When writing about federal laws and regulations, link to the online version of record on websites such as FederalRegister.gov, eCFR.gov, and GovInfo.gov.
Do not upload and link to PDF versions of Federal Register notices, regulations, or laws. Uploading PDF copies of documents causes problems such as:
- PDFs may have accessibility problems for screen readers.
- There may be multiple PDF copies of the same document uploaded.
- PDF copies may not be the most up-to-date version of laws or regulations.
Link to Official Sources
When writing about federal laws or regulations, always link to the official online version on trusted government websites like:
Don’t Upload PDFs
Avoid uploading or linking to PDF versions of laws or notices. PDFs can:
- Be hard to read for people using screen readers
- Create confusion if multiple versions exist
- Become outdated without warning
How to Link and Cite
Federal Register Notices
Use the title of the notice as the link text:
If the title is reused each year, use this format:
89 FR 944: Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs
Regulations
Use this format:
Laws
Use the common title when available:
If there’s no common title, use:
- Public Law number: PL 108-374
- U.S. Code citation: 25 USC 2206
