Bylaws vs. By-laws
“Bylaw” is the standard closed spelling in current general English, with plural “bylaws.” Cambridge also records “by-law” and “bye-law” as mainly UK variants. Follow the spelling used by the governing document or house style when quoting a formal legal or organizational title.
Use “bylaw/bylaws” as a broadly standard spelling. “By-law/by-laws” is also established, especially in UK usage, so preserve an organization’s official spelling when relevant.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| general modern spelling for organizational rules | bylaw / bylaws | use the broadly standard closed form |
| established variant, especially in UK usage or official names | by-law / by-laws | preserve when required by regional or official style |
Quick tests
Official-spelling test
Are you reproducing the formal title or wording used by a specific organization?
If yes: Preserve that organization’s spelling, including “by-laws” if that is its official form.
If no: For ordinary general prose, “bylaw/bylaws” is a clear standard default.
Caveat: Treat this as a spelling/style choice, not a meaning difference.
Examples
The board amended its bylaws last year.
The closed form is a standard general spelling.
The association publishes its By-laws on its website.
An organization’s official document title can preserve the hyphenated spelling.
Use one spelling consistently unless a formal title requires another.
Consistency matters when both established forms are possible.
Further guidance
Default
For general prose, “bylaw” and “bylaws” are clear standard spellings.
Official Text
When referring to a named document or organization, preserve its official spelling rather than normalizing it silently.
Variant
“By-law” and plural “by-laws” remain established variants, especially in UK usage.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- bylaw (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Current dictionary evidence for bylaw and mainly UK by-law / bye-law variants