A member of the public can request an agency to develop a new regulation or to amend or repeal an existing regulation at any time by submitting a petition for rulemaking to the agency. This section contains both (i) notice that an individual or group has petitioned an agency to adopt or change a regulation and (ii) notice of the agency's decision either granting or denying the petitioner's request.

Executive agencies are required to periodically review all regulations promulgated by that agency to determine whether new regulations should be adopted and old regulations amended or repealed, and to prepare a written report summarizing the agency's findings about its regulations, its reasons for its findings, and any proposed course of action. The procedure for review is mandated by the Governor through executive order. Agencies must also consider the impact of regulations on small business and report that finding. This section includes announcements of reviews for public comment and reports of findings of such reviews.

A notice of intended regulatory action describes the subject matter and intent of a planned regulation or planned amendments to a regulation. The purpose of this brief notice is to alert interested individuals or groups that an agency is considering a regulatory action and provide those interested an opportunity to provide input to the agency early in the rulemaking process.

A regulation is a law adopted by a state agency. This section contains proposed, final, fast-track, and emergency regulations. In addition to the text of the regulation, information is provided to explain the agency's action. Once a final regulation is effective, it has full legal effect and becomes a part of the Virginia Administrative Code.

This section contains executive orders issued by the Governor. These orders are issued within the Governor's existing powers and are binding on Executive Branch agencies without requiring any action by the General Assembly. In addition, any filed comments on or objections to a regulation made by the Governor are published in this section.

A guidance document is a document developed by a state agency or staff that provides information or guidance of general applicability to the staff or public to interpret or implement statutes or the agency's rules or regulations. Pursuant to § 2.2-4002.1 of the Code of Virginia, an agency is required to provide a 30-day public comment period, to include public comment through the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website after publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations, of any certified guidance document prior to its effective date. Annually, pursuant to § 2.2-4103.1 of the Code of Virginia, every agency must file with the Registrar for publication in the Register a list of any guidance documents upon which the agency currently relies.

This section contains announcements and notices of state agency activity, as well as corrections to information previously published in the Virginia Register.