How do I submit a comment on a proposed federal rule?

Public comment is a legal right under the Administrative Procedure Act and a genuine input into the final rule — agencies must read and respond to substantive comments on the record. Go to regulations.gov, search the docket number (printed at the top of every NPRM in the Federal Register), and click "Comment Now." Comment periods are typically 30 to 60 days, occasionally 90+ for major rules.

What works: be specific about your business (industry, size, location, NAICS code), cite costs in dollars and hours, propose alternative language or thresholds, and attach data or photos as exhibits. A 300-word comment from a real small-business owner with concrete numbers beats a 5,000-word form letter. Agencies are required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act to consider small-entity impact, and they cite individual small-business comments by name in final rule preambles.

What doesn't work: generic "I oppose this rule" comments, copy-paste form letters (counted as one comment), or comments submitted after the deadline (agencies may but are not required to consider late comments).

Save a PDF of your submitted comment with the receipt number. If the final rule deviates from your input, your comment is part of the administrative record that supports any later legal challenge.