Gazettes and laws
Where primary documents live and how to get them
Short answer
- US Federal Register
- Published every business day 1
- UK official public record
- The Gazette, first issue 15 November 1665 2
- Authentic EU Official Journal
- Electronic edition, from 1 July 2013 7
- PACER page fee
- US$0.10 per page, capped at US$3 per document 3
- SEC EDGAR access
- Free 5
Start with the body that made the document
Each kind of primary document has a home. A statute or regulation is published by the state. In the United States, the Office of the Federal Register publishes the Federal Register with the Government Publishing Office 1. In the European Union, only the Official Journal published in electronic form is authentic and produces legal effects 7.
A judgment is held by the court system that gave it. A company filing is held by the registry or securities regulator that received it. SEC EDGAR, for example, is the primary system for companies filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission 5. Companies House holds the UK register of companies 8.
Laws and official notices
Gazettes carry new laws and official notices in date order. The table lists one official home per jurisdiction. A gazette archive can reach back a long way. Kenya Law lists Kenya Gazette issues from 1899 to 2026, 8,255 in total 9.
| Jurisdiction | Where to look | Who publishes |
|---|---|---|
| United States 1 | Federal Register 1 | Office of the Federal Register, with the Government Publishing Office 1 |
| United Kingdom 2 | The Gazette 2 | TSO, under the oversight of HMSO at The National Archives 2 |
| European Union 7 | Official Journal of the European Union 7 | Electronic edition is the authentic one 7 |
| India 10 | eGazette of India 10 | Department of Publication, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs 10 |
| Kenya 9 | Kenya Gazette, on Kenya Law 9 | Government of the Republic of Kenya 9 |
Court judgments and case files
US federal court records are on PACER, which charges US$0.10 per page and waives fees for users who spend US$30 or less in a quarter 3. Court opinions on PACER are free 3. Transcripts reach PACER 90 days after they are produced 3.
Find Case Law, run by The National Archives, is the official and free source for judgments from courts and tribunals in England and Wales 4. Coverage for most courts starts in the early 2000s 4. Many lower court decisions are given orally and never transcribed, so they are not there 4.
Company filings
Access to EDGAR's public database is free 5. It holds information provided by public companies, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, variable annuities and individuals 5. Companies House says the UK register can be searched for free 8. It charges £22 for a certified copy by post and £65 for a same day certified copy 8.
When the document is not published
Many records never reach a public database. Access to information laws give a right to ask for them. The US FOIA lets any person request records from federal agencies 6. An agency has 20 days, excluding weekends and public holidays, to decide whether to comply 6. The law has nine exemptions 6. Other countries have their own laws, with different deadlines and fees.
Common questions
Where are new laws officially published?
In an official gazette or journal. Examples are the US Federal Register 1, The Gazette in the UK 2 and the Official Journal of the European Union, whose electronic edition is authentic 7.
Are court judgments free to read online?
Many are. Find Case Law is free for judgments from England and Wales 4, and court opinions on PACER cost nothing 3. Other PACER documents cost US$0.10 per page 3.
Where can I read a US company's filings?
On SEC EDGAR, whose public database is free to access 5.
What if the document I need is not online?
You can ask the public body that holds it under an access to information law, such as the US FOIA, which covers any person 6.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@documentlocker.org.
Sources
- National Archives: About the Federal Register
- The Gazette: About The Gazette
- PACER: PACER Pricing: How fees work
- The National Archives: About this service, Find Case Law
- SEC: About EDGAR
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Information Policy: The Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552
- EUR-Lex: Council Regulation (EU) No 216/2013 of 7 March 2013 on the electronic publication of the Official Journal of the European Union
- GOV.UK: Companies House fees (updated 25 September 2026)
- Kenya Law: Kenya Gazette
- Government of India: The Gazette of India
Related
- Official gazettes and legislation databases compared
How official gazettes differ by country: who publishes them, how often, whether the online edition is the official one and where to read them free.
- How to get court records in different countries
How court judgments and case files are published in the US, England and Wales, the EU, India, Kenya and Singapore, with access rules and fees.
- Company filing registries compared
Where company filings are published in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, the EU, Germany, Singapore and Kenya, and what searching and copies cost.
- Freedom of information and access to information laws compared
Who can ask, how long the body has to answer and what it costs under FOI laws in the US, UK, EU, India, Kenya, Canada and South Africa.
- Consolidated and original versions of laws
Why consolidated or revised texts of laws can differ from the official version, with rules from EUR-Lex, legislation.gov.uk, Singapore, the US and Kenya.