How do I know if a new federal rule applies to my business?

Question

Accepted Answer

Five-step triage that works for most small businesses: (1) Identify your NAICS code(s) — the 6-digit industry classification on your tax returns and SAM.gov registration. Most rules specify NAICS coverage in the preamble. (2) Check headcount thresholds — many rules exempt firms under 10, 15, 25, 50, 100, or 500 employees; the threshold is rule-specific and usually counts full-time equivalents over a lookback period. (3) Check revenue thresholds — SBA size standards vary by NAICS but range from $2M to $47M in annual receipts for "small business" status; some rules use these. (4) Check geographic scope — interstate commerce, specific states (state-plan OSHA), specific watersheds (EPA), or facility-specific (RMP-covered chemicals). (5) Check the effective date and any phased compliance dates for small entities. The preamble of every Federal Register rule contains an "Applicability" section that walks through these questions in plain language. The Regulatory Flexibility Act's Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) section explicitly addresses small-entity impact and is required for every rule with significant small-business effect. Shortcut: RegImpact maps your NAICS code, headcount, and state to active and proposed rules and flags only those where applicability is likely. For high-stakes determinations, confirm with an attorney or your trade association's compliance staff.