This is the complete element reference for the Federal Register XML format. The FR uses a GPO/SGML-derived format with no namespace, sharing many inline elements with eCFR but using a flat, document-centric structure rather than hierarchical DIVs. Each FR document (a rule, proposed rule, notice, or presidential document) is a standalone entity organized into preamble, supplementary information, and regulatory text sections.
You will find this reference useful if you are extending the FR converter, debugging unexpected output, or building tooling that works with Federal Register XML directly.
Each document type element becomes one emitted AST node.
| Element | Normalized Type | Annual Volume |
|---|
RULE | rule | ~3,000—3,200 |
PRORULE | proposed_rule | ~1,700—2,100 |
NOTICE | notice | ~22,000—25,000 |
PRESDOCU | presidential_document | ~300—470 |
These elements group documents within daily issues. They are pass-through in the builder.
| Element | Description |
|---|
RULES | Contains RULE elements |
PRORULES | Contains PRORULE elements |
NOTICES | Contains NOTICE elements |
PRESDOCS | Contains PRESDOCU elements |
| Element | Attribute | Extracted As |
|---|
AGENCY | TYPE (F=full, N=narrow, S=short) | Agency name |
SUBAGY | — | Sub-agency name |
CFR | — | CFR citation (e.g., "17 CFR Part 240") |
SUBJECT | — | Document title/heading |
DEPDOC | — | Department document number |
RIN | — | Regulation Identifier Number |
| Element | Label | Content |
|---|
AGY | AGENCY: | Agency identification |
ACT | ACTION: | Action type |
SUM | SUMMARY: | Document summary |
DATES | DATES: | Effective/comment dates |
EFFDATE | EFFECTIVE DATE: | Effective date (variant) |
ADD | ADDRESSES: | Contact addresses |
FURINF | FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: | Contact information |
Each section contains an HD SOURCE="HED" label heading followed by P paragraphs.
| Element | Description |
|---|
P | Paragraph (primary content) |
FP | Flush paragraph (SOURCE attr: FP-1, FP-2, FP1-2 for indent levels) |
The HD element uses the SOURCE attribute to determine heading depth:
| SOURCE Value | Depth | Usage |
|---|
HED | 1 | Top-level section headings |
HD1 | 2 | Primary sub-headings |
HD2 | 3 | Secondary sub-headings |
HD3 | 4 | Tertiary sub-headings |
HD4 | 5 | Fourth-level sub-headings |
HD5—HD8 | 6 | Lower-level headings (collapsed) |
The E element’s T attribute determines formatting:
| T Value | Rendering | Usage |
|---|
01 | Bold | General emphasis |
02 | Italic | Definitions, terms |
03 | Bold | Bold italic in print |
04 | Italic | Italic in headings |
05 | Italic | Small caps |
51, 52, 54 | Subscript | Math notation |
7462 | Italic | Special terms (et seq.) |
| Element | Rendering |
|---|
I | Italic |
B | Bold |
SU | Superscript / footnote marker |
FR | Fraction (rendered as text) |
AC | Accent/diacritical |
These appear within SUPLINF (supplementary information) in rules and proposed rules.
| Element | Attributes | Description |
|---|
REGTEXT | TITLE, PART | CFR amendment container |
AMDPAR | — | Amendment instruction paragraph |
SECTION | — | Section container within REGTEXT |
SECTNO | — | Section number designation |
PART | — | Part container within REGTEXT |
AUTH | — | Authority citation |
LSTSUB | — | List of subjects (CFR parts affected) |
| Element | Description |
|---|
SIG | Signature block container |
NAME | Signer name |
TITLE | Signer title |
DATED | Signature date |
| Element | Description |
|---|
EXECORD | Executive Order |
PRMEMO | Presidential Memorandum |
PROCLA | Proclamation |
DETERM | Presidential Determination |
PRNOTICE | Presidential Notice |
PRORDER | Presidential Order |
| Element | Description |
|---|
PSIG | Presidential signature (initials) |
PLACE | Place of issuance |
TITLE3 | CFR Title 3 marker |
PRES | President name |
| Element | Note Type | Description |
|---|
FTNT | footnote | Footnote text |
FTREF | (inline ref) | Footnote reference marker |
EDNOTE | editorial | Editorial note |
OLNOTE1 | general | Overlay note |
FR uses the GPOTABLE format (different from eCFR’s HTML tables).
| Element | Attributes | Description |
|---|
GPOTABLE | — | Table root |
TTITLE | — | Table title |
BOXHD | — | Header box container |
CHED | H (level) | Column header entry |
ROW | RUL (horizontal rules) | Data row |
ENT | I (indent), A (alignment) | Cell entry |
| Element | Description |
|---|
EXTRACT | Extracted/quoted text |
EXAMPLE | Illustrative example |
| Element | Description |
|---|
FRDOC | FR document citation (e.g., [FR Doc. 2026-06029 ...]), parsed for document number |
BILCOD | Billing code (skipped) |
PRTPAGE | Page number reference (P attr), skipped |
| Element | Reason |
|---|
CNTNTS | Table of contents in daily issue |
GPH | Graphics (not available in XML) |
GID | Graphics ID |
| Element | Description |
|---|
FEDREG | Daily issue root element |
PREAMB | Preamble container (children handled individually) |
SUPLINF | Supplementary information (children handled individually) |
Self-contained elements with no relevant content for Markdown output.
| Element | Description |
|---|
STARS | Visual separator |
FILED | Filing information |
UNITNAME | Section name in daily issue |
VOL | Volume number |
NO | Issue number |
DATE | Daily-issue-level date |
NEWPART | New part container |
PTITLE | Part title |
PARTNO | Part number |
PNOTICE | Part notice |