How to Cite a Law in APA

Citing a State Law

• 1

  List the name of the act, followed by a period. For example:

  A Law Governing Rent Collection in Massachusetts.

• 2

  List the volume and the name of the collection of laws the law appears in. For example:

  1350 Mass. Acts

• 3

  List the page number that you are citing, followed by a period. For example:

  345.

• 4

  List the date the law was passed in the following format:

  17 June 1998.

• 5

  Ensure that the finished citation appears in the following format:

  A Law Governing Rent Collection in Massachusetts. 1350 Mass. Acts 345. 17 June 1998.

Citing a Federal Law

• 6

  List the name of the law. For example:

  Americans with Disabilities Act

• 7

  List the section of the law that you are referencing, followed by a comma. Use the symbol for "section" instead of writing out the word.

  § 12,

• 8

  List the volume number of the United States Code that the law appears in. For example:

  44 U.S.C.

• 9

  List the section of the U.S. Code that the law appears in. Again, use the symbol for "section." For example:

  § 3562

• 10

  List the year in which the volume was published in parentheses and followed by a period. For example:

  (2001).

• 11

  Ensure that the finished citation appears in the following format:

  Americans with Disabilities Act § 12, 44 U.S.C. § 3562 (2001).