Office of the Federal Register (OFR)

FAQ's About Executive Orders

Executive orders are official documents, numbered consecutively, through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.

The text of Executive orders appears in the daily Federal Register as each Executive order is signed by the President and received by the Office of the Federal Register. The text of Executive orders beginning with Executive Order 7316 of March 13, 1936, also appears in the sequential editions of Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

NOTE: The total number of Executive orders issued for each administration includes number-and-letter designated orders, such as 9577-A, 9616-A, etc.


What are Executive Orders Disposition Tables?

Disposition Tables contain information about Executive Orders beginning with those signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and are arranged according to Presidential administration and year of signature. The tables are compiled and maintained by the Office of the Federal Register editors.

The Disposition Tables include the following information:

  • Executive order number;
  • Date of signing by the President
  • Federal Register volume, page number, and issue date
  • Title
  • Amendments (if any)
  • Current status (where applicable)

All entries in these tables are subject to change, as new Executive orders, Presidential proclamations, other Presidential documents, rules and regulations, notices, and public laws often amend or otherwise affect them.

These are informational listings, not provided as definitive legal authority.


How do I read an Executive Order?

For Executive orders issued since the start of the Clinton administration in 1993, you can now find a link to the text of the order as it appeared in the Federal Register. The text is in PDF format. To view the text, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Note: The link in the tables provides only the text of the order as it was originally issued. It does not include any amendments to the text.


What is the Subject Index?

Starting with the Clinton administration, you can browse a subject index for all Executive orders issued during a particular administration. The index contains links to the appropriate Executive order table.

 

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