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To cite a website in Chicago style (18th edition, 2024), name the author, the title of the page, the website, the publisher, the date, and the URL. In a footnote the author is written first name first; in the bibliography the author is inverted. If the page shows no date, you put the date you accessed it in the date slot. Most web pages are cited in a note only, so check whether you need a bibliography entry at all.
The format
Purdue OWL’s Chicago 18 guide to web sources gives one element set that serves both parts of the notes-bibliography system, with only the author’s name and the punctuation changing between them:
- Author of the page (first name first in a note; last name first in the bibliography).
- Title of the page, in roman type inside quotation marks.
- Title of the website, in headline-style capitalization, usually roman and without quotation marks.
- Publisher or sponsoring organization, when it differs from the website name.
- Date: the publication or last-revision date if the page shows one; otherwise the access date.
- URL.
Website titles are italicized only when the site parallels a traditionally printed work, such as a news outlet. Purdue’s advice when you are unsure is to set the title in roman, and Wikipedia is set in roman.
Examples
The three scenarios below are fictitious examples built to show the element order. The people, sites and URLs are invented and do not refer to real pages.
1. Named author, dated page
First note:
1. Jordan Ellis, “Planning a Thesis Timeline,” Example Research Hub, Example University Graduate School, March 4, 2026, https://www.example.edu/thesis-timeline.
Bibliography entry:
Ellis, Jordan. “Planning a Thesis Timeline.” Example Research Hub. Example University Graduate School, March 4, 2026. https://www.example.edu/thesis-timeline.
Shortened note for later citations:
2. Ellis, “Planning a Thesis Timeline.”
2. Organization as author, no date on the page
1. “Sample Grants Glossary,” Example Funding Council, accessed March 18, 2026, https://www.example.org/glossary.
Shortened note: “Sample Grants Glossary.”
3. No author and no publisher
1. “Peer Review Basics,” Example Methods Wiki, accessed March 18, 2026, https://www.example.net/peer-review.
A bibliography entry for a source with no author or publisher is alphabetized by the first word of the title that is not an article, so this one would sit under “Peer.”
Which element fills the date slot?
| What the page shows | Note | Bibliography entry |
|---|---|---|
| Author and date | Author, page title, website, publisher, date, URL | Same elements, author inverted, periods between them |
| No date, no personal author | Page title, organization, accessed date, URL | Access date replaces the publication date |
| No author and no publisher | Page title, website, access date, URL | Listed under the first non-article word of the title |
In-text citation version
Chicago’s notes-bibliography system does not put the author and date in parentheses. A note number in the text points to a footnote holding the full citation above, and later citations of the same page use the shortened form: the author’s last name and a shortened title, or the shortened title alone when there is no author. See Chicago footnote format for notes on books, chapters and journal articles, and how to cite a website in APA if you need the parenthetical author-date version instead.
For pages with several authors, the 18th edition lists up to two authors in a note and gives the first author plus et al. beyond two. A bibliography entry lists up to six authors; with more than six, it gives the first three followed by et al. (CMOS 13.23 and 13.107). Our guide to et al. usage rules covers the same thresholds across styles.
Do you need a bibliography entry?
Often not. Widener University Library’s Chicago 18 guide says web pages and website articles should usually be described in a note or in the text rather than listed in the bibliography. If you do cite one formally, include the URL for articles you consulted online. A web page you cite once in a footnote may therefore not need its own bibliography line.
Common errors
- Dropping the access date on an undated page. When no publication or revision date appears, the access date takes its place, in both the note and the bibliography.
- Putting quotation marks around generic page titles. The 18th edition capitalizes generic web page titles such as “Help” or “About” without quotation marks (CMOS 8.193).
- Italicizing every website name. The default for a website title is roman. Italics apply to sites that parallel a printed work, such as a newspaper or magazine.
- Inverting the author in a note. Notes use first name first; only the bibliography inverts.
- Omitting the URL. A citation to something you consulted online should carry its URL.
- Repeating the full note every time. After the first note, use the shortened form. Chicago 18 prefers shortened notes to “ibid.” (CMOS 13.37).
Pages move or disappear, so see link rot in citations for what to record alongside the URL. For other source types, how to cite from a book and the overview of citation styles and referencing formats are good next steps.
Style-guide edition
This page follows The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition (2024), the current edition, as described in Purdue OWL’s Chicago 18 web sources page, Widener University Library’s Chicago 18 guide and the Manual’s own “What’s New” page (all listed under Sources, checked 2026-10-29). The notes-bibliography system described here is the one used in much humanities writing; the author-date system uses different patterns that this page does not cover.
FAQ
How do you cite a website in Chicago style?
Give the author (if any), the page title in quotation marks, the website title, the publisher, the publication or revision date (or the access date if there is none), and the URL. Use the format in a footnote, then shorten it for later notes.
Do I need a bibliography entry for a web page?
Not usually. Widener’s guide says web pages are normally handled in a note or in the text. If you do list one, include the URL.
What if the page has no date or no author?
With no date, use the access date. With no personal author, begin with the page title or the organization. A bibliography entry with neither author nor publisher is alphabetized by the first non-article word of the title.
Is this the Chicago 17 or Chicago 18 format?
Chicago 18 (2024) is the current edition and the one used here. For notes with more than two authors, the 18th edition gives the first author followed by et al.
Sources
- Purdue Online Writing Lab, “Chicago Manual of Style 18th Edition: Web Sources,” https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_18th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/web_sources.html, checked 2026-10-29.
- Widener University Library, “Chicago 18: How to Cite,” https://widener.libguides.com/Chicago18/examples, checked 2026-10-29.
- The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition, “What’s New,” https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/help-tools/what-s-new.html, checked 2026-10-29.
