Citing a press release in APA format isn’t hard once you know the rules, but the rules are specific enough that most people get them wrong the first time. This post is the clean reference for how to do it correctly in APA 7th edition.
The basic format
APA 7 treats press releases as documents from the issuing organization, not as news articles. The general format:
Organization Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of press release in italics [Press release]. URL
Each piece:
- Organization Name. The group issuing the release, not an individual author unless one is explicitly credited.
- (Year, Month Day). Full date in parentheses, with the month spelled out.
- Title in italics. The headline of the release, in sentence case, italicized.
- [Press release]. In square brackets, with a capital P and lowercase r, not italicized.
- URL. The direct URL to the release, if available.
No period after the URL in APA 7.
Examples
Example 1: Press release from a company website
Reference list entry:
Tesla, Inc. (2026, March 15). Tesla reports record Q1 2026 deliveries [Press release]. https://www.tesla.com/press/q1-2026-deliveries
In-text citation:
- Parenthetical: (Tesla, Inc., 2026)
- Narrative: Tesla, Inc. (2026) reported…
Example 2: Press release from a government agency
Reference list entry:
U.S. Department of Justice. (2026, February 8). Justice Department announces antitrust case against major tech firm [Press release]. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-antitrust-case
In-text citation:
- Parenthetical: (U.S. Department of Justice, 2026)
- Narrative: The U.S. Department of Justice (2026) announced…
Note: For government sources, use the full agency name in the reference list. In-text, you can abbreviate after the first mention: (U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ], 2026), then (DOJ, 2026) afterward.
Example 3: Press release from a nonprofit
Reference list entry:
American Cancer Society. (2026, January 22). New research shows promising results for targeted therapy [Press release]. https://www.cancer.org/press/2026/targeted-therapy-research
In-text citation:
- Parenthetical: (American Cancer Society, 2026)
- Narrative: According to the American Cancer Society (2026)…
Example 4: Press release with a named author
Some press releases credit a specific author, usually a spokesperson or communications director. In that case, use the individual as author and include the organization in the publication information.
Reference list entry:
Chen, M. (2026, April 10). New product launches Q2 2026 [Press release]. Acme Corporation. https://www.acmecorp.com/press/q2-product-launches
In-text citation:
- Parenthetical: (Chen, 2026)
- Narrative: Chen (2026) announced…
This case is rare. Most press releases don’t credit individual authors, and the organization serves as the author.
Example 5: Press release distributed through a wire service
If you’re citing a release from a wire service like PR Newswire, Business Wire, or GlobeNewswire, the issuing organization remains the author. You can note the wire service in the URL or source field if helpful, but the organization is still the primary attribution.
Reference list entry:
Acme Corporation. (2026, March 30). Acme announces strategic partnership with Beta Industries [Press release]. PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acme-announces-strategic-partnership
Example 6: Press release retrieved from an archive or database
For releases found in academic databases or archives, include the database name if relevant, but the URL to the stable version is preferred.
Reference list entry:
Global Health Initiative. (2025, November 14). Annual report highlights progress on global vaccination goals [Press release]. https://www.globalhealthinitiative.org/press/annual-report-2025
Common mistakes
A few errors that show up in student papers and research drafts.
Using a news article citation format instead of a press release format
Press releases are not news articles. Don’t cite them as if they were. The key differences:
- Press releases don’t have “journal” or “publication” information in the same way.
- The [Press release] tag is specifically required in APA 7.
- The “author” is usually the issuing organization, not an individual reporter.
Forgetting the [Press release] tag
The square-bracketed tag is mandatory in APA 7. Without it, the citation doesn’t clearly signal that the source is a press release rather than another document type.
Mixing sentence case and title case
APA 7 uses sentence case for the title of the release in the reference list. Only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
- Correct: Tesla reports record Q1 2026 deliveries
- Wrong: Tesla Reports Record Q1 2026 Deliveries
Missing the date
If the date isn’t clear on the release, use (n.d.) for “no date.” But check carefully; most releases include a clear publication date somewhere in the document or URL.
Including personal contact info from the release
Don’t include the media contact information from the press release in your citation. That’s for reporters to use, not for academic sourcing.
Citing a press release when a better source exists
Press releases are primary sources, but they’re promotional primary sources. When citing research findings, look for the underlying study or paper rather than citing the press release that summarized it. Press releases are appropriate when the release itself is the subject (e.g., analyzing how a company framed an announcement), but not when you’re citing the substance of research a release describes.
When to cite a press release
Press releases are appropriate sources when:
- You’re analyzing an organization’s public statements or announcements.
- The release contains factual information (financial results, product launches, executive changes) not available elsewhere.
- You’re tracking corporate communications over time.
- The release is the primary document for a specific event.
Press releases are not appropriate when:
- You’re citing research findings; cite the original study instead.
- You’re citing news; cite a news article from a journalist who independently verified the information.
- You’re citing opinions or analysis; cite the expert or outlet that published them.
- The information in the release is marketing claims rather than verifiable facts.
Quick reference card
The core format one more time:
Organization Name. (Year, Month Day). Title in sentence case and italics [Press release]. URL
Key rules:
- Organization as author unless an individual is explicitly credited.
- Full date in parentheses.
- Title in sentence case, italicized.
- [Press release] in square brackets, capital P lowercase r, not italicized.
- URL at the end with no trailing period.
The bottom line
APA citation for press releases is straightforward once you know the format. The most common mistakes are leaving out the [Press release] tag, using title case instead of sentence case, and citing news articles as press releases. Follow the format above, double-check against the APA 7 style guide when in doubt, and your citations will pass any academic review.