Data / Federal rules / 2025-12396
Revising the Duration of Design Certifications
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission published this final rule in the Federal Register on July 2, 2025. It took effect on September 15, 2025. Comments closed on August 1, 2025.
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What the agency says
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to revise the duration of design certifications (DCs). Specifically, this direct final rule replaces the 15-year duration for DCs with a 40-year duration period, both for existing DCs currently in effect and generically for future DCs, including renewals. This direct final rule does not change the date of issuance or renewal for existing DCs (i.e., the start date by which an existing DC may be referenced remains unchanged). This direct final rule also incorporates a minor editorial correction.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2025-12396
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Direct final rule
- Agency
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Published
- July 2, 2025
- Takes effect
- September 15, 2025
- Comments due
- August 1, 2025
- Dates
- The final rule is effective September 15, 2025, unless significant adverse comments are received by August 1, 2025. If the direct final rule is withdrawn as a result of such comments, timely notice of the withdrawal will be published in the Federal Register. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. Comments received on this direct final rule will also be considered to be comments on the companion proposed rule published in the Proposed Rules section of this is
- Docket
- NRC-2025-0018
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 3150-AL26
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 10 CFR 52
- Topics
- Administrative practice and procedure; Antitrust; Fees; Nuclear power plants and reactors; Penalties; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
- Significant
- Yes, under Executive Order 12866
- Pages
- 5
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Everything from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission · Rules on administrative practice and procedure · Rules on antitrust · Rules on fees · Published in July 2025
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.