# Federal Register API

> Federal Register returns rules, proposed rules, notices, and presidential documents as a workflow and API.

Federal Register (FR) Search rules finds rules, proposed rules, notices, and presidential documents by topic, agency, dates, and comment status. Search rules requires a topic and can also take an agency, date range, document type, comment status, and sort order.

- Page: https://fous.com/workflows/federal-register
- Handle: `@federal-register`
- Category: [Legal](https://fous.com/workflows/category/legal)
- Source website: https://federalregister.gov
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026
- Fous is not affiliated with Federal Register.

## Methods

### Search rules

Operation `search_rules`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Find Federal Register rules, proposed rules, notices, and presidential documents by topic, agency, publication dates, and comment status. Significant means designated significant by the source; documents without that designation show no.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `sort` | string | no | `"relevance"` | Order documents by newest publication date or relevance, for example "newest". |
| `topic` | string | yes | `"PFAS drinking water"` | Words to search in Federal Register documents, for example "overtime pay". |
| `agency` | string | no | `"EPA"` | Publishing agency name or abbreviation, for example "Department of Labor" or "EPA". |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `5` | Maximum documents to return, for example 20; defaults to 20 (up to 100). |
| `document_type` | string | no | `"proposed_rule"` | Kind of document, for example "proposed_rule"; defaults to any. |
| `published_after` | string | no | `"2025-09-29"` | Earliest publication date (inclusive), for example "2025-09-29"; defaults to 12 months ago. |
| `published_before` | string | no | `"2026-09-29"` | Latest publication date (inclusive), for example "2026-09-29"; defaults to today. |
| `open_for_comment_only` | boolean | no | `true` | Return only documents whose comment period is still open, for example true; defaults to false. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "topic"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "sort": {
      "enum": [
        "newest",
        "relevance"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "newest",
      "description": "Order documents by newest publication date or relevance, for example \"newest\".",
      "examples": [
        "relevance"
      ]
    },
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Words to search in Federal Register documents, for example \"overtime pay\".",
      "examples": [
        "PFAS drinking water",
        "overtime pay",
        "water"
      ]
    },
    "agency": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Publishing agency name or abbreviation, for example \"Department of Labor\" or \"EPA\".",
      "examples": [
        "EPA",
        "Department of Labor"
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum documents to return, for example 20; defaults to 20 (up to 100).",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        5,
        3
      ]
    },
    "document_type": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "final_rule",
        "proposed_rule",
        "notice",
        "presidential_document"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Kind of document, for example \"proposed_rule\"; defaults to any.",
      "examples": [
        "proposed_rule",
        "final_rule"
      ]
    },
    "published_after": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Earliest publication date (inclusive), for example \"2025-09-29\"; defaults to 12 months ago.",
      "examples": [
        "2025-09-29"
      ]
    },
    "published_before": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Latest publication date (inclusive), for example \"2026-09-29\"; defaults to today.",
      "examples": [
        "2026-09-29"
      ]
    },
    "open_for_comment_only": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": false,
      "description": "Return only documents whose comment period is still open, for example true; defaults to false.",
      "examples": [
        true
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "sort": "relevance",
      "topic": "PFAS drinking water",
      "agency": "EPA",
      "max_results": 5,
      "document_type": "proposed_rule",
      "published_after": "2025-09-29",
      "published_before": "2026-09-29"
    },
    {
      "topic": "overtime pay",
      "agency": "Department of Labor",
      "document_type": "final_rule"
    },
    {
      "topic": "water",
      "max_results": 3,
      "open_for_comment_only": true
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `documents` | array |  | Matching documents. |
| `documents[].rin` | string or null | `"1250-AA17"` | Regulation Identifier Number or numbers, if listed. |
| `documents[].title` | string | `"Rescission of Executive Order 11246 Implementing Regulations"` | Document title. |
| `documents[].summary` | string or null | `"On January 21, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14173, \"Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-` | Plain-text document abstract, if available. |
| `documents[].agencies` | array |  | Publishing agencies by name. |
| `documents[].pdf_link` | string or null | `"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-21/pdf/2026-17114.pdf"` | Official document PDF, if available. |
| `documents[].document_type` | string | `"Final Rule"` | Document type in words. |
