The 5th edition of OSCOLA was published on 25 March 2026, the first new edition since 2012. Most of it refines the 4th edition, but a few changes affect almost every essay you write.
1. Goodbye, ibid
The biggest change: ibid is no longer used. Every later reference, even to the source in the footnote just before, now takes a cross-reference, such as Goudkamp (n 2). Latin "gadgets" such as supra and op cit are still out, while "indicators" such as eg and see are fine.
2. Permalinks over plain web addresses
For online sources, OSCOLA now prefers a DOI or a permanent link (it points to perma.cc) over an ordinary URL. Use one and you no longer need an "accessed" date.
3. eBooks, podcasts and lectures
No page numbers in your eBook? Pinpoint with "text to n 16" (the text before footnote 16) or a chapter or section heading. Podcasts and videos are pinpointed with timestamps. Lectures and speeches now have their own guidance.
4. Generative AI
There is now a format for citing AI output, with your prompt in place of a title. But a format is not a licence: an AI answer is not legal authority. Cite the cases and legislation themselves.
5. Smaller tweaks
Thesis titles are now in italics rather than quotation marks, newspapers no longer need a place of publication, and there is new guidance on retained EU legislation and on bills in the Senedd and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Check which edition your university requires. Many will move to the 5th edition, but some modules may still accept the 4th. Want help applying it consistently? Get in touch.
Source: Cameron Giles, ‘Citation, legal education and The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (5th edn)’ (2026) The Law Teacher <https://doi.org/10.1080/03069400.2026.2677442>.