Revising the Duration of Design Certifications
Abstract
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of September 15, 2025, for the direct final rule published in the Federal Register on July 2, 2025. This direct final rule amended the NRC's regulations to revise the duration of design certifications (DCs). This action replaced the 15-year duration for DCs with a 40-year duration period, both for existing DCs currently in effect and generically for future DCs. This direct final rule did not change the date of issuance for existing DCs (i.e., the start date by which an existing DC may be referenced remains unchanged). This direct final rule also incorporated a minor editorial correction.
Federal Register Source
This document is published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Access the full regulatory text, preamble, and docket comments below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2025-16286 Federal Register document?
Document 2025-16286 is a Final Rule published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the Federal Register on August 26, 2025, with an effective date of September 15, 2025. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of September 15, 2025, for the direct final rule published in the Federal Register on July 2, 2025. This direct final rule amended the NRC's regulations to revise the duration of design certifications (DCs). This action replaced the 15-year duration for DCs with a 40-year duration period, both for existing DCs currently in effect and generically for future DCs. This direct final rule did not change the date of issuance for existing DCs (i.e., the start date by which an existing DC may be referenced remains unchanged). This direct final rule also incorporated a minor editorial correction. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/26/2025-16286/revising-the-duration-of-design-certifications.
Is document 2025-16286 an economically significant rule?
No. Document 2025-16286 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.