Components

Identifier

The identifier communicates a site’s parent agency and displays agency links required by federal laws and policies.

About the identifier component

Note: Identifier is a core component along with the banner component. We recommend using both core components on most sites. Together, they are the most recognizable and standardized design elements of a government site.

Default

Looking for U.S. government information and services?

Visit USA.gov

Default (Spanish)

¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?

Visite USA.gov en Español

Multiple parents and logos

Looking for U.S. government information and services?

Visit USA.gov

Multiple parents and logos (Spanish)

¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?

Visite USA.gov en Español

No logos

Looking for U.S. government information and services?

Visit USA.gov

Taxpayer disclaimer

Looking for U.S. government information and services?

Visit USA.gov

Taxpayer disclaimer (Spanish)

¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?

Visite USA.gov en Español

Default

  
  
    
      
        
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          An official website of the
          <Parent agency>
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          About <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Accessibility statement
        
        
          FOIA requests
        
        
          No FEAR Act data
        
        
          Office of the Inspector General
        
        
          Performance reports
        
        
          Privacy policy
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        Looking for U.S. government information and services?
      
      Visit USA.gov
    
  




Default (Spanish)

  
  
    
      
        
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          Un sitio web oficial de <Parent agency>
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          Acerca de <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Declaración de accesibilidad
        
        
          Solicitud a través de FOIA
        
        
          Datos de la ley No FEAR
        
        
          Oficina del Inspector General
        
        
          Informes de desempeño
        
        
          Política de privacidad
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        ¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?
      
      Visite USA.gov en Español
    
  




Multiple parents and logos

  
  
    
      
         
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          An official website of the
          <Parent agency> and the
          <Other agency>
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          About <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Accessibility statement
        
        
          FOIA requests
        
        
          No FEAR Act data
        
        
          Office of the Inspector General
        
        
          Performance reports
        
        
          Privacy policy
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        Looking for U.S. government information and services?
      
      Visit USA.gov
    
  




Multiple parents and logos (Spanish)

  
  
    
      
         
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          Un sitio web oficial de <Parent agency> y
          <Other agency>
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          Acerca de <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Declaración de accesibilidad
        
        
          Solicitud a través de FOIA
        
        
          Datos de la ley No FEAR
        
        
          Oficina del Inspector General
        
        
          Informes de desempeño
        
        
          Política de privacidad
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        ¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?
      
      Visite USA.gov en Español
    
  




No logos

  
  
    
      
        domain.gov
        
          An official website of the
          <Parent agency>
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          About <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Accessibility statement
        
        
          FOIA requests
        
        
          No FEAR Act data
        
        
          Office of the Inspector General
        
        
          Performance reports
        
        
          Privacy policy
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        Looking for U.S. government information and services?
      
      Visit USA.gov
    
  




Taxpayer disclaimer

  
  
    
      
        
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          An official website of the
          <Parent agency> . Produced and published at
          taxpayer expense.
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          About <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Accessibility statement
        
        
          FOIA requests
        
        
          No FEAR Act data
        
        
          Office of the Inspector General
        
        
          Performance reports
        
        
          Privacy policy
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        Looking for U.S. government information and services?
      
      Visit USA.gov
    
  




Taxpayer disclaimer (Spanish)

  
  
    
      
        
      
      
        domain.gov
        
          Un sitio web oficial de <Parent agency> .
          Producido y publicado con dinero de los contribuyentes de impuestos.
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        
          Acerca de <Parent shortname>
        
        
          Declaración de accesibilidad
        
        
          Solicitud a través de FOIA
        
        
          Datos de la ley No FEAR
        
        
          Oficina del Inspector General
        
        
          Informes de desempeño
        
        
          Política de privacidad
        
      
    
  
  
    
      
        ¿Necesita información y servicios del Gobierno?
      
      Visite USA.gov en Español

 class="site-preview-heading">Default

   class="usa-identifier">
  
    class="usa-identifier__section usa-identifier__section--masthead"
    aria-label="Agency identifier,"
  >
     class="usa-identifier__container">
       class="usa-identifier__logos">
         href="" class="usa-identifier__logo"
          >
            class="usa-identifier__logo-img"
            src="/assets/img/circle-gray-20.svg"
            alt="<Parent agency> logo"
            role="img"
        />


      
        class="usa-identifier__identity"
        aria-label="Agency description,"
      >
         class="usa-identifier__identity-domain">domain.gov
         class="usa-identifier__identity-disclaimer">
           aria-hidden="true">An official website of the
           href=""><Parent agency>


  
  
    class="usa-identifier__section usa-identifier__section--required-links"
    aria-label="Important links,"
  >
     class="usa-identifier__container">
       class="usa-identifier__required-links-list">
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
          
            href="javascript:void(0)"
            class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >About <Parent shortname>
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >Accessibility statement
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >FOIA requests
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >No FEAR Act data
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >Office of the Inspector General
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >Performance reports
          >
        
         class="usa-identifier__required-links-item">
           href="" class="usa-identifier__required-link usa-link"
            >Privacy policy
          >


