How do I cite an ISO standard in APA?

To cite an ISO standard in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the APA format for an ISO standard citation?

The APA format for an ISO standard is: Standards Body. (Year). Title of standard (Standard No. xxx:year). URL

What does the in-text citation look like for an ISO standard in APA?

In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2021)

How to Cite an ISO Standard in APA (7th edition)

Learn how to cite ISO, IEC, and other published technical standards in APA format (7th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

APA Reference List Format

Here is the standard APA format for citing an ISO standard in your reference list:

Standards Body. (Year). Title of standard (Standard No. xxx:year). URL

APA Example for an ISO Standard

A complete APA reference for an ISO standard, written by hand and checked against the official APA guidance for this source:

International Organization for Standardization. (2021). Information and documentation — Guidelines for bibliographic references and citations to information resources (ISO Standard No. 690:2021). https://www.iso.org/standard/72642.html

Matching in-text citation: (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2021)

APA In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2021)

Narrative

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO, 2021) recommends...

Key APA Formatting Rules

APA 7 has no standards example of its own, so the group-author report pattern is used: the standards body, the year, the italic title in sentence case, the number in parentheses and the URL.
Leave out the publisher when the standards body is both author and publisher, as ISO is here.
Introduce the abbreviation in the first in-text citation, (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2021), and use (ISO, 2021) afterwards.
To point to a specific part, add the clause as the locator, for example (ISO, 2021, clause 3).

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your ISO standard.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the APA (7th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match APA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

Metadata to collect

the standards body as author
the full designation with its year, such as ISO 690:2021
the exact title as printed, including its dash
the edition number and publication date
the URL or database you used
the clause or section you cite

Common metadata traps

A designation without its year, such as ISO 690, points to whichever edition is current, so always give the year of the edition you read.
The page at iso.org is a catalogue record and preview, not the full text; if you read the standard through a library database such as a national standards body’s platform, cite that copy.
National adoptions such as BS ISO 690:2021 are published by the national body, so cite the version actually in front of you rather than the ISO original.

Editorial sources

APA Style — references →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an ISO standard in APA?: To cite an ISO standard in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the APA format for an ISO standard citation?: The APA format for an ISO standard is: Standards Body. (Year). Title of standard (Standard No. xxx:year). URL
What does the in-text citation look like for an ISO standard in APA?: In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2021)