5 U.S.C. § 551 — Definitions

For this subchapter—
(1) “Agency” means each authority of the Government of the United States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another agency. It does not include—
(A) Congress;
(B) the courts of the United States;
(C) the governments of the United States territories or possessions;
(D) the government of the District of Columbia; or, except for the requirements of section 552 of this title—
(E) agencies made up of representatives of the parties, or of representatives of organizations of the parties, to disputes decided by those agencies;
(F) courts-martial and military commissions;
(G) military authority exercised in the field during wartime or in occupied territory; or
(H) functions given by sections 1738, 1739, 1743, and 1744 of title 12; subchapter II of chapter 471 of title 49; or sections 1884, 1891 through 1902, and former section 1641(b)(2) of title 50, appendix.
(2) “Person” includes an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or public or private organization other than an agency.
(3) “Party” includes a person or agency named or admitted as a party, a person or agency properly seeking and entitled as a right to be admitted as a party, and a person or agency admitted by an agency as a party for limited purposes.
(4) “Rule” means all or part of an agency statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy, or describing an agency’s organization, procedure, or practice requirements. It also includes the future approval or prescription of rates, wages, corporate or financial structures or reorganizations, prices, facilities, appliances, services or allowances for them, valuations, costs, accounting, or practices bearing on any of these.
(5) “Rule making” means an agency process for formulating, amending, or repealing a rule.
(6) “Order” means all or part of an agency’s final disposition, whether affirmative, negative, injunctive, or declaratory in form, of a matter other than rule making, including licensing.
(7) “Adjudication” means an agency process for formulating an order.
(8) “License” includes all or part of an agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter, membership, statutory exemption, or other form of permission.
(9) “Licensing” includes an agency process concerning the granting, renewal, denial, revocation, suspension, annulment, withdrawal, limitation, amendment, modification, or conditioning of a license.
(10) “Sanction” includes all or part of an agency’s—
(A) prohibition, requirement, limitation, or other condition affecting a person’s freedom;
(B) withholding of relief;
(C) imposition of a penalty or fine;
(D) destruction, taking, seizure, or withholding of property;
(E) assessment of damages, reimbursement, restitution, compensation, costs, charges, or fees;
(F) requirement, revocation, or suspension of a license; or
(G) other compulsory or restrictive action.
(11) “Relief” includes all or part of an agency’s—
(A) grant of money, assistance, a license, authority, exemption, exception, privilege, or remedy;
(B) recognition of a claim, right, immunity, privilege, exemption, or exception; or
(C) other action on a person’s application or petition that benefits that person.
(12) “Agency proceeding” means an agency process described in paragraphs (5), (7), and (9) of this section.
(13) “Agency action” includes all or part of an agency rule, order, license, sanction, relief, or equivalent action or denial of one, or the agency’s failure to act.
(14) “Ex parte communication” means an oral or written communication about a matter not on the public record for which reasonable prior notice is not given to all parties. It does not include requests for status reports about a matter or proceeding covered by this subchapter.