---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 572"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "572"
heading: "General authority"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/572"
units:
  - "Part I — The Agencies Generally"
  - "Chapter 5 — Administrative Procedure"
  - "Subchapter IV — Alternative Means of Dispute Resolution in the Administrative Process"
---

# §572. General authority

- (a) An [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) may use a [dispute resolution proceeding](/usc/5/571.md?p=6) for the resolution of an [issue in controversy](/usc/5/571.md?p=8) that relates to an [administrative program](/usc/5/571.md?p=2), if the [parties](/usc/5/571.md?p=10) agree to such proceeding.
- (b) An [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) shall consider not using a [dispute resolution proceeding](/usc/5/571.md?p=6) if—
  - (1) a definitive or authoritative resolution of the matter is required for precedential value, and such a proceeding is not likely to be accepted generally as an authoritative precedent;
  - (2) the matter involves or may bear upon significant questions of Government policy that require additional procedures before a final resolution may be made, and such a proceeding would not likely serve to develop a recommended policy for the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1);
  - (3) maintaining established policies is of special importance, so that variations among individual decisions are not increased and such a proceeding would not likely reach consistent results among individual decisions;
  - (4) the matter significantly affects persons or organizations who are not [parties](/usc/5/571.md?p=10) to the proceeding;
  - (5) a full public record of the proceeding is important, and a [dispute resolution proceeding](/usc/5/571.md?p=6) cannot provide such a record; and
  - (6) the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) must maintain continuing jurisdiction over the matter with authority to alter the disposition of the matter in the light of changed circumstances, and a [dispute resolution proceeding](/usc/5/571.md?p=6) would interfere with the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1)’s fulfilling that requirement.
- (c) [Alternative means of dispute resolution](/usc/5/571.md?p=3) authorized under this subchapter are voluntary procedures which supplement rather than limit other available [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) dispute resolution techniques.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–552, § 4(b), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2739, § 582; renumbered § 572, Pub. L. 102–354, § 3(b)(2), Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 944.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section 572 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, was transferred to section 2257 of Title 7, Agriculture.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 572 was renumbered section 592 of this title.

### Amendments

1992—Pub. L. 102–354 renumbered section 582 of this title as this section.