  
  
    class="usa-identifier__section usa-identifier__section--usagov"
    aria-label="U.S. government information and services,"
  >
     class="usa-identifier__container">
       class="usa-identifier__usagov-description">
        Looking for U.S. government information and services?


       href="https://www.usa.gov/" class="usa-link">Visit USA.gov

Guidance

To identify a site’s parent agency. The identifier is a complement to the USWDS banner. Use the identifier to tell users what agency is responsible for your website.
To display links required by federal laws and policies. The identifier includes links required on all government sites.

Any time it would be misleading. The identifier should be used to reduce confusion. Avoid using the identifier on any site meant only for testing or otherwise not meant to be identified as an official government website.
Redundant content. Don’t add the identifier without removing any duplicate links from your existing site footer. Favor the common links and content in the identifier over any equivalent content in your site footer.

Use the identifier component for required links. If your site already includes the federally required links in its site footer, remove them in favor of the links in the identifier. This assures that site visitors find the required links in a consistent location from site to site.
Display the parent agency logo, not the product logo. The identifier is meant to identify a website’s parent agency as a complement to the site footer. Site-specific logos, like a product logo, should be in the site footer, not the identifier.
Display multiple parents and logos in hierarchical order. If a site has more than one parent agency, you may display a reference and a logo for each parent in hierarchical order, highest first. For example, “An official website of [Grandparent Department] and [Parent Agency]”.
Avoid distraction. The identifier appears on every page of your site. Choose background colors that fit with your site theme and avoid color combinations that draw excessive attention to the identifier.
Keep the text up-to-date. Use the most current version of the identifier.

Use proper landmarks for each identifier section. Each identifier section should be either a section or a nav, and include an appropriate aria-label property.
Add an alt attribute to each logo image. Use [Agency shortname] logo as the alt text for each logo image you add.
Use image role for any SVG images. Use role="img" with any SVG logo image.

Except where noted, use the entire component without deletions or additions. With rare exceptions, if you use the identifier, include the entire identifier. That is, don’t delete sections or required links or change any link text beyond the customizations mentioned in the implementation section.
Use a background color darker than that of the footer. Anchor the identifier to the bottom of the page and distinguish it from other site content by adding a background color that is darker than the footer. Use primary or base family background colors of grade 80 or higher, or black.
Use an SVG logo if possible. Ensure the logo is high resolution. We recommend using the SVG version of any logo if you have one. Otherwise, use an image that’s at least 120 pixels tall.
Use logos intended for dark backgrounds if possible. The identifier has a dark background. If your agency has a version of its logo intended for dark backgrounds, use that version.
Update the required links to point to the proper URLs. The identifier includes links required of any federal website, and these links are specific to a department, agency, or website. We’ve linked each section below to the guidance on Digital.gov to provide further context.
- About [Official parent agency acronym]: Update the link text to include the department of agency’s official acronym. Link to the “About” page of your parent agency’s principal website. If your site includes multiple parents, include only the organization highest in the hierarchy in this link.
  
  Example: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us
- Accessibility statement: Link to your website or service’s accessibility statement, or to your agency’s accessibility statement if your website or service does not have its own.
  
  Example: https://www.dhs.gov/accessibility
- FOIA requests: Link to a page that includes information about how the public can request information under the Freedom of Information Act on your parent agency’s principal website.
  
  Example: https://www.gsa.gov/reference/freedom-of-information-act-foia
- No FEAR Act data: Link to the “Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the No Fear Act” page on your parent agency’s principal website.
  
  Example: https://www.gsa.gov/reference/civil-rights-programs/notification-and-federal-employee-antidiscrimination-and-retaliation-act-of-2002
- Office of the Inspector General: Link to your parent agency’s Office of the Inspector General.
  
  Example: https://www.gsaig.gov
- Performance reports: Link to a “Budget and Performance” page that includes the agency’s strategic plan among other financial and performance documentation.
  
  Example: https://www.gsa.gov/reference/reports/budget-performance
- Privacy policy: Link to the “Privacy” page most specific to your website. For example, if both your product website and your parent agency’s principal website have privacy pages, link to your product website’s privacy page here.
  
  Example: https://www.dhs.gov/privacy-policy
Use the Spanish version for Spanish-language sites. If you have an official Spanish-language website, use the Spanish version of the identifier.
Duplicate the logo element if using multiple logos. If you’re using multiple logos, duplicate the usa-identifier__logo element and link the image to your image source.
If applicable, include any taxpayer disclaimer after the standard text. If the organization must provide a taxpayer expense disclaimer, include it following the “Official website” text, as a separate sentence. For example, “An official website of [Department]. Produced and published at taxpayer expense.”

