Regulations.gov Scraper - Rules, Public Comments

🏛️ Find federal rulemaking records on Regulations.gov

For compliance teams, policy researchers, legal teams, and developers, this Actor searches the public Regulations.gov catalog and saves structured documents, dockets, or public comments. The dataset keeps source IDs, titles, agency and docket context, dates, status fields, and public links when supplied, so you can review current federal regulation data in your own workflow.

• Search current source records about the Code of Federal Regulations.
• Find public records related to ICH Guidelines for regulatory research.
• Review matching records for a Federal Register Notice by topic or agency.
• Look up regulatory records about an Investigator Brochure.
• Search the catalog for Government Regulations on a focused topic.
• Explore source records for Notice and Comment Rulemaking.
• Find agency records about DOT Rules and Regulations for Truck Drivers.

📦 Structured rulemaking records

What you get

Each dataset row is a document, docket, or public comment. Document rows can include source IDs, titles, agency and docket context, document types, dates, comment-window details, withdrawal status, Federal Register references, and source links. Docket rows include agency context, docket type, category, dates, and links. Public comment rows include agency and docket context, parent-document references, dates, category, withdrawal status, and links.

The Actor returns source metadata and links when supplied. It does not promise full document or comment text, attachment downloads, legal advice, or compliance decisions.

▶️ Search the public catalog

1. Choose Documents, Dockets, or Public comments.
2. Enter one or more keywords or phrases. All entries are used in one shared search job.
3. Add agency, docket, document type, docket type, and posted-date filters when needed.
4. Set a maximum result count, or leave it empty to return all available results until the source is exhausted.
5. Run the Actor and open the default dataset.

⚙️ Input

Use this input to choose the source record type and filters. Fields that do not apply to the selected result type are ignored.

Input fields

Field	Type	What it does
resultType	string	Selects documents, dockets, or comments for the row shape.
documentTypes	array of strings	Optional source categories for Documents, such as rules, proposed rules, notices, or supporting material.
docketTypes	array of strings	Optional source types for Dockets, such as rulemaking or nonrulemaking.
keywords	array of strings	Required. Accepts one or more keywords or phrases, one per line, for one shared search job.
agencyIds	array of strings	Filters Documents, Dockets, and Public comments by federal agency ID.
docketIds	array of strings	Filters Documents and Public comments by docket ID. It is ignored for Dockets.
postedFrom	string	Includes records from this posted date onward. Use YYYY-MM-DD.
postedTo	string	Includes records through this posted date. Use YYYY-MM-DD.
sortBy	string	Orders matching rows by source date or title.
maxItems	integer	Optional work limit. Leave it empty to return all available results until the source is exhausted.

Default input example

This is the public input from a successful hosted default-input run:

{
  "resultType": "documents",
  "keywords": [
    "food additives"
  ],
  "sortBy": "postedDate",
  "maxItems": 3
}

🧾 Output

The output link opens the default dataset. Each table below lists a complete public row shape. Optional fields appear when Regulations.gov supplies them.

Document rows

Field	Type	What it does
rowType	string	Identifies a document row.
id	string	Gives the source document ID for joining or verification.
title	string	Gives the document title supplied by Regulations.gov.
agency	object	Holds federal agency context.
agency.id	string	Gives the source agency ID.
docket	object	Holds related docket context.
docket.id	string	Gives the related docket ID.
docket.title	string	Gives the related docket title.
documentType	string	Gives the source document category, such as a rule, proposed rule, notice, or supporting material.
postedDate	string	Gives the source posted date in its source format.
lastModifiedDate	string	Gives the last source modification date in its source format.
effectiveDate	string	Gives the source effective date.
commentWindow	object	Holds comment-window details.
commentWindow.openForComment	boolean	Says whether the source marks the document open for comments.
commentWindow.startDate	string	Gives the comment period start date.
commentWindow.endDate	string	Gives the comment period end date.
commentWindow.allowLateComments	boolean	Says whether the source allows late comments.
withdrawn	boolean	Says whether the source marks the document as withdrawn.
federalRegister	object	Holds Federal Register reference details.
federalRegister.documentNumber	string	Gives the Federal Register document number.
federalRegister.citation	string	Gives the Federal Register citation.
federalRegister.volume	integer	Gives the Federal Register volume.
links	object	Holds useful source links.
links.publicRecordUrl	string	Opens the public Regulations.gov document page.
links.apiDetailUrl	string	Opens the source API or detail record for the document.

Genuine document row

This row is copied from a successful current-beta run:

{
  "rowType": "document",
  "id": "FDA-2021-F-1157-0003",
  "title": "Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Vitamin D2 Inactive Bakers Yeast",
  "links": {
    "publicRecordUrl": "https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2021-F-1157-0003",
    "apiDetailUrl": "https://api.regulations.gov/v4/documents/FDA-2021-F-1157-0003"
  },
  "agency": {
    "id": "FDA"
  },
  "docket": {
    "id": "FDA-2021-F-1157",
    "title": "Lallemand Inc.; Filing of Food Additive Petition"
  },
  "documentType": "Rule",
  "postedDate": "2026-09-25T04:00:00Z",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2026-09-25T22:43:38Z",
  "effectiveDate": "2026-09-25T04:00:00Z",
  "commentWindow": {
    "openForComment": true,
    "startDate": "2026-09-25T04:00:00Z",
    "endDate": "2026-10-27T03:59:59Z",
    "allowLateComments": false
  },
  "withdrawn": false,
  "federalRegister": {
    "documentNumber": "2026-19656",
    "citation": "91 FR 60796",
    "volume": 91
  }
}

