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Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, regulations, regulatory, rules.

Interpreting Citations

See pages 142-144 of The Bluebook, 21st ed.


>> Federal Register (Fed. Reg.) citation example:

Importation of Fruits and Vegetables, 60 Fed. Reg. 50,379 (Sept. 29, 1995) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. pt. 300)

60 = Volume of the Federal Register
Fed. Reg. = Bluebook abbreviation for the Federal Register
50379 = Page number in Volume 60 of the Federal Register
Sept. 29, 1995 = Date of Federal Register issue
(to be codified at 7 C.F.R. pt. 300) = "When the Federal Register indicates where the rule or regulation will appear in the Code of Federal Regulations, give that information parenthetically"


>> Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) citation example:

FTC Credit Practices Rule, 16 C.F.R. § 444.1 (2019)

16 = Title 16, Commercial Practices, volume of the C.F.R.
C.F.R. = Bluebook abbreviation for the Code of Federal Regulations
§444.1 = Section of the C.F.R
(2019) = Year of the C.F.R. volume

Bluebook Rules

Relevant rules from The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation:

Rule 14: Administrative and Executive Materials

Rule 14.2, Rules, Regulations, and Other Publications

Deciphering Acronyms and Abbreviations

Commonly Used:

  • C.F.R. / CFR
    (Code of Federal Regulations)

  • Fed. Reg. / FR
    (Federal Register)

  • ANPRM
    (Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)

  • APA
    (Administrative Procedure Act)

  • EO / Exec. Order
    (Executive Order)

  • NPRM
    (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)

  • RFC
    (Request for Comments)

  • RIN
    (Regulation Identifier Number)

Reference Resource:

Prince's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations: A Reference Guide for Attorneys, Legal Secretaries, Paralegals, and Law Students

Black's Law Dictionary