# Federal Register Monitor — US Rules, Proposed Rules & Notices (`nefes-tools/federal-register-monitor`) Actor

Track new US federal regulations from the official Federal Register API: final rules, proposed rules, notices and executive orders. Filter by keyword, agency, CFR part and open comment period; get only new documents on each run. Pay per document.

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

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 documents

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 Monitor: US rules, proposed rules and notices

**Get new US federal regulations as a clean table, straight from the official Federal Register API.** You get one row per document: title, agencies, rule type, publication, effective and comment-deadline dates, affected CFR parts, RINs, docket numbers, abstract, and links to the official HTML, PDF and Regulations.gov comment page.

Filter by **keyword, agency, CFR title/part, document type and open comment period**, schedule it daily with **"only new since last run"**, and you have a regulatory alert feed for your practice area. You pay only for the documents you receive.

### Who uses it

- **Compliance teams** watch the agencies that regulate them (SEC, CFPB, FDA, EPA, OSHA, FAA…) and log every new rule into their obligations register.
- **Lawyers and regulatory consultants** track the CFR parts their clients live under (e.g. `21 CFR 820`, `40 CFR 63`, `12 CFR 1026`) and get proposed rules while the comment period is still open.
- **Trade associations and public-affairs teams** catch proposed rules early enough to organise comment letters.
- **Analysts and newsletters** build a daily digest of significant (EO 12866) rules and executive orders.

### What you get (one row per document)

| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| `title` | Rescission of Rule 14a-8's Federal Regulation of Shareholder Proposals… |
| `agencies` | Securities and Exchange Commission |
| `documentType` / `documentTypeCode` | Proposed Rule / `PRORULE` |
| `action` | Proposed rule. |
| `publicationDate` | 2026-09-21 |
| `effectiveDate` | date the rule takes effect (mostly final rules) |
| `commentsCloseDate` | 2026-11-20 |
| `commentPeriodOpen` / `commentDaysLeft` | true / 58 |
| `cfrReferences` | 17 CFR 200; 17 CFR 229; 17 CFR 240 |
| `rins` | 3235-AN47 |
| `docketIds` | Release No. 34-106383; File No. S7-2026-32 |
| `significant` | true (EO 12866 significant) |
| `pageCount` / `citation` | 64 / 91 FR 59904 |
| `abstract` | Official summary of the document |
| `datesText` | "Comments should be received on or before November 20, 2026." |
| `topics` | Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Securities |
| `subtype`, `executiveOrderNumber`, `signingDate` | Executive Order, 14431, 2026-09-18 (presidential documents) |
| `htmlUrl`, `pdfUrl`, `commentUrl` | federalregister.gov page, govinfo.gov PDF, Regulations.gov comment form |

The rows are flat (lists are joined with `; `), so the table exports cleanly to Excel, CSV, Google Sheets or your database.

### How to use it

1. **Keywords** (optional): any of the words or phrases matches, e.g. `PFAS`, `artificial intelligence`, `anti-money laundering`.
2. **Agencies** (optional): short names like `EPA`, `SEC`, `FDA`, `CFPB`, `OSHA`, full names, or the slug from federalregister.gov/agencies.
3. **Document types**: final rules and proposed rules by default. Add notices (guidance, meetings, petitions, information collections) or presidential documents (executive orders, proclamations, memoranda).
4. **CFR title / part** (optional): `40 CFR 60`, `21 CFR Part 820`, `12 CFR 1026`, or just a title like `17`.
5. **Period**: the last N days (default 7) or an exact date range.
6. Optional switches: **only with an open comment period**, **only significant rules**, **only new since the last run**.
7. **Max documents** caps how many rows (and charges) one run can produce.

#### Example: daily alert for a drug manufacturer

```json
{
    "agencies": ["FDA"],
    "cfrReferences": ["21 CFR 312", "21 CFR 314", "21 CFR 601"],
    "documentTypes": ["RULE", "PRORULE", "NOTICE"],
    "daysBack": 3,
    "onlyNew": true
}
```

#### Example: open comment periods on AI and cybersecurity

```json
{
    "keywords": ["artificial intelligence", "cybersecurity"],
    "documentTypes": ["PRORULE", "NOTICE"],
    "openForCommentOnly": true,
    "daysBack": 60
}
```

Schedule the Actor (Apify Schedules) daily and connect the dataset to email, Slack, Google Sheets or Zapier. With **only new since the last run** you receive, and pay for, each document once.

