REGULATORY WATCH BRIEF Moderate 45 🧭 Regulatory Guidance published

Federal Register restricts automated scraping; requires API use and CAPTCHA verification

Increased security measures on federal sites affect developers and researchers who rely on automated data collection.

ADTP Regulatory Watch · September 29, 2026

ImpactModerate 45

Type🧭 Regulatory Guidance

Statuspublished enacted, check the effective date

JurisdictionUS

What happened

The Federal Register warns that programmatic access to FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov is limited to its developer APIs due to aggressive automated scraping. Users must use the APIs or complete a CAPTCHA to verify they are human. The notice directs users to API documentation for broader access requests.

Why it matters for trust and compliance

Its status is published. It is enacted but may not be in force yet. Check the effective date before planning around it.
Increased security measures on federal sites affect developers and researchers who rely on automated data collection.

Who is affected

developer FederalRegister.gov eCFR.gov

Recommended actions

Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.