How to cite a municipal ordinance
Bluebook (22d ed.) citation format · B12 / R12.9.2 · Statutes & legislation
Example
S.F., Cal., Police Code art. 16, div. 1, § 1076(a) (2000).
More examples
Each of these is checked against the rules on every change to the tool.
- S.J., Cal., Ordinance 16,043 (Jan. 17, 1972).
What the citation needs
Required
- Municipality — Where the work was published or the event took place.
- State — The state, abbreviated per T10, given after the city or county (R12.9.2).
When they apply
- Code name (a codified ordinance) — The code’s abbreviated name, from T1.
- Article — The article cited.
- Division — The division cited.
- Chapter — The chapter number.
- Section — The section cited (R3.3).
- Ordinance number (uncodified) — The number that identifies the document in its series.
- Ordinance name — The source’s name, as the rule for this type gives it.
- Date (uncodified) — The date the rule for this source calls for, with the month abbreviated per T12 (“Nov. 24, 1978”).
- Year of the code — The year that goes in the date parenthetical at the end of the citation.
In a brief and in a law review
The Bluebook sets citations two ways: the Bluepages for court documents and legal memoranda, the Whitepages for law review footnotes. Here is the first example above as each one prints it, in its typeface.
Court documents (Bluepages)
S.F., Cal., Police Code art. 16, div. 1, § 1076(a) (2000).
Law review footnotes (Whitepages)
S.F., Cal., Police Code art. 16, div. 1, § 1076(a) (2000).
The words are the same in both; only the typeface changes.
Common mistakes
Each of these is a citation the checker refuses, with what it says is wrong and the corrected form.
Wrong
S.F., Cal., Police Code article 16, division 1, § 1076(a) (2000).
Why
Abbreviate “article” as “art.” (T16; R12.9.2).
Abbreviate “division” as “div.” (T16; R12.9.2).
Right
S.F., Cal., Police Code art. 16, div. 1, § 1076(a) (2000).
Wrong
S.J., Cal., Ordinance 16,043 (1972).
Why
An uncodified ordinance gives the exact date of adoption, not just the year (R12.9.2).
Right
S.J., Cal., Ordinance 16,043 (Jan. 17, 1972).
Governing rules
B12 / R12.9.2
- 12 — statutes.
- T10 — geographical terms.
- T16 — document subdivisions.
- 12.9.2 — ordinances.
Build this citation with the generator, check one you have already written, or paste a whole list of footnotes to check them in order.
Related source types
Statutes & legislation: