public-service · federal register vs eCFR official status
Is That Federal Register or eCFR Page Official or Not?
FederalRegister.gov and eCFR say, in their own words, that the page you're reading is unofficial; only the linked PDF/print edition carries legal notice.
In this article
Updated: Sources: 3
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What matters now
- FederalRegister.gov calls itself a prototype and says it is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register.
- The Federal Register document page checked here links to a 'View printed version (PDF)' — the official copy on govinfo.gov.
- FederalRegister.gov tells readers to use the sidebar PDF for the official electronic format.
- Only official Federal Register editions give legal notice to the public and judicial notice to courts under 44 U.S.C. 1503 & 1507.
- eCFR labels its regulatory text 'authoritative but unofficial' on the content page checked here.
The cited FederalRegister.gov and eCFR pages each include a status statement. FederalRegister.gov says it “is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register,” while the cited eCFR page labels its content “authoritative but unofficial.” (FederalRegister.gov; eCFR) The FederalRegister.gov page directs readers to its linked PDF for the official electronic format.
This original record-reading guide is a general reading aid, not cited evidence. It does not depict a source record; the article text and source links provide the facts.
Key points
- FederalRegister.gov describes itself as a prototype “Web 2.0” version and states it “is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPO’s govinfo.gov.” (FederalRegister.gov)
- This Federal Register document page links to a “View printed version (PDF)” — the official copy hosted on govinfo.gov (FederalRegister.gov).
- FederalRegister.gov tells readers to “Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.” (FederalRegister.gov)
- Only the official edition carries legal weight: “Only official editions of the Federal Register provide legal notice of publication to the public and judicial notice to the courts under 44 U.S.C. 1503 & 1507.” (FederalRegister.gov)
- eCFR states on the content page checked here: “This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.” (eCFR)
What FederalRegister.gov says about itself
On this document page, FederalRegister.gov discloses its own status in plain language: “This site displays a prototype of a “Web 2.0” version of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPO’s govinfo.gov“ (FederalRegister.gov). That is the site’s own characterization of what a reader is looking at, not a separate outside claim about it.
Locating the official copy
The same document page carries a link labeled “View printed version (PDF)” (FederalRegister.gov), pointing to the govinfo.gov-hosted PDF. The page states: “Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.” (FederalRegister.gov)
Why that distinction has legal weight
FederalRegister.gov states: “Only official editions of the Federal Register provide legal notice of publication to the public and judicial notice to the courts under 44 U.S.C. 1503 & 1507.” (FederalRegister.gov) This article reports that page’s statement without determining legal consequences in a particular matter.
What eCFR says about itself
On the cited Title 24, Part 30, Section 30.35 page, eCFR states: “This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.” (eCFR) This article uses that displayed description without adding a separate interpretation of the term.
What this article does not answer
This article does not compare the text of a given FederalRegister.gov or eCFR page with another edition. It also does not verify the substance, legal effect, or current applicability of the rule used as the example.