### Pricing

Pay per event: you are charged **per document delivered**. Documents that are skipped or already delivered are not charged, and a run that finds nothing new charges no documents. The **maximum cost per run** you set in Apify is respected: the Actor stops before exceeding it.

### Data source and good behaviour

- Data comes from the **official Federal Register API** (`federalregister.gov/api/v1`), published by the Office of the Federal Register (NARA) and the Government Publishing Office. No login, no API key, no scraping of web pages. The website asks automated clients to use this API.
- The Actor identifies itself with a clear User-Agent, pauses between requests and honours `Retry-After`. If the source refuses access, the run stops and says so. It never tries to work around blocking.
- Federal Register content is a US government work.
- **Privacy:** documents that are about named private individuals (e.g. DEA practitioner decisions, individual debarment orders) are skipped, and e-mail addresses and phone numbers are removed from text fields. The run summary shows how many documents were skipped.

### Output and run summary

- **Dataset**: one row per document (table view "Documents").
- **SUMMARY** record in the key-value store: documents delivered, matches reported by the API, documents skipped (already delivered or about individuals), why the run stopped, warnings about ignored inputs, and the filters used.

### FAQ

**How fresh is the data?** The Federal Register is published each federal business day, and documents appear in the API on the day of publication.

**Can I search the full text?** Yes. Keywords are searched in the full text of documents, not only in titles.

**What if I mistype an agency or CFR part?** Unrecognised values are listed as warnings and ignored. If none of the agencies or CFR references can be recognised, the run stops with a clear message instead of returning (and charging for) everything.

**Is this legal advice?** No. It is a data feed. Always rely on the official published document linked in each row.

Not affiliated with the Office of the Federal Register, NARA or GPO.

# Actor input Schema

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Full-text search. A document matches if it contains ANY of these words or phrases (e.g. "PFAS", "artificial intelligence", "anti-money laundering"). Leave empty for all documents.

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

Issuing agencies: short name (EPA, SEC, FDA, FAA, CFPB, OSHA…), full name ("Food and Drug Administration") or the slug from federalregister.gov/agencies. Any of them matches. Leave empty for all agencies.

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

Final rules change the Code of Federal Regulations; proposed rules invite public comments; notices cover guidance, meetings, petitions and information collections; presidential documents are executive orders, proclamations and memoranda.

## `cfrReferences` (type: `array`):

Only documents affecting these parts of the Code of Federal Regulations, e.g. "40 CFR 60", "21 CFR 820", "12 CFR 1026" or just a title ("17"). Any of them matches.

## `daysBack` (type: `integer`):

How far back to look. 0 = today only. Ignored when "Published from" is set. The Federal Register is published on federal business days.

## `publishedFrom` (type: `string`):

Optional start date (YYYY-MM-DD). Overrides "last N days".

## `publishedTo` (type: `string`):

Optional end date (YYYY-MM-DD), inclusive.

## `openForCommentOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Return only documents whose public comment period has not closed yet, so you can still respond.

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

Return only rules marked significant under Executive Order 12866 (reviewed by OIRA, usually with larger economic impact).

## `onlyNew` (type: `boolean`):

Remember delivered documents and return only new ones next time (per combination of filters). Ideal for a daily schedule: you pay only for documents you have not seen.

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

Stop after this many documents (each document is one charged result).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keywords": [
    "artificial intelligence",
    "cybersecurity"
  ],
  "documentTypes": [
    "RULE",
    "PRORULE"
  ],
  "daysBack": 7,
  "openForCommentOnly": false,
  "significantOnly": false,
  "onlyNew": false,
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

One row per document: title, agencies, type, publication, effective and comment close dates, CFR parts, RINs, abstract and links to HTML, PDF and Regulations.gov.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

How many documents matched, were delivered or skipped, why the run stopped and the filters used.

# 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 = {
    "keywords": [
        "artificial intelligence",
        "cybersecurity"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("nefes-tools/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 = { "keywords": [
        "artificial intelligence",
        "cybersecurity",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("nefes-tools/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 '{
  "keywords": [
    "artificial intelligence",
    "cybersecurity"
  ]
}' |
apify call nefes-tools/federal-register-monitor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,nefes-tools/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/8ie7BvvCSl5evyXCs/builds/qsPn3GyI8BkZ2IqKe/openapi.json