§ 390.7 Rules of construction.
Current wording, effective June 15, 2018.
(a) In part 325 of subchapter A and in this subchapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) Words imparting the singular include the plural;
(2) Words imparting the plural include the singular;
(3) Words imparting the present tense include the future tense.
(b) In this subchapter the word—
(1) Officer includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;
(2) Shall is used in an imperative sense;
(3) Must is used in an imperative sense;
(4) Should is used in a recommendatory sense;
(5) May is used in a permissive sense; and
(6) Includes is used as a word of inclusion, not limitation.
[53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995; 83 FR 16226, Apr. 16, 2018]
Amendment history
3 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996- [53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995; 83 FR 16226, Apr. 16, 2018]
- [53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]
- Oct. 1, 1996 → April 16, 2018annual editions 1996–2016[53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]
A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section.