2026-13801: Age Search Fee Structure

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 129 (Wednesday, July 8, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 42135-42136] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-13801] ======================================================================== Rules and Regulations Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510. The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. ======================================================================== Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 129 / Wednesday, July 8, 2026 / Rules and Regulations [[Page 42135]] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau 15 CFR Part 50 [Docket No: 260701-0159] RIN 0607-AA65 Age Search Fee Structure

Agency

Census Bureau, Department of Commerce.

Action

Final rule. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

The Census Bureau provides an Age Search service of confidential records from the 1910 to 2020 decennial censuses and can issue an official transcript of the results to authorized individuals. With this rule, the Census Bureau will increase the fee for conducting an Age Search from $65.00 to $155.00. The Census Bureau will increase the additional charge for expedited requests requiring search results within one day from $20.00 per case to $50.00 per case. These changes are needed to reflect the actual operating costs associated with processing an Age Search request which were last revised in 2004.

Dates

This rule is effective August 7, 2026.

For Further Information Contact

Contact the Age Search service help line by telephone at 812-218-3046, by email at [email protected] or by mail at U.S. Census Bureau, P.O. Box 1545, Jeffersonville, IN 47131.

Supplementary Information

Background Age Search allows individuals to request transcripts of their confidential census records before they are released to the public. Historically, these records have been used by people who may not have had a birth certificate to prove their age as statewide registration and reporting of births did not happen consistently in all states until the early 1930s. The Age Search census transcript provides proof of age to qualify individuals for Social Security or other retirements benefits; provides secondary proof of citizenship to apply for passports; \1\ provides proof of family relationships for documentation related to rights of inheritance; or satisfies other situations where a birth certificate is required but not available. Individuals may request the Age Search service to access their own records. Census information is confidential and ordinarily will not be furnished to another person unless the person to whom it relates authorizes this on the application or if the record requested is that of a minor child, mentally incompetent person, or deceased person. In the latter two cases, the application must be accompanied by additional documentation, such as court orders naming the legal representative. The censuses in custody of the Census Bureau are confidential and protected from disclosure by 13 U.S.C. 9. No transcript of any record will be furnished in violation of the applicable statutory confidentiality restrictions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ See guidance provided by the U.S. Department of State at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/citizenship-evidence.html. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Age Search service is designed to be a self-supporting operation, conducted in accordance with 13 U.S.C. 8(a). Under this statute, all expenses incurred in the retrieval of personal information from decennial census records and the preparation of decennial census transcripts are intended to be covered by fees paid by individuals who request this service. To help maintain the self-supporting financial status of this service as operating costs increase, the Census Bureau will update the August 2004 rule, 04-17359 (69 FR 45579), for the fee structure. Response to Comments A proposed rule was published on February 23, 2026 (91 FR 8395). The Census Bureau received one comment which was non-responsive to the proposed changes in the rule. Therefore, the Census Bureau is finalizing the rule with no changes. Program Requirements With this rule, the Census Bureau is amending at 15 CFR part 50.5 to update the fee structure for age search and citizenship information. The Census Bureau will increase the fee structure for searches of one census for one person and producing one transcript from $65.00 to $155.00. The Census Bureau will also increase the additional charge per case for expedited requests requiring search results within one day from $20.00 to $50.00. The new fee structure was calculated using 1,614 average annual requests, the 2 hours on average needed to process each request, and the 2025 hourly rates of the two GS-5 employees who currently respond to these requests. Regulatory Flexibility Act The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce certifies to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Most, if not all, respondents affected by the fee increase are individuals, not small or large businesses. Those businesses who will be affected will only be impacted minimally. The projected number of individual Age Search cases is 1,614 for fiscal year 2025. A unique characteristic of the Age Search service is its self- supporting design. Congress passed a law in 1954 that stipulated that this service be funded by the individuals requesting the service (13 U.S.C. 8[a]). The National Processing Center does not receive any federal appropriations or tax monies for the Age Search service. Consequently, the searching process of the census records and associated operating costs are designed to be funded by the fees received with the applications. Due to increases in operating costs since the last Age Search fee increase in 2004, and to help maintain the self-supporting financial status, it has become necessary to increase the fee. The Census Bureau will increase the fee structure for searches of one census for one person and producing one transcript from $65.00 to $155.00. The Census Bureau will also increase the additional charge per case for expedited requests requiring search results within one day from $20.00 to $50.00. These changes reflect the actual operating costs associated with processing an Age Search request. The new fee structure was calculated using the average annual number of requests, the average number [[Page 42136]] of hours needed to process each request, and the 2025 hourly rates of the employees responding to the requests. Executive Orders This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866. This rule does not contain policies with federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132. This rule is not expected to be an E.O. 14192 regulatory action because it is not significant under E.O. 12866.. Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this final rule also announces the Census Bureau's intent to reinstate an expired information collection under OMB Control Number 0607-0117. To access the current materials pending with OMB, go to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and select ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or OMB Control Number 0607- 0117. All comments should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the final rule. The substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure and will be available via http://www.reginfo.gov after the collection is finalized. The rule makes changes to the collection including: A decrease in burden from 531 hours to 353.4 hours due to fewer annual respondents; and A fee structure change per the changes in the rule; and In addition, the Census Bureau will make minor updates to the forms such as adding the 2020 Census as a choice for a census record search. Comments from the public concerning our information collection and recordkeeping requirements. These comments will help us: (1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for the proper performance of our agency's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who are to respond. Estimate of burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 minutes per response. Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,920. Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1. Estimated annual number of responses: 1,920. Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 353.4 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.) List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 50 Census data, Population census, Statistics. For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Census Bureau amends 15 CFR part 50.5 as follows: PART 50--SPECIAL SERVICES AND STUDIES BY THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS 0