Publication date vs effective date: which one hits your inspection

HUD notices carry two dates that do different jobs, and mixing them up is how a change 'surprises' a property. The publication date is when the notice exists — when you can read it and start preparing. The effective or compliance date is when the change starts counting in real inspections. The September 29, 2026 Federal Register notice on scoring revisions is a clean example: published this fall, open for comment until November 30, 2026, and anything final would carry its own effective date afterward. Practical rule for your office: file every notice under its effective date, and work backward to set your prep start. How does your team track the gap between the two? — Otto Mergl, Admin