Variable	Description
`$theme-identifier-background-color`	The background color of the identifier. Use a color of grade 80 or higher, darker than the section that precedes it.
`$theme-identifier-font-family`	The font family of the identifier.
`$theme-identifier-identity-domain-color`	The color of your domain text in the identifier masthead. This should be grade 20-30 in the same family as the `$theme-identifier-background-color`.
`$theme-identifier-max-width`	The maximum width of the content within the identifier. Use the same max-width as your site footer.
`$theme-identifier-primary-link-color`	The color of the links in the masthead section. `Default` uses either the standard or reverse link color set with `$theme-link-color` and `$theme-link-reverse-color`.
`$theme-identifier-secondary-link-color`	The color of the links in the required links section. This should be grade 20-30 in a `gray` family.

This component has no variants.

Latest updates

Meaningful code and guidance updates are listed in the following table:

Date	USWDS version	Affects	Breaking	Description
2024-05-31	3.8.1	Content Guidance	No	Fixed a bug that mistakenly added the English word “An” to Spanish variants in the component preview. More information: uswds#5857
2023-11-09	3.7.0	Accessibility Markup	No	Updated the screen reader readout in English versions of the component. When read out on a screen reader, the statement “An official website of [Agency name]” can sound like “UNofficial website of [Agency name]”. Users should update their markup to improve the screen reader experience. More information: uswds#5491
2023-06-09	3.5.0	Content	Breaking	Breaking Updated Accessibility statement link text. Updated the identifier to use the text “Accessibility statement” (EN) / “Declaración de accesibilidad” (ES) for the required link to an accessibility statement. More information: uswds#5278
2023-06-09	3.5.0	Guidance	No	Updated Accessibility statement link guidance. Updated and clarified the identifier guidance for accessibility statements. We also improved the accessibility statement example links. More information: uswds-site#2097
2022-10-19	3.2.0	Accessibility Markup	Breaking	Breaking Used valid element for identity’s aria-label. We updated the identity section of the identifier to use a `section` instead of a `div` so its `aria-label` will apply to a valid element. More information: uswds#4964
2022-04-28	3.0.0	Assets JavaScript Styles	Breaking	Breaking Updated to Sass module syntax and new package structure. More information: uswds#4656
2021-03-17	N/A	Guidance	No	Added identifier guidance and documentation. More information: uswds-site#1180

Date

USWDS version

Affects

Breaking

Description

2024-05-31

3.8.1

Content
Guidance

Fixed a bug that mistakenly added the English word “An” to Spanish variants in the component preview. More information: uswds#5857

2023-11-09

3.7.0

Accessibility
Markup

Updated the screen reader readout in English versions of the component. When read out on a screen reader, the statement “An official website of [Agency name]” can sound like “UNofficial website of [Agency name]”. Users should update their markup to improve the screen reader experience. More information: uswds#5491

2023-06-09

3.5.0

Content

Breaking

Breaking Updated Accessibility statement link text. Updated the identifier to use the text “Accessibility statement” (EN) / “Declaración de accesibilidad” (ES) for the required link to an accessibility statement. More information: uswds#5278

2023-06-09

3.5.0

Guidance

Updated Accessibility statement link guidance. Updated and clarified the identifier guidance for accessibility statements. We also improved the accessibility statement example links. More information: uswds-site#2097

2022-10-19

3.2.0

Accessibility
Markup

Breaking

Breaking Used valid element for identity’s aria-label. We updated the identity section of the identifier to use a section instead of a div so its aria-label will apply to a valid element. More information: uswds#4964

2022-04-28

3.0.0

Assets
JavaScript
Styles

Breaking

Breaking Updated to Sass module syntax and new package structure. More information: uswds#4656

2021-03-17

N/A

Guidance

Added identifier guidance and documentation. More information: uswds-site#1180

Identifier

About the identifier component

Default

Default (Spanish)

Multiple parents and logos

Multiple parents and logos (Spanish)

No logos

Taxpayer disclaimer

Taxpayer disclaimer (Spanish)

Guidance

When to use the identifier component

When to consider something else

Usability guidance

Accessibility guidance

Using the identifier component

Identifier settings

Identifier variants

Package

Latest updates

Have an idea or an issue?

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Get support

About the identifier component

Component preview

Default

Default (Spanish)

Multiple parents and logos

Multiple parents and logos (Spanish)

No logos

Taxpayer disclaimer

Taxpayer disclaimer (Spanish)

Component code

Default

Default (Spanish)

Multiple parents and logos

Multiple parents and logos (Spanish)

No logos

Taxpayer disclaimer

Taxpayer disclaimer (Spanish)

Guidance

When to use the identifier component

When to consider something else

Usability guidance

Accessibility guidance

Using the identifier component

Identifier settings

Identifier variants

Package

Latest updates