How do I cite a law or statute in Chicago?

To cite a law or statute in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the Chicago format for a law or statute citation?

The Chicago format for a law or statute is: Cite in a note, not the bibliography: 1. Name of Act, Title U.S.C. § Section (Year).

What does the in-text citation look like for a law or statute in Chicago?

In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is Footnote: 1. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (2018).

How to Cite a Law or Statute in Chicago (18th edition)

Learn how to cite acts of a legislature, statutes, and codified laws in Chicago format (18th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Chicago Bibliography Format

Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a law or statute in your bibliography:

Cite in a note, not the bibliography: 1. Name of Act, Title U.S.C. § Section (Year).

Chicago Example for a Law or Statute

Chicago does not give a law or statute an entry in the bibliography — it is cited in a note only. Here is that note, written by hand and checked against the official Chicago guidance:

1. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (2018).

Chicago In-Text Citation

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

Parenthetical

Footnote: 1. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (2018).

Narrative

Shortened note: 2. 42 U.S.C. § 12102.

Key Chicago Formatting Rules

Chicago 18 (§14.170 and following) cites statutes in notes and follows The Bluebook; laws are usually left out of the bibliography unless your instructor asks for them.
Give the act’s name, the title number, U.S.C., the section with the § sign and the year of the code edition in parentheses, with no italics.
Later notes may shorten the citation to the code section alone, such as 42 U.S.C. § 12102.
To cite the act as Congress passed it, use the session law instead: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your law or statute.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (18th 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 bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago 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 act’s official short title, including its year
the code title number and section number
the year of the code edition you consulted
the public law number and Statutes at Large citation, or the UK chapter number
the official database or URL you used

Common metadata traps

A code citation such as 42 U.S.C. § 12101 points to a section, so check that the section you name is the one that contains the words you quote or paraphrase.
The year in a code citation belongs to the edition of the code, not to the year the act was passed, and the act’s own year is already in its name.
A statute is not a government report or a court decision: do not add an author or a court, and use the dedicated formats for reports and cases instead.

Editorial sources

Chicago Manual of Style — citation quick guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a law or statute in Chicago?: To cite a law or statute in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Chicago format for a law or statute citation?: The Chicago format for a law or statute is: Cite in a note, not the bibliography: 1. Name of Act, Title U.S.C. § Section (Year).
What does the in-text citation look like for a law or statute in Chicago?: In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is Footnote: 1. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 (2018).