# Federal Register API: Rules, Proposed Rules & Notices Monitor (`lathewright/federal-register-monitor`) Actor

Returns US Federal Register documents from the official API: final rules, proposed rules, notices and presidential documents by keyword, agency, date, docket or CFR title, with comment deadlines, effective dates, RINs and PDF/HTML links. No key. For compliance teams and agents.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/lathewright/federal-register-monitor.md
- **Developed by:** [lathewright LLC](https://apify.com/lathewright) (community)
- **Categories:** News, Business, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$2.00 / 1,000 document founds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Federal Register API: Rules, Proposed Rules & Notices Monitor

Search and monitor the US Federal Register for final rules, proposed rules, notices and presidential documents, for compliance teams, regulatory-affairs staff, lobbyists and AI agents. It costs $0.002 per document, so 500 documents cost $1.

Search and monitor the US Federal Register: final rules, proposed rules, notices and presidential documents, filtered by keyword, agency, publication date, docket, CFR title or significance. Every row includes the comment deadline, effective date, docket IDs, RINs, CFR references and direct HTML, PDF and raw-text links. Uses the Federal Register's official keyless API.

Built and maintained by **Lathewright**. Lathewright is operated by AI systems under human ownership. A person reviews and approves everything we publish, send and sell. **$0.002 per document.**

### What you can do with it

- **Regulatory alerts**: run daily with `dateFrom` = yesterday and a keyword list (`"artificial intelligence"`, `PFAS`, `"crypto asset"`) to get only new rules and proposed rules.
- **Comment-deadline tracking**: every proposed rule carries `commentsCloseOn`, so an agent can build a calendar of open comment periods for your industry.
- **Agency watch**: filter by agency slug (`securities-and-exchange-commission`, `environmental-protection-agency`, `food-and-drug-administration`) and type.
- **Docket and CFR research**: pull every document in a docket (`EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0072`) or affecting a CFR title (21 for FDA, 40 for EPA, 47 for FCC).
- **Public inspection**: optionally include documents that are on public inspection today and publish in the next issue.

### Example tasks

Paste any of these into the Input tab, or send the same JSON through the API. Prices are the per-result prices listed under Pricing.

#### 1. Rules and proposed rules about artificial intelligence

```json
{
  "query": "\"artificial intelligence\"",
  "documentTypes": ["RULE", "PRORULE"],
  "maxResults": 25
}
```

What comes back: One row per document with `publicationDate`, `type`, `title`, `agencies`, `commentsCloseOn`, `effectiveOn`, `significant` and `htmlUrl`. Up to 25 rows, at most $0.05.

#### 2. EPA proposed rules on PFAS since September

```json
{
  "agencies": ["environmental-protection-agency"],
  "documentTypes": ["PRORULE"],
  "query": "PFAS",
  "dateFrom": "2026-09-01",
  "maxResults": 25
}
```

What comes back: Proposed rules with comment deadlines, docket IDs and `pdfUrl` links.

#### 3. Significant FCC-related documents under CFR Title 47

```json
{
  "cfrTitle": 47,
  "significantOnly": true,
  "dateFrom": "2026-10-01"
}
```

What comes back: Documents flagged significant that cite Title 47 of the CFR.

### Input

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `query` | string | Full-text term; quotes force an exact phrase |
| `documentTypes` | array | `RULE`, `PRORULE`, `NOTICE`, `PRESDOCU` (empty = all) |
| `agencies` | array | Agency slugs from federalregister.gov URLs |
| `dateFrom`, `dateTo` | YYYY-MM-DD | Publication date window (default: last 30 days) |
| `significantOnly` | boolean | Only EO 12866 significant documents |
| `docketId` | string | One docket |
| `cfrTitle` | integer | CFR title 1 to 50 |
| `includePublicInspection` | boolean | Add today's public-inspection matches |
| `maxResults` | integer | Cap on documents (each is one event) |

At least one of `query`, `agencies`, `docketId` or `cfrTitle` is required.

```json
{
  "query": "\"artificial intelligence\"",
  "documentTypes": ["RULE", "PRORULE"],
  "dateFrom": "2026-07-01",
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

### Output

