Public Acts of Parliament
The House of Commons Information Office factsheet on Tracing Acts of Parliament (
PDF 233 KB) contains much general useful advice on identifying, citing and accessing Acts. Acts not mentioned in the list below are not available electronically. Printed versions will be available in large libraries and can be consulted at the Parliamentary Archives. Unprinted Acts are at the Parliamentary Archives. See the Parliamentary Archives FAQ for more information on finding Acts.
Text of Public Acts, 1628-1701
Statutes of the Realm at British History Online
Text of Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660
British History Online
Text of all Public Acts, 1988 to present, and Text of Acts currently in force in their current amended form
Legislation.gov.uk brings together the Acts formerly on OPSI and the Statute Law Database. Current statute law may also be available in law offices and law libraries via subscription online services such as JUSTIS.
Local and Private Acts of Parliament
Images of private and local Bills and Acts, 1695-1834
Various collections of private and local Bills and Acts at the subscription service House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, widely available in universities and other large reference libraries.
Images of printed Local and Personal Acts, 1799-1990 (some gaps)
Mostly available electronically, but not on Internet. Produced by the House of Commons Private Bill Office and available on CD at the Parliamentary Archives.
Text of Local Acts, 1991 to present
Legislation.gov.uk includes Local Acts from 1991, formerly on OPSI.
UK Statutory Instruments
Statutory Instruments (Statutory Rules and Orders before 1948) are a form of secondary or delegated legislation. For more information including Parliamentary procedure on SIs see the House of Commons Information Office factsheet on Statutory Instruments ( PDF 301 KB).
The annual volumes of national SIs, dating from 1891, will be available in large reference libraries and can be consulted at the Parliamentary Archives. See the Parliamentary Archives FAQ for more information on finding SIs.
Secondary legislation including regulations dating back to 1671 - present
Subscription only at JUSTIS - not free online. JUSTIS may be available in law libraries and law offices.
Text of Statutory Instruments 1987-present
Legislation.gov.uk includes SIs from 1987 formerly on OPSI.