name: Regulations.gov API Rate Limits
description: Rate limits for the Regulations.gov API are enforced through api.data.gov infrastructure using rolling hourly windows.
keyTypes:
  - name: DEMO_KEY
    description: Shared IP-based key for demonstration purposes, no registration required.
    limits:
      - type: hourly
        requests: 30
        scope: per IP address
      - type: daily
        requests: 50
        scope: per IP address
    notes: Intended only for initial API exploration. Not suitable for production applications.
  - name: Registered API Key
    description: Free personal API key obtained via api.data.gov registration.
    limits:
      - type: hourly
        requests: 1000
        scope: per key
    commentingApiLimits:
      - type: per-minute
        requests: 50
        scope: per key
      - type: hourly
        requests: 500
        scope: per key
    notes: Commenting API (POST /v4/comments) has a stricter secondary rate limit of 50 requests/minute and 500 requests/hour.
enforcement:
  mechanism: Rolling hourly window (not fixed calendar hour)
  statusCode: 429
  statusMessage: Too Many Requests
  responseHeaders:
    - name: X-RateLimit-Limit
      description: Total number of requests allowed in the current window
    - name: X-RateLimit-Remaining
      description: Number of requests remaining in the current window
  resetBehavior: Automatic unblocking after the rolling one-hour window expires
rateLimitIncreases:
  available: true
  process: Contact the agency or eRulemaking@gsa.gov with a justified business need; requests are reviewed case-by-case.
  reference: https://api.data.gov/docs/rate-limits/
references:
  - https://open.gsa.gov/api/regulationsgov/
  - https://api.data.gov/docs/rate-limits/
  - https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/