Drafting manuals and other resources

Many legislative drafting offices have drafting manuals and similar materials.

This page also gives links to other online resources (for example, videos of lectures or webinars related to legislation or legislative drafting).

Drafting manuals

Below are the drafting manuals that CALC is aware of. Further down this page is a table of other resources.

CALC is unable to provide recommendations about drafting manuals. Also, there may be other drafting manuals that CALC is not aware of. If you have information about other drafting manuals, please send details to K.Hannah@gov.je.

 

Jurisdiction

Office

Guide

Publication Date

Link

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

OPC’s drafting services: a guide for clients (5th ed)

December 2015

https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/opcs_drafting_services.pdf

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

OPC Drafting Manual (edition 3.1)

February 2016

https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/drafting_manual_1.pdf

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

Amending forms manual (13th ed)

December 2017

https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/amendingformsmanual_0.pdf

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

Plain English Manual

December 2013

https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/plain_english_0.pdf

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

Reducing complexity in legislation

June 2016

https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/reducingcomplexity_0.pdf

Australia

Commonwealth

Office of Parliamentary Counsel

Drafting Directions [a list of links to individual Drafting Directions]

Various

https://www.opc.gov.au/drafting-resources/drafting-directions [provides list of links to each Drafting Direction]

 

An index of Drafting Directions (as at 21 June 2018) can be found here: https://www.opc.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2056/f/s05pf324.v103.pdf

Australia

Australian Capital Territory

Parliamentary Counsel’s Office

Drafting Practice Guide

August 2018

http://www.pco.act.gov.au/library/Drafting%20Practice%20Guide.pdf

Australia

Australian Capital Territory

Parliamentary Counsel’s Office

Words and Phrases Guide: A Guide to Plain Legal Language

December 2016

http://www.pco.act.gov.au/library/Words%20and%20Phrases.pdf

Australia

Australian Capital Territory

Parliamentary Counsel’s Office

Amending Guide

August 2018

http://www.pco.act.gov.au/library/Amending_Guide.pdf

Australia

New South Wales

Parliamentary Counsel’s Office

Drafting practice documents [under 'PCO drafting practices' option]

Various

https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/help/legislation [under ‘PCO drafting practices’ tab]

Australia New South Wales Parliamentary Counsel's Office PCO Standard: A guide to drafting principles for NSW legislation May 2023 https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/file/PCO%20Standard%20-%209%20May%202023%20-%20v01.pdf

Australia

Queensland

Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel

Guidelines for Drafting Local Laws

April 2016

https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/file/Guidelines_Local_Laws.pdf

Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Advisory Board for Legislative Reform

Manual for Drafting Legislation (Technical Requirements and Style)

February 2006

http://legislativeconsulting.com/resources/manuals/Bosnia-Herzogovina_DraftingManual_2006.pdf

Canada

Federal

Department of Justice

Guide fédéral de jurilinguistique législative française

Various

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/legis-redact/juril/toc-tdm.asp [available only in French]

Canada

Federal

Department of Justice

Legistics

Various

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/legis-redact/legistics/toc-tdm.asp

China

Hong Kong (SAR)

Law Drafting Division, Department of Justice

Drafting Legislation in Hong Kong - A Guide to Styles & Practices

January 2012

https://www.doj.gov.hk/en/publications/pub20030011.html

Commonwealth

 

Commonwealth Secretariat

Commonwealth Legislative Drafting Manual [NB: Click "Read online". Can only be read online. Require login to download PDF version]

November 2017

https://books.thecommonwealth.org/commonwealth-legislative-drafting-manual-paperback

[NB: Click "Read online". Can only be read online. Require login to download PDF version]

European Union

 

 

Joint Practical Guide of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission for persons involved in the drafting of European Union legislation (2nd ed)

July 2013

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/content/techleg/EN-legislative-drafting-guide.pdf

Jersey

  Legislative Drafting Office Drafting Practice Manual 2018 https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Crime%20and%20justice/ID%20Drafting%20practice%20manual%20-%20version%201%20LS.pdf
Kenya   Kenya Law Reform Commission A Guide to the Legislative Process in Kenya 2015 https://ial-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/klrc-a-guide-to-the-le...
Nauru   Legislative Drafting Section of the
Department of Justice & Border Control
Legislative Drafting Manual 2015 https://ial-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Nauru-Drafting-Manual.pdf

New Zealand

 

Law Commission

Legislation Manual

May 1996

https://lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/projectAvailableFormats/NZLC%20R35.pdf

New Zealand

 

Parliamentary Counsel Office

Plain Language

 

http://www.pco.govt.nz/plain-language/

New Zealand

 