Docket rows

Field	Type	What it does
rowType	string	Identifies a docket row.
id	string	Gives the source docket ID for joining or verification.
title	string	Gives the docket title supplied by Regulations.gov.
agency	object	Holds federal agency context.
agency.id	string	Gives the source agency ID.
agency.name	string	Gives the source agency name.
docketType	string	Gives the source docket type, such as rulemaking or nonrulemaking.
category	string	Gives a source classification for the docket when provided.
lastModifiedDate	string	Gives the last source modification date in its source format.
links	object	Holds useful source links.
links.publicRecordUrl	string	Opens the public Regulations.gov docket page.
links.apiDetailUrl	string	Opens the source API or detail record for the docket.

Genuine docket row

This row is copied from a successful current-beta run:

{
  "rowType": "docket",
  "id": "FAA-2013-0456",
  "title": "2013-CE-011-AD",
  "links": {
    "publicRecordUrl": "https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FAA-2013-0456",
    "apiDetailUrl": "https://api.regulations.gov/v4/dockets/FAA-2013-0456"
  },
  "agency": {
    "id": "FAA",
    "name": "Federal Aviation Administration"
  },
  "docketType": "Rulemaking",
  "category": "Pending",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2015-05-26T13:06:14Z"
}

Public comment rows

Field	Type	What it does
rowType	string	Identifies a public comment row.
id	string	Gives the source public comment ID for joining or verification.
title	string	Gives the public comment title supplied by Regulations.gov.
agency	object	Holds federal agency context.
agency.id	string	Gives the source agency ID.
agency.name	string	Gives the source agency name.
docket	object	Holds related docket context.
docket.id	string	Gives the related docket ID.
docket.title	string	Gives the related docket title.
parentDocument	object	Holds the document that received the comment.
parentDocument.id	string	Gives the parent document ID.
parentDocument.title	string	Gives the parent document title.
parentDocument.publicRecordUrl	string	Opens the public page for the parent document when supplied.
category	string	Gives a source classification for the comment when provided.
postedDate	string	Gives the source posted date in its source format.
lastModifiedDate	string	Gives the last source modification date in its source format.
withdrawn	boolean	Says whether the source marks the comment as withdrawn.
links	object	Holds useful source links.
links.publicRecordUrl	string	Opens the public Regulations.gov comment page.
links.apiDetailUrl	string	Opens the source API or detail record for the comment.

Genuine public comment row

This row is copied from a successful current-beta run:

{
  "rowType": "comment",
  "id": "FDA-2021-F-1157-0002",
  "title": "Comment from International Food Additives Council",
  "links": {
    "publicRecordUrl": "https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FDA-2021-F-1157-0002",
    "apiDetailUrl": "https://api.regulations.gov/v4/comments/FDA-2021-F-1157-0002"
  },
  "agency": {
    "id": "FDA",
    "name": "Food and Drug Administration"
  },
  "docket": {
    "id": "FDA-2021-F-1157",
    "title": "Lallemand Inc.; Filing of Food Additive Petition"
  },
  "parentDocument": {
    "id": "FDA-2021-F-1157-0001",
    "publicRecordUrl": "https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2021-F-1157-0001",
    "title": "Lallemand Inc.; Filing of Food Additive Petition"
  },
  "category": "Private Industry - C0003",
  "postedDate": "2022-03-14T04:00:00Z",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2022-03-14T20:01:21Z",
  "withdrawn": false
}

💳 Pricing

Pricing is pay per event. Each successfully returned document, docket, or public comment is charged at $0.00035. The buyer-facing event is called Regulatory match.

🔌 Integrations

Run the Actor from the Apify Console or API, then read the default dataset in Apify.

For a visual walkthrough:

❓ FAQ

Does the Actor return full document or comment text?

No. It returns structured metadata and source links when supplied. It does not promise full document text, full comment text, or attachment downloads.

Do I need an API key?

No buyer-provided authentication is required. The Actor searches public Regulations.gov data, subject to the records and query window available from the source.

Can I search more than one keyword in one run?

Yes. Enter multiple keywords or phrases, one per line. They are used in one shared search job, not as separately configured searches.

What happens when I leave Maximum results empty?

The Actor returns all available results until the source is exhausted. Set a positive number when you want a smaller work limit.

Can I filter by agency, docket, or record type?

Yes. Use agency IDs for any result type, docket IDs for Documents and Public comments, document types for Documents, and docket types for Dockets. Choose the result type first so the filters match the rows you need.

Why might an output field be missing?

Regulations.gov does not supply every field for every document, docket, or comment. The Actor keeps available source values and does not invent missing values.

Can this Actor submit or edit a public comment?

No. It searches and reads public regulatory data. It does not submit comments, edit source records, or perform other write actions on Regulations.gov.

Does this Actor give legal or compliance advice?

No. It provides source metadata and links for research. It does not make legal conclusions, compliance decisions, or policy interpretations.

How are repeated matches handled?

The first eligible occurrence of a source record is saved. Later appearances of that same source record from another submitted keyword are ignored, so one saved row does not collect every later matching value.

📝 Changelog

v0.0 (26-09-2026)

• Initial release.

🆘 Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests, file a ticket and I'll fix or implement it in less than 24h 🫡

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Made with ❤️ by Maxime Dupré