Office of the Federal Register (OFR)

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Deviations

OFR allows agencies to request deviations from ACFR regulatory requirements and OFR style and format requirements.  For approval, agencies must provide a legal or practical justification in addition to, or in conjunction with, a unique need or unique set of circumstances.  We cannot, therefore, provide an example of a generic deviation request or a template to follow.  Instead, we have identified the overall categories of deviation requests, as well as the most commonly-requested types of requests, in the following form:

Deviation requests

To request a deviation:

  1. Download the form (or make sure to use the most-recent version)
  2. Complete, save, and digitally-sign the form, following the instructions (included in the pdf)
  3. Email the form, along with a draft document (if applicable), to the address specified in the instructions
  4. Make sure to:
    1. allow time for adequate review and response (at least 5 business days) before transmission of an affected document for publication
    2. include any specific deadlines
    3. add backup points of contact (if necessary)
    4. include the title of the person signing in the appropriate field

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can sign the request?

Anyone from your agency can sign as along as they:

  • have a Federally-issued (non-contractor) PIV-card, and
  • are authorized to make decisions on regulations.

Acceptable positions include Federal Register liaison officers, attorneys, and division or unit chiefs. 

Who can send the request to OFR?

Anyone from your agency can email the digitally-signed request form using their official Federal (non-contractor) email address. The person who emails the form is not specified so you do not need to know who will email the completed form before the request form is signed. 

What if I can't digitally sign the form?

Contact OFR's Legal Affairs and Policy Division, using the address in the instructions, to discuss possible alternatives.

Can I request a deviation for a joint document?

Yes. Contact OFR's Legal Affairs and Policy Division, using the address in the instructions, to discuss possible options.

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