Government websites from agencies like the CDC, NIH, FDA, EPA, and Bureau of Labor Statistics are commonly cited in research papers, health reports, and policy documents. APA 7th edition provides a straightforward format, but several questions come up repeatedly: who is the author, what goes in the publisher field, and when do you need a retrieval date?
This guide answers all of them with examples from real agencies.
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Key decisions to make:
- Author: Use the specific agency if listed (e.g., CDC). If no agency is listed, use the parent department (e.g., U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
- Date: Use the date shown on the page. This might be a publication date, a "last reviewed" date, or a "last updated" date — use whichever is most recent and clearly stated.
- Title: Title of the specific page, italicized, in sentence case.
- Publisher (source): The parent organization of the agency. If the agency and parent are the same, list only once.
Common Government Agency Citations
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
NIH (National Institutes of Health)
FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Note: The EPA has no parent department, so the publisher position is omitted — just the URL follows the title.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Government Reports (PDF Documents)
When citing a standalone government report — typically a formal document with a report number — include the report number in parentheses after the title.
When the Page Has No Date
If a government page has no publication or last-updated date, use "n.d." (no date) in the year position. In this case, add a retrieval date because the content may change.
Named Individual Author on a Government Page
If a specific author is listed on the government page, use that person's name as the author.
Federal Statutes and Laws
Federal laws follow a different format than general government webpages.
International Government Organizations
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Navigate to the CDC, NIH, EPA, or any other government website. Click the extension to get the APA-formatted citation ready to paste.
Install APA Citation Generator — FreeRelated Guides
- How to Cite a Website in APA Format
- How to Cite a PDF in APA Format
- How to Cite a Journal Article in APA
- 10 Common Citation Mistakes to Avoid
- APA 7th Edition Changes Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cite a government website in APA 7th edition?
Agency Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Parent Department. URL. Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, January 15). About HIV. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/whatishiv.html.
Who is the author of a government website in APA?
Use the specific agency as the author (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). If no specific agency is listed, use the parent department. Only use an individual's name if the page lists one.
How do you cite a CDC or NIH page in APA?
CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Year). Title. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. URL. NIH: National Institutes of Health. (Year). Title. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. URL. Abbreviate in subsequent in-text citations: (CDC, 2024).
Do you need a retrieval date for government websites in APA?
Only when the page has no date at all (use "n.d." in year position and add "Retrieved Month Day, Year, from" before the URL). If the page shows a publication or last-updated date, use that date — no retrieval date needed.
How do I shorten long government agency names in APA in-text citations?
Introduce the abbreviation in the first in-text citation: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Use only the abbreviation in subsequent citations: (CDC, 2024).
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