Agency activity and NPRM→Final rule timelines (last 12 months)
Regulatory velocity measures how long agencies take to move from proposing a rule (NPRM) to issuing a final rule. This metric captures how quickly regulatory obligations are created and made legally binding.
Why it matters: Variation in regulatory timelines reveals differences in agency process, statutory constraints, and policy urgency. Tracking these patterns helps researchers analyze administrative behavior over time and allows practitioners to anticipate when proposed rules are likely to take effect.
Documents are attributed to the first-listed (lead) agency. Joint rulemakings count toward the lead drafter only.
| Agency | Final | NPRM | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Human Services Department | 105 | 51 | 2392 | 2548 |
| Securities and Exchange Commission | 19 | 4 | 2329 | 2352 |
| Commerce Department | 258 | 54 | 1940 | 2252 |
| Transportation Department | 658 | 474 | 1047 | 2179 |
| Energy Department | 75 | 50 | 1595 | 1720 |
| Interior Department | 104 | 44 | 1392 | 1540 |
| Homeland Security Department | 278 | 62 | 690 | 1030 |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 286 | 233 | 345 | 864 |
| Treasury Department | 65 | 51 | 576 | 692 |
| Justice Department | 32 | 15 | 644 | 691 |
| Defense Department | 21 | 8 | 568 | 597 |
| International Trade Commission | 0 | 0 | 500 | 500 |
| Labor Department | 18 | 64 | 415 | 497 |
| Agriculture Department | 74 | 27 | 356 | 457 |
| Federal Communications Commission | 87 | 80 | 247 | 414 |
| Postal Service | 26 | 7 | 323 | 356 |
| Nuclear Regulatory Commission | 35 | 21 | 300 | 356 |
| State Department | 14 | 2 | 285 | 301 |
| Small Business Administration | 7 | 5 | 283 | 295 |
| Federal Reserve System | 11 | 2 | 266 | 279 |
Average days from NPRM to Final, by primary agency (agencies with 2+ pairs).
| Agency | Avg Time | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Retirement Thrift Investmen... | 92 days | 2 pairs |
| Nuclear Regulatory Commission | 112 days | 5 pairs |
| Transportation Department | 156 days | 46 pairs |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 178 days | 19 pairs |
| Small Business Administration | 185 days | 2 pairs |
| Federal Communications Commission | 289 days | 2 pairs |
| Homeland Security Department | 319 days | 5 pairs |
| Justice Department | 397 days | 3 pairs |
| Defense Department | 418 days | 4 pairs |
| Consumer Product Safety Commission | 422 days | 2 pairs |
| Veterans Affairs Department | 682 days | 2 pairs |