administrative agency

An administrative agency is a government body authorized to implement legislative directives by developing more precise and technical rules than possible in a legislative setting. Many administrative agencies also have law enforcement responsibilities. Some examples of administrative agencies are; the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The amount of deference afforded to administrative agencies has varied over time; see Chevron deference.  In 2024, the Supreme Court greatly limited the independent authority of administrative agencies in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.

[Last reviewed in February of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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• THE LEGAL PROCESS
• administrative law
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• government