How to Cite a Website in MLA Format

• Written by Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Reviewed by Lucas Street

• Published on 11/20/2023
• Updated on 02/07/2026

Most often, when citing something they read online, writers should cite that text (e.g., page, article, etc.) as a “short work on a website.” Citing an entire website on the other hand, becomes pertinent when referencing the site’s overall content or when the site’s material forms the basis of an argument or analysis. If the website itself is the primary source (again, not a particular page or article on that site), then citing the entire website is appropriate.

In this guide, we will explore how to cite websites in a way that’s clear and accurate. We’ll break down the important parts and show you how to create MLA citations that are precise and effective, no matter the type of website you’re referencing.

• Author’s Name: When you know the author of the webpage, start the citation with their name. Write it in the format of surname, first name. But if the author is unknown, begin the citation with the title of the website.
• Website Name (in Italics): Following the page title, include–in italics the name of the website. This emphasizes the larger source or platform where the particular content is found. It assists readers in recognizing the broader context of the information. Note that the website name is not the same as the URL. For example, if you were citing the entire TypeCite webpage, you would write TypeCite as the website name, NOT www.typecite.com.
• Publication Date: Displayed as Day Abbreviated Month Year (e.g., 21 Sep. 2025). If the date is missing or content may change, consider adding an access date at the end.
• URL: The citation ends with the URL, the direct web address for accessing the content. It’s listed without the “https://” part for reader convenience and (unless you need to include an access date) ends with a period to show that the citation has concluded.

WEBSITE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL AUTHOR

For websites with a specified author, the citation structure includes the author’s name, the title of the website in italics, the publication date, and the URL. 

Citation	Taylor, Kathryne. Cookie and Kate. 18 Jan. 2026, www.cookieandkate.com.
Structure	Author Surname, First Name. Title of the Website. Day Abbreviated Month Year, URL.

WEBSITE WITH TWO AUTHORS

Citation	Silver, Nate, and Eli McKown-Dawson. Silver Bullet. 18 Jan. 2026, www.natesilver.net.
Structure	Author 1 Surname, Author 1 First Name(s) or Initial(s), and Author 2 First Name(s) &/or Initial(s) Author 2 Surname. Title of the Website. Day Abbreviated Month Year, URL.

WEBSITE WITH THREE OR MORE AUTHORS

Citation	Jackon, Josh, et al. Paste. 18 Jan. 2026, www.pastemagazine.com.
Structure	Author 1 Surname, Author 1 First Name(s) or Initial(s), et al. Title of the Website. Day Abbreviated Month Year, URL.

CITING WEBSITES WITH NO AUTHOR OR GROUP OR ORGANIZATION AUTHOR

When a website is missing a specified author, or if there is a group or corporate author, then the citation should begin with the title of the website in italics, publisher (if available), followed by the publication date (if available), and the URL. 

Sometimes the only date available is the copyright year at the bottom of the website. If so, just use that.

Citation	BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, Inc., 2026, www.buzzfeed.com.
Structure	Title of the Website. Publisher, Year, URL.

CITING WEBSITES WITH NO DATE

For those rare websites that truly have no publication date, it’s essential to include an access date at the end of citation to indicate when you accessed the content.

Citation	La Tomatina. www.latomatina.com. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
Structure	Title of the Website. URL. Accessed Day Abbreviated Month Year.

WEBSITE WITH DIFFERENT PUBLISHER

Sometimes, a website may have a different publisher than the overall site. In such cases, include details of the specific website, such as the contributor (if available), the title in italics, the publication date (if available), the publisher, and the URL.

Citation	Mental Floss. Minute Media, 2026, www.mentalfloss.com.
Structure	Title of the Website. Publisher, Year, URL.

Abbreviate all months longer than four letters. For instance, January becomes Jan, February becomes Feb, and so on. Do not abbreviate the months of May, June, and July. Websites can undergo changes, and URLs may be updated as time goes on. Ensure that the URL you provide is accurate and functional. Ensure uniformity in your citations. Use the same format for elements like author names, publication dates, and titles throughout your bibliography. When formatting your Works Cited page, employ hanging indents. The first line of each entry should be flush with the left margin, and subsequent lines indented.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to accurately citing any website you come across.