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
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