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Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) Classification System

The Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) classification system uses letters and numbers to organize publications produced by the U.S. government and its agencies. Documents are organized by originating agency, type of document and, occasionally, year of publication.

Here is an explanation of a sample SuDocs classification number. The document is a yearbook from the Department of Agriculture published in 1985.

A 1.10:985

A 1.10 indicates agency/type of document
: Separates agency/publication information
985 indicates 1985 publishing date

The following is a list of the more commonly used agency stems:

AE 2 -- Federal Register Office (National Archives and Records Administration)
C 3 -- Census Bureau (Commerce Department)
D -- Defense Department
E -- Energy Department
ED 1 -- Education Department
EP 1 -- Environmental Protection Agency
GA -- General Accounting Office HE -- Health and Human Services Department I 19 -- U.S. Geological Survey (Interior Department)
J -- Justice Department
L -- Labor Department
NAS -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
PrEx -- Executive Office of the President
S -- State Department SBA -- Small Business Administration
T 22 -- Internal Revenue Service (Treasury Department)
VA -- Department of Veterans' Affairs
X, Y -- Congress