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Federal Statute

5 U.S.C. § 553 — Rule making

Section 553 prescribes the basic notice-and-comment procedure that federal agencies must follow when making rules. It identifies the categories of rule making excluded from notice-and-comment, requires publication of a notice of proposed rule making in the Federal Register, requires the agency to give interested persons an opportunity to participate, requires concise general statements of basis and purpose, fixes a thirty-day delay before substantive rules take effect, and preserves the right to petition for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule.

Citation: 5 U.S.C. § 553Jurisdiction: United StatesEffective: 1966-09-06

Text

Codified text.

(a) This section applies, according to the provisions thereof, except to the extent that there is involved—

(1) a military or foreign affairs function of the United States; or

(2) a matter relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts.

Codified text.

(b) General notice of proposed rule making shall be published in the Federal Register, unless persons subject thereto are named and either personally served or otherwise have actual notice thereof in accordance with law. The notice shall include—

(1) a statement of the time, place, and nature of public rule making proceedings;

(2) reference to the legal authority under which the rule is proposed; and

(3) either the terms or substance of the proposed rule or a description of the subjects and issues involved.

Except when notice or hearing is required by statute, this subsection does not apply—

(A) to interpretative rules, general statements of policy, or rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice; or

(B) when the agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of reasons therefor in the rules issued) that notice and public procedure thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.

Codified text.

(c) After notice required by this section, the agency shall give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making through submission of written data, views, or arguments with or without opportunity for oral presentation. After consideration of the relevant matter presented, the agency shall incorporate in the rules adopted a concise general statement of their basis and purpose. When rules are required by statute to be made on the record after opportunity for an agency hearing, sections 556 and 557 of this title apply instead of this subsection.

Codified text.

(d) The required publication or service of a substantive rule shall be made not less than 30 days before its effective date, except—

(1) a substantive rule which grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction;

(2) interpretative rules and statements of policy; or

(3) as otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found and published with the rule.

Codified text.

(e) Each agency shall give an interested person the right to petition for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule.

Editorial commentary — not part of the primary text.

Editorial note. Source credits are preserved as editorial metadata derived from the official Office of the Law Revision Counsel publication.

Editorial note. Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 383.

Revision history

  • 1966-09-06Enacted as part of the positive-law codification of title 5 (Pub. L. 89-554, 80 Stat. 383).
Canonical source: Office of the Law Revision Counsel, United States Code (https://uscode.house.gov).
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