---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 605"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "605"
heading: "Avoidance of duplicative or unnecessary analyses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/605"
units:
  - "Part I — The Agencies Generally"
  - "Chapter 6 — The Analysis of Regulatory Functions"
---

# §605. Avoidance of duplicative or unnecessary analyses

- (a) Any [Federal agency](/usc/5/401.md?p=2) may perform the analyses required by sections [602](/usc/5/602.md), [603](/usc/5/603.md), and [604](/usc/5/604.md) of this title in conjunction with or as a part of any other agenda or analysis required by any other law if such other analysis satisfies the provisions of such sections.
- (b) Sections [603](/usc/5/603.md) and [604](/usc/5/604.md) of this title shall not apply to any proposed or final rule if the head of the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) certifies that the rule will not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of [small entities](/usc/5/601.md?p=6). If the head of the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) makes a certification under the preceding sentence, the [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) shall publish such certification in the Federal Register at the time of publication of general notice of proposed rulemaking for the rule or at the time of publication of the final rule, along with a statement providing the factual basis for such certification. The [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) shall provide such certification and statement to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the [Small Business](/usc/5/601.md?p=3) Administration.
- (c) In order to avoid duplicative action, an [agency](/usc/5/601.md?p=1) may consider a series of closely related rules as one rule for the purposes of sections [602](/usc/5/602.md), [603](/usc/5/603.md), [604](/usc/5/604.md) and [610](/usc/5/610.md) of this title.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–354, § 3(a), Sept. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 1167; amended Pub. L. 104–121, title II, § 243(a), Mar. 29, 1996, 110 Stat. 866.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–121 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “Sections 603 and 604 of this title shall not apply to any proposed or final rule if the head of the agency certifies that the rule will not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. If the head of the agency makes a certification under the preceding sentence, the agency shall publish such certification in the Federal Register, at the time of publication of general notice of proposed rulemaking for the rule or at the time of publication of the final rule, along with a succinct statement explaining the reasons for such certification, and provide such certification and statement to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration.”

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–121 effective on expiration of 90 days after Mar. 29, 1996, but inapplicable to interpretative rules for which a notice of proposed rulemaking was published prior to Mar. 29, 1996, see section 245 of Pub. L. 104–121, set out as a note under section 601 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1981, see section 4 of Pub. L. 96–354, set out as a note under section 601 of this title.