Section Symbol (§): How to Type, Copy, and Use It
The section symbol, §, is the double-S mark used to point at a numbered section of a document — § 5 means “section 5.” It’s everywhere in legal writing, contracts, and academic citations, and it’s the single most-typed symbol in German law. It isn’t on an English keyboard, so most people copy it or use a shortcut. This page has both, plus how to cite with it properly and where it came from.
If you just need the mark, copy § (or the paragraph sign ¶) from the grid below. If you want the shortcuts and the citation rules, the sections below cover both.
In a hurry?
- Copy it: click § in the grid below.
- On Windows: hold Alt and type 0167.
- On a Mac: press Option + 6.
- In Word: type 00A7 then press Alt + X.
- In HTML: write § (or §).
Table of Contents
Copy and paste the section symbol
The section sign and the paragraph sign beside it, with the codes you’re likely to need. Use the grid above to copy with one click; this table is the reference.
| Symbol | Name | Unicode | Windows | Mac | HTML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| § | section sign | U+00A7 | Alt + 0167 | Option + 6 | § |
| ¶ | pilcrow | U+00B6 | Alt + 0182 | Option + 7 | ¶ |
Neither is on a standard keyboard, so each takes a shortcut, a code, or a copy. The sections below cover each device, then how to use § in a citation and where it came from.
How to type the section symbol on any device
Type § on Windows
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, and type 0167 on the numeric keypad for §. On a laptop with no keypad, press Windows + . for the emoji and symbol panel and search “section.”
Type § on Mac
On a Mac, press Option + 6 for §. It’s a single shortcut with no dead-key step. The paragraph sign ¶ is right next door at Option + 7, which is handy since the two often appear together.
Type § on iPhone and Android
Open the symbols keyboard (the 123 then #+= keys) and § is on the symbols screen; on some keyboards it’s a long-press on the & or ¶ key. If you can’t find it, search the emoji and symbol keyboard, or copy it from the grid above.
Type § in Microsoft Word
Type 00A7 then press Alt + X to convert the code into §. Or use Insert → Symbol, where § sits among the common punctuation. The Windows Alt code, Alt + 0167, also works, and Word’s Insert → Cross-reference can insert a live § reference to a numbered heading.
Type § on Linux
Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a7, then Enter. Many European keyboard layouts also have § as a dedicated or Alt Gr key.
Add § in HTML and CSS
In HTML, § is § or the numeric § (¶ is ¶). In CSS, a § in a content value is the escaped code point \00A7.
The silcrow: the section sign’s name and origin
The § has a proper name that almost nobody uses: the silcrow. (Its neighbour ¶ is the pilcrow, and “silcrow” was coined to rhyme with it.) It’s also just called the section sign, and in some fields the signum sectionis.
Its shape has a tidy origin: it’s widely held to have grown from two overlapping S’s — for the Latin signum sectionis, “sign of a section,” or from a doubled s standing for Satz or sectio. Look at § and you can see the two curves of the letter s stacked into one mark. So the symbol is essentially an SS monogram that has been standing in for the word “section” for centuries.
How to cite a section: § vs §§
Here’s the rule that legal and academic writers rely on and that general guides never mention: a single § means “section” (singular), and a double §§ means “sections” (plural). So § 7 is “section 7,” while §§ 7–9 is “sections 7 through 9.” Doubling the sign is how you pluralise it.
| You write | It means |
|---|---|
| § 5 | section 5 |
| §§ 5, 8 | sections 5 and 8 |
| §§ 10–12 | sections 10 to 12 |
A couple of style points: most guides put a space between the sign and the number (§ 5, not §5), and if a sentence starts with the reference, you spell out “Section” rather than leading with the symbol. Citation styles differ in the details, so this is general guidance rather than legal advice — check the specific style guide (Bluebook, your court’s rules, a house style) for anything that has to be exact.