| `documents[].effective_date` | string or null | `"2026-10-26"` | Date the rule takes effect, if listed. |
| `documents[].document_number` | string or null | `"2026-17114"` | Federal Register document number. |
| `documents[].comment_deadline` | string or null | `"2025-12-01"` | Last day for public comments, if listed. |
| `documents[].publication_date` | string | `"2026-08-21"` | Date published. |
| `documents[].significant_rule` | boolean | `true` | Whether the document is marked significant. |
| `documents[].open_for_comment_now` | boolean | `false` | Whether the listed comment deadline has not passed. |
| `documents[].federal_register_link` | string | `"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/21/2026-17114/rescission-of-executive-order-11246-implementing-regula` | Document page on FederalRegister.gov. |
| `documents[].regulations_gov_comment_link` | string or null | `"http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0302-0001"` | Direct Regulations.gov comment page, if available. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "topic": "overtime pay",
  "agency": "Department of Labor",
  "document_type": "final_rule"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "documents": [
    {
      "rin": "1250-AA17",
      "title": "Rescission of Executive Order 11246 Implementing Regulations",
      "summary": "On January 21, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14173, \"Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,\" which revoked Executive Order 11246. Accordingly, the U.S. Dep…",
      "agencies": [
        "Labor Department"
      ],
      "pdf_link": "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-21/pdf/2026-17114.pdf",
      "document_type": "Final Rule",
      "effective_date": "2026-10-26",
      "document_number": "2026-17114",
      "comment_deadline": null,
      "publication_date": "2026-08-21",
      "significant_rule": true,
      "open_for_comment_now": false,
      "federal_register_link": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/21/2026-17114/rescission-of-executive-order-11246-implementing-regulations",
      "regulations_gov_comment_link": null
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Call the API with a Fous API key (`FOUS_API_KEY`). To create one, turn on Developer mode in Fous Studio, then open Keys & connections → API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys).

```bash
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@federal-register",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_rules",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "sort": "relevance",
    "topic": "PFAS drinking water",
    "agency": "EPA",
    "max_results": 5,
    "document_type": "proposed_rule",
    "published_after": "2025-09-29",
    "published_before": "2026-09-29"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
import json
import os
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = os.environ.get("FOUS_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise RuntimeError("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example")

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@federal-register\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"search_rules\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"sort\": \"relevance\",\n    \"topic\": \"PFAS drinking water\",\n    \"agency\": \"EPA\",\n    \"max_results\": 5,\n    \"document_type\": \"proposed_rule\",\n    \"published_after\": \"2025-09-29\",\n    \"published_before\": \"2026-09-29\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=120) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
// First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
const apiKey = process.env.FOUS_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example");

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@federal-register",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_rules",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "sort": "relevance",
    "topic": "PFAS drinking water",
    "agency": "EPA",
    "max_results": 5,
    "document_type": "proposed_rule",
    "published_after": "2025-09-29",
    "published_before": "2026-09-29"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

Or describe the data in plain language: send `{"api":"@federal-register","prompt":"Describe the data you need, with every detail"}` to the same URL. Fous fills in the input, runs the method that fits and returns only the fields you asked for; `data.route.calls[].request` is the exact call it made. Routing is free; the run costs the same.

## Use cases

- Find proposed rules about a policy topic.
- Track agency documents published within a date range.
- Identify documents with comment periods still open.
- Review rule effective dates and comment deadlines.
- Collect document titles, summaries, and publication details.

## FAQ

### Is Fous affiliated with Federal Register?

No. Fous is not affiliated with Federal Register. This workflow reads the public federalregister.gov website and returns its data.

### How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a Federal Register account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from federalregister.gov when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.

### Which proposed rules mention a particular topic?

Use Search rules with the topic and document type set to proposed rules.

### Which documents are open for public comment?

Use Search rules with open for comment only enabled.

### When does a rule take effect?

Search rules returns effective dates when listed.

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