How many days must an agency rule or regulation be published before it can take effect?

The requirement for an agency to publish a rule or regulation before it takes effect is generally set out by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). According to the APA, most final rules must be published at least 30 days before they become effective. This waiting period allows the public to be informed about the new regulations, ensuring transparency and the opportunity for affected parties to prepare for any changes that may affect them.

The 30-day period is also crucial for administrative efficiency, giving both the agency time to implement the rule and the public time to understand and respond to it if necessary. Some specific types of rules may have differing requirements, such as emergency rules or those with a different statutory basis, but for most standard regulations, this 30-day publication rule is the standard practice.