How to Cite a Website in MLA Format
If you need to cite a website in MLA format, the exact citation depends on the information available on the page. A webpage may have an individual author, an organization as the author, no listed author, or no publication date.
The easiest way to create an MLA website citation is to identify the available information and place it in the appropriate order.
A typical MLA website citation may include:
Author. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Publisher, Publication Date, URL.
Not every website will contain every element. MLA citations are built around the information that is actually available for the source.
MLA Website Citation Format
A common format for citing a webpage in MLA is:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.
MLA Website Citation Example
Smith, Jordan. “How Renewable Energy Is Changing Cities.” Green Future, 12 May 2026, www.greenfuture.org/renewable-energy-cities.
The exact details of a citation can change depending on the source. For example, the author and publisher may be omitted when they are unavailable or unnecessary.
How to Cite a Website With an Author in MLA
When a webpage lists an individual author, begin the Works Cited entry with the author's name.
Format
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Page.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example
Johnson, Maria. “The Future of Online Learning.” Education Today, 4 Apr. 2026, www.educationtoday.org/future-online-learning.
MLA In-Text Citation
If the author's name is not already mentioned in your sentence, use the author's last name:
Online learning continues to change how students access education (Johnson).
If you mention the author in the sentence, you usually do not need to repeat the name in parentheses:
Johnson explains that online learning continues to change how students access education.
The goal of the in-text citation is to direct readers to the matching entry in your Works Cited list.
For a complete explanation of parenthetical citations, see the MLA In-Text Citation Guide on CiteHelp.
How to Cite a Website With No Author in MLA
Many webpages do not list an individual author. In that situation, begin the Works Cited entry with the title of the webpage.
Format
“Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example
“Understanding Climate Change.” Environmental Research Center, 18 Feb. 2026, www.environmentalresearch.org/climate-change.
For the in-text citation, use a shortened version of the title when necessary:
Climate change can affect ecosystems in different ways (“Understanding Climate Change”).
If the organization responsible for the information is clear, you may also be able to identify the organization in your prose. The best approach depends on how responsibility for the content is presented by the source.
How to Cite a Website With an Organization as the Author
Sometimes a government agency, university, nonprofit organization, company, or other institution is responsible for the content.
In that case, use the organization as the author when it is clearly responsible for the information.
Format
Organization Name. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example
National Science Organization. “Protecting Coastal Ecosystems.” National Science Organization, 10 Jan. 2026, www.nationalscience.org/coastal-ecosystems.
If the author and website name are the same, do not unnecessarily repeat identical information.
How to Cite a Website With No Publication Date
Do not invent or guess a publication date.
If no date is available, include the other relevant citation elements.
Example
Patel, Rina. “How Urban Gardens Support Local Communities.” City Living, www.cityliving.org/urban-gardens.
Depending on the circumstances and your instructor's requirements, an access date may also be useful, particularly when the content is likely to change.
How to Cite a Website With No Author and No Date
When both the author and publication date are unavailable, start with the title of the page.
Format
“Title of Web Page.” Website Name, URL.
Example
“Preparing for Your First College Interview.” Student Success Hub, www.studentsuccesshub.org/college-interview.
In your paper, use a shortened title when an in-text citation is necessary:
Preparation can make an interview less stressful (“Preparing for Your First”).
How to Cite a Blog Post in MLA
A blog post is usually cited using the same general approach as other webpages.
Format
Author. “Title of Blog Post.” Name of Blog or Website, Day Month Year, URL.
Example
Williams, David. “Why Small Habits Matter.” Better Study Blog, 7 Mar. 2026, www.betterstudy.org/small-habits.
The important step is identifying the source correctly. Do not assume that every page published online should be cited using exactly the same template. An online journal article, blog post, government report, and webpage can contain different citation elements.
For more examples, see CiteHelp's MLA Journal Article Citation Guide and How to Cite a PDF in MLA Format.
How to Cite a Government Website in MLA
Government sources can often list a government department or agency as the author.
Example
Department of Public Health. “Water Safety Guidelines.” Government Information Portal, 15 June 2026, www.example.gov/water-safety.
Always check the page carefully. The government department that publishes the information may be different from the broader website where the page appears.
How to Cite an Online Article in MLA
If you are citing an article published on a news or media website, identify:
- The article author
- The title of the article
- The name of the publication or website
- The publication date
- The URL
Example
Brown, Alex. “Cities Continue to Expand Public Transportation.” The Daily Report, 2 July 2026, www.dailyreport.org/public-transportation.
Do not cite the entire website when your research uses one specific article unless the entire website itself is the source you are discussing.
How to Cite a Website in MLA In-Text
Your MLA in-text citation should correspond with the first element of the Works Cited entry.
If the Works Cited entry begins with the author's name:
(Johnson)
If it begins with the title of the source:
(“Understanding Climate Change”)
The citation should give readers enough information to locate the matching entry in your Works Cited list.
A webpage usually does not have page numbers. If no relevant page, paragraph, or other location marker is available, do not create one.
Common MLA Website Citation Mistakes
1. Inventing missing information
Do not create an author, date, or publisher that does not appear in the source.
2. Citing the homepage instead of the specific page
If you used a specific article or webpage, cite that source whenever possible.
3. Repeating identical information unnecessarily
MLA citations should provide useful information without duplicating identical author and container details when they serve the same function.
4. Using the full URL in the in-text citation
The URL normally belongs in the Works Cited entry, not in the parenthetical citation.
5. Forgetting to connect the in-text citation to the Works Cited entry
Every in-text citation should help readers find the correct source in the Works Cited list.
Frequently Asked Questions About MLA Website Citations
Do I need to include https:// in an MLA citation?
Follow your institution's requirements and the citation guidance you are using. MLA examples commonly present URLs without the protocol.
What if a website has no author?
Begin the citation with the title of the webpage unless another organization is clearly responsible for the content.
What if there is no publication date?
Use the citation elements that are available. Do not guess the date.
Do I cite the entire website or one page?
If you used a specific article or page, cite that specific source whenever possible.
How do I cite a website in MLA without page numbers?
Most webpages do not have page numbers. Use the author or title information needed to connect your in-text citation to the Works Cited entry.
If you are unsure how to format a source, use CiteHelp's MLA Citation Generator to create a citation and then review the source details before submitting your work.