Patent: how to cite in APA (7th ed.)?

Create a spot-on reference in APA 7 and 6

Select a source type:

Book Website Journal article Video (online)

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Basic rules

To cite a patent in a list of references according to the requirements of APA Style (7th edition), one should provide the following data in the reference: last name(s) and initials of the author(s) of the patent, year when the patent was issued, title of the patent, country where the patent is registered and its registration number, as well as title of the institution that delivered the patent. Also, provide the URL for a patent accessed online.

How to cite in a bibliography

Basic reference template:

Author(s). (Year). Patent Title (Country patent No. patent number). Institution. URL

Examples of references

Friel, F. M., Ting-Jenulis, A. G., Tabakman, T. R., & Castro, J. R. (2010). Mascara compositions and method for treating lashes (Australian Patent No. AU 2010235065 B2). Australian Patent Office. https://patents.google.com/patent/AU2010235065B2

Kukkonen, P., Knuuttila, P., & Jokela, P. (2020). Waste water treatment from a biomass-to-liquid process comprising synthesis gas production and integrated factory facility (U.S. Patent No. US 8,591,737 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patents.google.com/patent/US8591737B2