Federal Register Comment Deadlines: Find the Due Date

The short answer

The Federal Register comment deadline is the date an agency gives for receiving public comments on a proposed rule, notice, interim final rule, direct final rule, or another document that asks for comments.

Start with the document's DATES section on FederalRegister.gov. If the document is open for comment, FederalRegister.gov often shows a Comments Close field near the document details, but the DATES text and the agency's instructions explain what controls. Then open the docket on Regulations.gov and confirm the comment due date, whether the docket is open, and how comments must be submitted. If the Federal Register document gives special instructions, such as a mail postmark rule, a different deadline for hearing requests, or a specific submission method, follow that wording.

How to find the deadline

Most mistakes happen because people read the publication date, effective date, compliance date, or CFR citation as if it were the comment deadline. They are different things.

• Open the Federal Register document and read the DATES section first.
• Look for phrases such as comments must be received by, submit comments on or before, comment period closes, or adverse comments must be received by.
• Check the enhanced document dates for a Comments Close field when FederalRegister.gov provides one.
• Open the Regulations.gov docket linked from ADDRESSES and confirm that the docket is open for comments.
• Submit through the method the agency lists. Many agencies use Regulations.gov, but some documents allow or require other methods.

The deadline is not always a standard 30, 60, or 90 days. Agencies set the period in the document, may extend it later, and sometimes reopen a closed period. If a later Federal Register document extends or reopens comments, use the later document for the new period. Do not assume that a comment submission pauses an effective date unless the agency or a court says so.

Which documents have comment deadlines

A proposed rule normally asks for public input before the agency decides whether and how to issue a final rule.

Notices can also have comment deadlines, including notices for information collections, hearings, permit actions, guidance, and agency requests for information. Final rules usually focus on an effective date, which is when the rule begins to apply. Some final-rule formats still ask for comments, including interim final rules and direct final rules. A direct final rule may become effective unless the agency receives adverse comments by the stated date. The agency's rulemaking authority comes from statutes, and the Federal Register document should identify the authority for the action.

The Code of Federal Regulations is different. The CFR, including the eCFR, organizes current federal regulations after they are adopted. It is useful for reading the rule text that applies today, but it is not where you file comments on a pending Federal Register document.

How RegWatch helps

If you already know the agency, topic, docket ID, or phrase you care about, a watch is safer than checking by hand every few days.

RegWatch watches new Federal Register documents for your terms and emails you when a matching rule or notice appears, including comment deadline details when they are available. For background on the source itself, read the RegWatch guides.