§ in German: the most-used symbol in German law
If the § feels rare in English, it’s the opposite in German, where it’s woven into everyday legal and official language. German statutes are organised into Paragraphen, and each is cited with the sign: § 823 BGB (a famous provision of the civil code), § 1 StGB, and so on. Lawyers, officials, and even journalists type § constantly.
That’s why the German keyboard has § built in — it sits on Shift + 3, right where a US keyboard puts the hash (#). So a German typist reaches the section sign as easily as an English typist reaches #. It’s a neat illustration of how keyboards reflect what a language actually needs: the symbols a culture uses most get the prime keys. In German the word for the sign is simply Paragraph, which is why a German “paragraph” often means what English would call a “section.”
§ vs ¶: section sign versus pilcrow
The § and the ¶ (pilcrow) are a matched pair that get mixed up. The § marks a numbered section of a law or document; the ¶ marks a paragraph. In legal citation you’ll see both — § for the section, ¶ for a specific paragraph within it — so § 5, ¶ 2 points to “section 5, paragraph 2.”
| Symbol | Name | Points to |
|---|---|---|
| § | section sign | a numbered section |
| ¶ | pilcrow | a paragraph |
There’s one more place you’ll meet the pilcrow: in Microsoft Word, the ¶ button turns on formatting marks, showing a ¶ at the end of every paragraph and dots for spaces. That’s a display aid, not the citation mark — but it’s why many people recognise ¶ without knowing its name. For the record, that toggle is Ctrl + Shift + 8.
§ in code, URLs, and documents
In a URL, § is percent-encoded as %C2%A7 (its two UTF-8 bytes). You’ll actually see this in legal databases and government sites, where a link to a statute might read ...?section=%C2%A75. In code, the escape is \u00A7 in JavaScript, Java, JSON, and Python.
A handy detail for document work: because § so reliably marks the start of a section, it’s a good anchor for cross-references and search. Searching a long contract for “§” jumps you between sections; in Word, a numbered-heading cross-reference keeps your § references correct even when sections are renumbered. And if § ever shows as garbled characters or a box, the page is in the wrong encoding — serve it as UTF-8.
Copy-paste HTML codes
Every code for the section sign and the pilcrow in one place. Click a cell and copy.
| Symbol | Named entity | Numeric entity | URL (percent) code |
|---|---|---|---|
| § | § | § | %C2%A7 |
| ¶ | ¶ | ¶ | %C2%B6 |
In a CSS content value, use \00A7 for §. For typing symbols across platforms, see the [keyboard shortcuts for symbols](/keyboard-shortcuts-for-symbols/) hub, and for every Alt code the [symbol Alt codes list](/symbol-alt-codes-list/).
Troubleshooting
My § shows as a box or garbled text
That’s an encoding mismatch: the UTF-8 bytes for § are being read as an older encoding. Set the file, database, and page charset to UTF-8 and § displays correctly.
Should I write § 5 or §5?
Most style guides put a space between the sign and the number: § 5. Use §§ for a plural or a range (§§ 5–7). When a sentence begins with the reference, spell out “Section.”
Alt + 0167 isn’t working
Make sure Num Lock is on and you’re using the numeric keypad, not the top-row numbers. On a laptop without a keypad, use Windows + . and search “section,” or copy § from the grid above.
FAQ
How do I type the section symbol?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0167. On a Mac, press Option + 6. In Word, type 00A7 then Alt + X. In HTML, write §. Or click § in the grid above.
What does § mean?
It’s the section sign, used to point at a numbered section of a document: § 5 means “section 5.” It’s common in laws, contracts, and citations. A double §§ means “sections” (plural).
What’s the difference between § and §§?
A single § is “section” (singular); a double §§ is “sections” (plural). So § 7 is section 7, and §§ 7–9 is sections 7 through 9.
What is the section symbol called?
The section sign, or informally the silcrow (coined to rhyme with pilcrow, its paragraph-mark neighbour ¶). Its shape is thought to come from two overlapping S’s for the Latin signum sectionis.
How do I write § in HTML?
Use § or §. In a URL, § is percent-encoded as %C2%A7.
