The federal government added 22,454 pages to the Federal Register in the third quarter of 2026, spanning from July 1 to Sept. 30. This is more than in all other quarters during the second Trump administration, except the second quarter of 2026, during which the government added 23,692 pages. The next highest was the third quarter in 2025, during which the government added 19,256 pages.
The 22,454 pages make up 6,640 documents that the government added to the Federal Register during the quarter. Four years earlier, during the Biden administration, the government added 7,081 documents and 20,304 pages in the third quarter of 2022.
Here’s a breakdown of the 6,640 documents added last quarter:
- 5,327 notices
- 98 presidential documents
- 456 proposed rules
- 777 final rules
In the third quarter of 2026, Trump administrative agencies proposed 37 significant rules, issued 56 significant final rules, and issued no significant notices. A 1993 executive order defines significant rules as those that could have large effects on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) determines which rules meet this definition and are subject to its review. Significant actions may also conflict with presidential priorities or other agency rules.
The Trump administration issued 71 significant proposed rules, 110 significant final rules, and 10 significant notices in 2025.
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration's regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions.
Ballotpedia maintains page counts and other information about the Federal Register as part of our neutral, nonpartisan encyclopedic coverage of the administrative state. Click here to see our full coverage of changes to the Federal Register.