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Approval of American National
Standards (ANS)

ANS Approval Process

Step 3: Draft standard for public comment

After drafting a standard in accordance with its accredited procedures (or identifying an existing standard) to be processed as a proposed American National Standard (ANS), an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) files a BSR-8/108 form with ANSI, initiating the draft standard review and public comment period.

Here’s what you do:

File an ANSI BSR-8/108 form online.

ANSI’s Web Forms Portal provides access to the forms used to generate mandatory notification of standards development activities, in compliance with ANSI’s Essential Requirements 2.5

See section 2.5

Within 2 weeks of filing a BSR-8, you will receive an acknowledgement e‐mail confirming the date your announcement will be published in the "Call for Comments" section of ANSI Standards Action. The Standards Action announcement initiates a review and public comment period.

You should also seek publication of the announcement of the proposed draft in relevant trade publications and other suitable media in order to demonstrate the opportunity for participation by all directly and materially affected persons.

Be sure the draft document is available to any interested party in the manner you indicated in the Standards Action announcement and that you are prepared to receive comments for the length of the comment period (30, 45, or 60 days from the date of the announcement). The required minimum length of the comment period is as follows:

  • 30 days in the case of a revised ANS if the full text of the revision(s) can be published in Standards Action
  • 45 days if the draft document is available in an electronic format, deliverable within one day of a request, and the source (e.g., URL, email address) from which it can be obtained by the public can be published in Standards Action
  • 60 days in all other cases

Step 3: Draft standard for public comment

After drafting a standard in accordance with its accredited procedures (or identifying an existing standard) to be processed as a proposed American National Standard (ANS), an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) files a BSR-8/108 form with ANSI, initiating the draft standard review and public comment period.

Here’s what you need to know:

Essential Requirements section 1.5 and implementation benchmarks 2.5.2

Download a slide deck for Guidance on using Web forms for the ANS process

See sections 1.5, 2.5.2

Step 3: Draft standard for public comment

After drafting a standard in accordance with its accredited procedures (or identifying an existing standard) to be processed as a proposed American National Standard (ANS), an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) files a BSR-8/108 form with ANSI, initiating the draft standard review and public comment period.

Useful tips

  • ANSI does not require ASDs to start with a blank sheet of paper or to establish a "drafting group" – in other words, existing drafts or existing documents already in use in the marketplace can be proposed as "new" American National Standards (ANS) and subjected to ANSI's procedural requirements with the goal of approval as an ANS.
  • If you have any problems submitting a BSR-8 form or you don't receive a receipt or see your proposal listed in Standards Action, please email ANSI right away for assistance at [email protected]. Most failed submittals are due to not hitting the "submit" button, entering invalid data, or attempting to upload incompatible file attachments.
  • Any subsequent substantive changes to an original draft announced for comment will require additional public review through Standards Action.
  • Guidance concerning the use of electronic systems within the ANS process is available here.
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Have questions or need some help?

ANSI's Procedures and Standards Administration (PSA) staff can answer your questions or provide additional guidance.

Email ANSI Staff