```json
{
  "documentNumber": "2026-20890",
  "title": "Project-Level Predecisional Administrative Review Process",
  "type": "Rule",
  "action": "Final rule.",
  "abstract": "The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing a final rule amending...",
  "agencies": ["Agriculture Department", "Forest Service"],
  "agencySlugs": ["agriculture-department", "forest-service"],
  "publicationDate": "2026-10-13",
  "effectiveOn": "2026-11-12",
  "commentsCloseOn": null,
  "significant": false,
  "docketIds": [],
  "regulationIdNumbers": ["0596-AD51"],
  "cfrReferences": [{ "title": 36, "part": 218 }],
  "citation": "91 FR 48120",
  "htmlUrl": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/13/2026-20890/project-level-predecisional-administrative-review-process",
  "pdfUrl": "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-13/pdf/2026-20890.pdf",
  "rawTextUrl": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/10/13/2026-20890.txt",
  "stage": "published"
}
```

### Pricing

| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| Document found (`document`) | $0.002 |

Plus Apify's start fee ($0.00005 per run). No proxies, no hidden usage. 100 documents = $0.20. Set a maximum cost per run and the Actor stops cleanly at the limit.

### How to use it

- **Console**: fill in the form and press Start; export JSON/CSV/Excel.
- **API**: `POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/lathewright~federal-register-monitor/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<token>`
- **n8n / Make / Zapier**: Apify node → this Actor → schedule daily → route new rows to Slack, email or a sheet.

### Use from an AI agent (MCP)

Add this Actor as a tool in Claude, Cursor, VS Code or any MCP client with `https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=lathewright/federal-register-monitor`. The Actor description is the tool description, and the input fields above are the tool parameters. Example prompts: "Which proposed rules mentioning PFAS have comment periods closing in the next 30 days?", "List all FCC final rules published this month".

### Data source and fair use

Data comes from the official Federal Register API (`federalregister.gov/api/v1`), which needs no API key. The Actor sends at most three requests per second with a descriptive User-Agent. Federal Register content is US government work in the public domain. No personal data is collected.

### FAQ

**Can I get the full text?** Each row links to `rawTextUrl` (plain text) and `htmlUrl`. Pair with a content crawler Actor to pull the body.

**What is the difference between `effectiveOn` and `commentsCloseOn`?** Final rules carry an effective date; proposed rules carry a comment deadline. Either can be null.

**Why does the same document appear twice when public inspection is on?** A document can be on public inspection and published on the same day. Deduplicate on `documentNumber`.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

Full-text search term. Quotes force an exact phrase, e.g. `"artificial intelligence"`. Leave empty to list everything that matches the other filters.

## `documentTypes` (type: `array`):

RULE (final rules), PRORULE (proposed rules), NOTICE, PRESDOCU (presidential documents). Empty = all.

## `agencies` (type: `array`):

Agency slugs as used on federalregister.gov URLs, e.g. `environmental-protection-agency`, `securities-and-exchange-commission`, `federal-communications-commission`, `food-and-drug-administration`. Empty = all agencies.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

Only documents published on or after this date. Default: 30 days ago.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

Only documents published on or before this date. Default: today.

## `significantOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Only documents flagged as significant under Executive Order 12866.

## `docketId` (type: `string`):

Limit to one docket, e.g. `EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0072`.

## `cfrTitle` (type: `integer`):

Limit to documents affecting this CFR title (1 to 50), e.g. 21 for FDA, 40 for EPA, 47 for FCC.

## `includePublicInspection` (type: `boolean`):

Also return documents on public inspection today that match the search term (they publish in the next issue).

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of documents to return. Each document is one billable event.

## `compactOutput` (type: `boolean`):

Return only the key fields (smaller, cheaper for AI agents to read).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "\"artificial intelligence\"",
  "documentTypes": [
    "RULE",
    "PRORULE"
  ],
  "significantOnly": false,
  "includePublicInspection": false,
  "maxResults": 25,
  "compactOutput": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `documents` (type: `string`):

One row per Federal Register document.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "\"artificial intelligence\"",
    "documentTypes": [
        "RULE",
        "PRORULE"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("lathewright/federal-register-monitor").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "query": "\"artificial intelligence\"",
    "documentTypes": [
        "RULE",
        "PRORULE",
    ],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("lathewright/federal-register-monitor").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "\\"artificial intelligence\\"",
  "documentTypes": [
    "RULE",
    "PRORULE"
  ]
}' |
apify call lathewright/federal-register-monitor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,lathewright/federal-register-monitor"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/oO6IZN8cgmrrPJBNc/builds/lxobggjhMZdp2hXF6/openapi.json