Legislation Design and Advisory Committee

Legislation Guidelines: 2018 edition

March 2018

http://www.ldac.org.nz/guidelines/legislation-guidelines-2018-edition/

Pacific Islands

  Pacific Islands Law Officers' Network (PILON) and Australian Attorney-General's Department Pacific Toolkit: From policy to legislation 2020 https://pilonsec.org/digital-library/pacific-toolkit/foreword/

Pakistan

 

  Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services

Legislative Drafting Manual - A Hand Book for Legislative Drafters

 

January 2019  Legislative Drafting Manual - A Hand Book for Legislative Drafters (2.23 MB).
Uganda   Uganda Capacity Building Project (UICBP) Manual for Guidance of Legislative Draftspersons in Uganda June 1996 http://ialorg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Uganda-drafting-ma...
United Kingdom   Cabinet Office Guide to Making Legislation February 2022 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1048567/guide-to-making-legislation-2022.pdf

United Kingdom

 

Office of the Parliamentary Counsel

Drafting Guidance

June 2020

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/892409/OPC_drafting_guidance_June_2020-1.pdf

United Kingdom

Various

Various

Guidance on Instructing: Common Legislative Solutions

March 2021

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-legislative-solutions-a-guide-to-tackling-recurring-policy-issues-in-legislation 

 

United Kingdom

 

United Kingdom The National Archives Statutory Instrument Practice 5th edition (November 2017) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/pdfs/StatutoryInstrumentPractice_5th_Edition.pdf

 

United Kingdom

 

United Kingdom OPC, Government Legal Department Guide to Gender-Neutral Drafting (2019) https://5bf0cd3a-5473-4313-b467-45d59f70140a.filesusr.com/ugd/5aa06e_455f1fc65087475fb85782a97d72dccf.pdf
United Kingdom

Scotland

Parliamentary Counsel Office

Drafting Matters

August 2016

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/drafting-matters/

United Kingdom

Wales

Office of the Legislative Counsel

Legislative Drafting Guidelines

January 2012

http://law.gov.wales/docs/lawwales/legislativedraftingguidelinesen.pdf

USA

Federal

House of Representatives Legislative Counsel

HOLC Guide to Legislative Drafting

 

http://legcounsel.house.gov/HOLC/Drafting_Legislation/Drafting_Guide.html

USA

Federal

House of Representatives Legislative Counsel

House Legislative Counsel’s Manual on Drafting Style

November 1995

http://legcounsel.house.gov/HOLC/Drafting_Legislation/draftstyle.pdf

USA

Federal

Office of the Legislative Counsel - United States Senate

Legislative Drafting Manual

February 1997

http://legislativeconsulting.com/resources/manuals/US-Senate_DraftingManual_1997.pdf

USA

Alabama

Alabama Legislative Services Agency

Drafting Style Manual

2017

http://lsa.alabama.gov/lrs/style_manual.aspx#

USA

Alaska

Legislative Affairs Agency

Manual of Legislative Drafting

2017

http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/docs/pdf/DraftingManual.pdf

USA

Arizona

Arizona Legislative Council

Arizona Legislative Bill Drafting Manual

2017-2018

http://www.azleg.gov/alisPDFs/council/2017-2018_bill_drafting_manual.pdf

USA

Arkansas

Bureau of Legislative Research

Legislative Drafting Manual

November 2010

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/bureau/legal/Publications/2010%20Legislative%20Drafting%20Manual.pdf

USA

Colorado

The Office of Legislative Legal Services

Colorado Legislative Drafting Manual

December 2017

https://leg.colorado.gov/publications/legislative-drafting-manual

USA

Connecticut

Legislative Commissioners’ Office

Manual for Drafting Regulations

January 2015

http://www.cga.ct.gov/lco/pdfs/Regulations_Drafting_Manual.pdf

USA

Connecticut

Legislative Commissioners’ Office

Basic Considerations in Drafting Legislation

October 2015

https://www.cga.ct.gov/lco/pdfs/Basic%20Considerations%20in%20Drafting%20Legislation.pdf

USA

Delaware

Legislative Council - Division of Research

Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual

January 2017

http://legis.delaware.gov/LawsOfDE/BillDraftingManual

USA

Florida

House Bill Drafting Service - House of Representatives

Guidelines for Drafting Legislation

2014

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Handlers/LeagisDocumentRetriever.ashx?Leaf=HouseContent/Lists/FP_Reference%20Materials/Attachments/9/full_document.pdf&Area=House

USA

Hawaii

Legislative Reference Bureau

Hawaii Legislative Drafting Manual (10th ed)

2012

http://lrbhawaii.info/reports/legrpts/lrb/2012/legdftman12.pdf

USA

Idaho

Legislative Services Office

Legislation Drafting Manual

 

https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/research/draftingmanual.pdf

USA

Illinois

Legislative Reference Bureau

Illinois Bill Drafting Manual

December 2012

http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/manual.pdf

USA

Indiana

Legislative Services Agency

Drafting Manual for the Indiana General Assembly

December 2012

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/publications/bill_drafting_manual/#document-ae6c0119

