Fire protection professionals using automated tools to monitor regulatory updates are facing new access restrictions on the Federal Register website. Citing issues with aggressive automated scraping, the site has implemented measures that may present users with CAPTCHA challenges or block programmatic access from certain IP addresses. The agency is now directing users to its official API documentation for reliable, structured data access.

The notice presented to blocked users states, "Due to aggressive automated scraping of FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov, programmatic access to these sites is limited to access to our extensive developer APIs." This shift requires an adjustment for any firm or individual relying on custom scripts or third-party tools to track changes in fire safety codes and standards.

For those who need continued programmatic access, utilizing the official Federal Register and eCFR APIs is the recommended path forward. Individuals who believe their IP address has been blocked in error are advised to use the site's feedback tools to request access.