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Regulations are laws made by executive branch agencies. Agencies have the authority to make regulations based on statutes passed by legislatures, but only on the subjects the statutes authorize. Regulations explain the details of how laws are carried out and should be read together with the statutes under which they were made.
Regulations are published in subject arrangements called codes. You can find regulations in print and online.
Maryland Regulations
All regulations promulgated by Maryland’s administrative agencies are published in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). COMAR is divided into 35 numbered titles. Most state agencies have their own title, though some smaller agencies share a single title (for example, Title 14 – Independent Agencies).
Finding Regulations in Print
The print edition of COMAR is updated only once a year. The Maryland Register, published every two weeks by the Division of State Documents, is a temporary supplement to COMAR. All changes to the text of COMAR regulations are published in the Register. Whether you have a citation to a regulation or are searching without a citation, you will need to confirm you are looking at the current version of the regulation by checking the Maryland Register. Each issue has a cumulative table listing regulations that have been adopted, amended, or repealed since the last annual update of each COMAR title.
With a Citation
A COMAR citation looks like this: COMAR 10.45.05.01.
Here is a breakdown of this citation:
- 10 = Title (Maryland Department of Health)
- 45 = Subtitle (Maryland Community Health Resources)
- 05 = Chapter (Community Health Resources)
- 01 = Regulation (Qualification as Community Health Resource)
To find this regulation in print:
- Locate the COMAR volume that includes “Title 10” and “Subtitles 45 to end” on its spine.
- Within that volume, turn to Subtitle 45.
- Within Subtitle 45, go to Chapter 05.
- Find Regulation 01.
- Finally, check the Maryland Register.
Without a Citation
If you don’t have a citation, you’ll need to search by subject or agency.
- Identify the agency that regulates the area of law. If you aren’t sure, consult the Maryland Manual Online, which describes each agency’s functions.
- Browse tables of contents within COMAR titles and subtitles. Each volume begins with a table of contents that may help you locate relevant chapters and regulations.
- Use subject indexes such as Michie’s Index to the Code of Maryland Regulations or the COMAR Deskbook, both available in many law libraries. These provide subject access to COMAR.
- Check the Maryland Register
Finding Regulations Online
With a Citation
Regulations can be searched and browsed at the Division of State Documents COMAR website.
- Use the Title, Subtitle, Chapter, and Regulation numbers from the citation to navigate directly to the regulation.
- Online COMAR is generally up to date, but new regulations may take a few weeks to appear. If you need the very latest version, verify whether changes have been made to the regulation by checking the Maryland Register.
Without a Citation
If you don’t have a citation, you can search COMAR by keyword or browse the table of contents.
Example: To learn how to legally home school your child in Maryland:
- Go to the DSD COMAR website.
- Click “Search COMAR”
- Enter your keyword (e.g., “home school”) and the search box.
- You can narrow the results by agency by clicking on the Title in the left-hand menu. For example, for homeschooling, click on Title 13A, State Board of Education.
Alternately, you can use the left-hand menu to navigate within the table of contents. After you click on a Title, you will see the Subtitles for the that. Clicking on a Subtitle returns a list of the Chapters for that Subtitle.
Federal Regulations
Federal agency regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The CFR is available in print and online.
Finding Regulations in Print
The print CFR is updated annually, so you will need to confirm you are looking at the current version of the regulation by checking for updates. You can check for updates in the:
- List of CFR Sections Affected (LSA): Lists updates to each CFR section since the last revision.
- Federal Register: Published daily. Contains proposed and final rules, plus notices from agencies.
Information about how to search and use the LSA and Federal Register is available on their respective websites.
With a Citation
A citation to the CFR looks like this: 20 CFR § 416.202.
Here is a breakdown of this citation:
- 20 = Title (Employees’ Benefits)
- 416 = Part (Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled)
- 202 = Section (Who May Get SSI Benefits)
To find this in print, locate the volume labeled “Title 20, Parts 400–499” and look under Part 416, Section 202.
Without a Citation
Use the CFR Index volume, organized by subject, to look up keywords related to your topic. Because the CFR may not always be current, check the List of CFR Sections Affected (LSA) and the Federal Register for updates.
Finding Regulations Online (With or Without a Citation)
Search or browse the CFR at ecfr.gov. The site offers simple and advanced search options. You can also browse by Title or Agency. This Search Tips Guide provides detailed instructions for simple searches as well as advanced searches. The eCRF site provides a link to view recent changes to regulations. You can click on the link for “view changes” in the right-hand column of the list of Titles to view recent changes for that title. You can check the online List of CFR Sections Affected to ensure that the eCFR regulations contain the most recent updates.
If you know which agency regulates the area of law you are researching, one of the easiest ways to find federal regulations is to look at the website of that agency. You can find a list of federal agencies with links to their websites at USA.gov. Many federal agencies publish their regulations on their websites behind a link called “Laws and Regulations,” or something similar.
If you don’t know which federal agency regulates your area of law, you could try searching the U.S. Government Manual. The Manual gives descriptions of federal agencies.