USA

Indiana

Legislative Services Agency

Administrative Rules Drafting Manual

May 2008

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/publications/rules/drafting_manual/

USA

Kentucky

Legislative Research Commission

Bill Drafting Manual

December 2011

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/lrcpubs/ib117.pdf

USA

Louisiana

House Legislative Services

Drafting Style and Usage Manual

November 2015

http://www.ncsl.org/Portals/1/Documents/relacs/manuals/2016LAHouseDraftingManual.pdf

USA

Maine

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

Maine Legislative Drafting Manual

October 2016

http://legislature.maine.gov/ros/publications/9173

USA

Maryland

Department of Legislative Services

Legislative Drafting Manual 2017

September 2016

http://dls.maryland.gov/pubs/prod/LegisBillDrafting/Drafting-Manual.pdf

USA

Massachusetts

Counsel to the Senate & Counsel to the House of Representatives

Legislative Research and Drafting Manual (5th ed)

2010

https://malegislature.gov/Content/Documents/General/LegislativeDraftingManual.pdf

USA

Minnesota

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

Minnesota Revisor’s Manual

2013

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/static/office/2013-Revisor-Manual.pdf

USA

Minnesota

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

Minnesota Rules Drafting manual

1997

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/static/office/1997_RuleDraftManual.pdf

USA

Missouri

Committee on Legislative Research

The Essentials of Bill Drafting in the Missouri General Assembly

October 2011

http://www.moga.mo.gov/rsmopdfs/BillDraftManual2011.pdf

USA

New Mexico

Legislative Council Service

Legislative Drafting Manual

September 2015

http://leg.mt.gov/content/Publications/2016_Bill_Drafting_Manual.pdf

USA

North Dakota

Legislative Council

North Dakota Legislative Drafting Manual

2017

http://www.legis.nd.gov/legislative-drafting-manual

USA

Ohio

Legislative Service Commission

Rule Drafting Manual (4th ed)

May 2006

https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/pages/reference/current/generalreference.aspx?active=idLegInform

USA

Oregon

Legislative Counsel Committee

Bill Drafting Manual (17th ed)

2014

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lc/PDFs/draftingmanual.pdf

USA

Oregon

Legislative Counsel Committee

Form and Style Manual for Legislative Measures

2017-2018 edition

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lc/PDFs/form-stylemanual.pdf

USA

Pennsylvania

Legislative Reference Bureau

Legislative Drafting Manual

 

https://www.pacode.com/secure/data/101/subpartICtoc.html

USA

Pennsylvania

Legislative Reference Bureau

Code & Bulletin Style Manual (5th ed)

2014

https://www.pacode.com/secure/StyleManual_5thEdition.pdf

USA

South Dakota

Legislative Research Council

Guide to Legislative Drafting

2016

http://sdlegislature.gov/docs/referencematerials/draftingmanual.pdf

USA

Tennessee

Office of Legal Services

Legislative Drafting Guide

2018

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/joint/staff/legal/2018%20Drafting%20Guide.pdf

USA

Texas

Texas Legislative Council

Drafting Manual (86th Legislature)

September 2018

https://tlc.texas.gov/docs/legref/draftingmanual-86.pdf

USA

Utah

 

Drafting Manual

December 2014

https://le.utah.gov/documents/LDM/draftingManual.html

USA

Washington

Office of the Code Reviser

Bill Drafting Guide 2017

2017

http://www.leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/Pages/bill_drafting_guide.aspx

USA

West Virginia

House Clerk’s Office, Legislative Services, Senate Clerk’s Office

Bill Drafting Manual

December 2017

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/code/Drafting_Manual.pdf

USA

Wisconsin

Wisconsin State Legislature

Bill Drafting Manual 2017-2018

 

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/drafting_manual/

 

 Other resources

Resource Link
Athabasca University - Webinars http://pbdld.athabascau.ca/openaccess/webinars.php
Hamlyn Lecture 2017 - Andrew Burrows - Statutory Interpretation https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-11-10-hamlyn-lecture-2017-andrew-burrows-statutory-interpretation

International Association of Legislation (IAL) Drafting Manuals webpage 

https://ial-online.org/around-the-world/legislative-drafting-rules/ 

Plain English articles - Michigan Bar Journal

https://www.michbar.org/generalinfo/plainenglish/home

Regulatory Institute - Handbook: How to Regulate? (2nd ed, 2021)

https://www.howtoregulate.org/the-handbook/

Australian Energy Market Commission - Rule drafting philosopy 

https://www.armchair.gov.au/news-centre/media--releases-approach-drafting-energy-rules

European Parliamentary Research Service -- How to stress-test EU policies - Building a more resilient Europe for tomorrow

 

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/da/document/EPRS_STU(2022)699474