World Bank)
• Policy briefs and white papers

These documents carry significant credibility in academic writing because they represent official government positions and data.

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How to Cite a Government Report in APA Format

APA 7th edition treats government agencies as group authors. Here's the format:

Basic APA Format:

Reference List:

Agency Name. (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL

In-Text Citation:

• First citation: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024)
• Subsequent citations: (CDC, 2024)

APA Government Report Examples:

Federal Agency Report:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). National vital statistics report: Deaths leading causes for 2023. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr74-01.pdf

Report with Report Number:

U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2024). Artificial intelligence: Agencies have begun implementation but need to complete key requirements (GAO-24-105980). https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105980

Congressional Report:

Congressional Budget Office. (2024). The budget and economic outlook: 2024 to 2034. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59710

Key APA Rules for Government Reports:

• Use the government agency as the author
• Include parent department as publisher if different from author
• Add report number in parentheses if available
• Include DOI or URL
• Italicize the report title

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How to Cite a Government Report in MLA Format

MLA 9th edition uses the government agency as the author, followed by the specific department.

Basic MLA Format:

Works Cited:

Country, Government Body. Title of Report. Publisher, Year. URL.

In-Text Citation:

• (United States, Department of Education 12)
• For online sources without pages: (United States, Department of Education)

MLA Government Report Examples:

Federal Agency Report:

United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Vital Statistics Report: Deaths Leading Causes for 2023. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024, www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr74-01.pdf.

Congressional Report:

United States, Congress, Congressional Budget Office. The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2024 to 2034. Government Publishing Office, 2024, www.cbo.gov/publication/59710.

State Government Report:

California, Department of Education. 2024 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Summary. California Department of Education, 2024, www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/.

Key MLA Rules for Government Reports:

• Start with the country, then the government body
• List nested agencies separated by commas
• Use sentence case for titles (capitalize first word and proper nouns)
• Include "www" in URLs (not "https://")

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How to Cite a Government Report in Chicago Format

Chicago style offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (humanities) and Author-Date (sciences). Here's how to use both:

Chicago Notes-Bibliography Style:

Bibliography:

Agency Name. Title of Report. Place: Publisher, Year. URL.

Footnote/Endnote (first reference):

Agency Name, Title of Report (Place: Publisher, Year), page number, URL.

Chicago Author-Date Style:

Reference List:

Agency Name. Year. Title of Report. Place: Publisher. URL.

In-Text Citation:

• (Agency Name Year, page)

Chicago Government Report Examples:

Notes-Bibliography:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024-25 Edition. Washington, DC: Government Publishing Office, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.

Footnote:

1. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024-25 Edition (Washington, DC: Government Publishing Office, 2024), 45, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.

Author-Date:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2024. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024-25 Edition. Washington, DC: Government Publishing Office. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.

Key Chicago Rules for Government Reports:

• Include publication place (usually Washington, DC for federal documents)
• Use "Government Publishing Office" as publisher for federal documents
• Italicize report titles
• Include full URL or DOI

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How to Find Citation Information on Government Reports

Government reports don't always display citation information clearly. Here's where to look:

Finding the Author:

• Look at the cover page or title page
• Check the header/footer of the document
• Look for "Prepared by" or "Published by"
• If no author, use the publishing agency

Finding the Publication Date:

• Check the cover or title page
• Look for "Published," "Released," or "Updated"
• Check the URL for date indicators
• If no date, use "n.d." (no date)

Finding the Report Number:

• Look near the title on the cover
• Check the document's header or footer
• Search the agency's publication database

Helpful Government Databases:

• USA.gov – Federal publications portal
• Congress.gov – Congressional reports
• Data.gov – Government data sets
• GPO.gov – Government Publishing Office

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Author

Wrong: U.S. Government, CDC Report on Health Right: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The specific agency is the author, not "U.S. Government."

Mistake 2: Missing Report Numbers

Many government reports have official report numbers that help readers find them. Always include these when available.

Mistake 3: Incorrect Government Hierarchy

In MLA, list government bodies from broadest to most specific: Right: United States, Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Mistake 4: Broken URLs

Government websites change frequently. When possible, use:

• Permanent links (permalinks)
• DOI numbers
• Archive.org snapshots as backup

Mistake 5: Confusing Publishing Date with Report Date

Use the publication date, not the date of the data covered in the report.

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Quick Reference Table

| Style | Author Format | Title Format | Key Elements | |-------|---------------|--------------|---------------| | APA 7 | Agency Name | Italicized | Report number, URL | | MLA 9 | Country, Agency | Sentence case | Publisher, URL | | Chicago | Agency Name | Italicized | Place, Publisher, URL |

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FAQ

How do I cite a government website (not a report)?

Treat it like any web page—use the agency as author, page title, website name, and URL. Reports specifically are standalone documents, usually PDFs.

What if the government report has an individual author?

If a specific person is credited as author, you can list them instead of the agency. Include agency affiliation in parentheses if helpful.

How do I cite a government report from another country?

Follow the same patterns, but start with the country name:

• APA: United Kingdom, Office for National Statistics. (2024)...
• MLA: United Kingdom, Office for National Statistics...

What if I accessed the report through a database?

Include the database name and URL if the report isn't freely available online.

How do I cite testimony from a congressional hearing?

Treat the speaker as the author, the hearing title as the container, and include the committee name and date.

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Key Takeaways

• Government agencies are the author for most government reports
• Always include report numbers when available
• APA uses abbreviations after first citation; MLA and Chicago don't
• Government URLs can change—use permanent links when possible
• Check your instructor's preferences for style requirements

Government reports are valuable sources that show you've done thorough research. With these formats, you can cite them correctly every time.

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