18 CFR 341.3 – Form of tariff
(a) Tariffs may be filed either by dividing the tariff into tariff sections or as an entire document.
(b) Contents of tariff. All tariff publications must contain the following information in the following order:
(1) Title page. The title page of each tariff must contain the following information:
(i) The FERC tariff number designation, in the upper right hand corner, numbered consecutively, and the FERC tariff number designation of the tariff that is canceled, if any, under it;
(ii) The corporate name of the carrier;
(iii) The type of rates, e.g., local, joint, or proportional, and the commodity to which the tariff applies, e.g., crude, petroleum product, or jet fuel;
(iv) Governing tariffs, e.g., separate “rules and regulations” tariffs, if any;
(v) The specific Commission order pursuant to which the tariff is issued;
(vi) The issue date, which must be shown on the lower left side, and the effective date, which must be shown on the lower right side;
(vii) The expiration date, if applicable;
(viii) The name of the issuing officer or duly appointed official issuing the tariff, the complete street and mailing address of the carrier, and the name and phone number of the individual responsible for compiling the tariff publication.
(2) Table of contents. Tariffs of more than nine pages in length must contain a table of contents. A table of contents is optional for tariffs which are less than 10 pages in length.
(3) A list of carriers participating in joint tariffs.
(4) Index of Commodities.
(5) Explanatory statements. These statements must explain the proper application of rates and rules.
(6) Rules governing tariff publications. (i) All rules affecting the rates or the services provided for in the tariff publication must be included. A special rule affecting a particular item or rate must be referred to specifically in that item or in connection with that rate.
(ii) Each rule must be given a separate item number, (e.g., Item No. 1), and the title of each rule must be distinctive.
(iii) Except as provided in § 341.10, tariffs may not include any rules that substitute for any rates named in the tariff or found in any other tariff. Rules may not provide that traffic of any nature will be “transported only by special agreement” or any other provision of similar meaning.
(iv) Rules may be separately published in a general rules tariff when it is not desirable or practicable to include the governing rules in the rate tariff. Rate tariffs that do not contain rules must make specific reference, by FERC Tariff number, to the governing general rules tariff.
(v) When joint rate tariffs refer to a separate governing rules tariff, such separate tariff must be concurred in by all joint carriers.
(7) Statement of rates. Rates must be stated explicitly in cents, or in dollars and cents, per barrel or other specified unit. The names or designations of the places from and to which the rates apply must be arranged in a simple and systematic manner. Any related services performed by the carrier in connection with the rates must be clearly identified and explained. Duplicative or conflicting rates for the same service are prohibited.
(8) Routing. Routing over which the rates apply must be stated so that the actual routes may be ascertained. This may be accomplished by stating that the rates apply via all routes of the carrier except as otherwise specifically stated in the tariff.
(9) Explanation of abbreviations and reference marks. Reference marks, abbreviations, and note references must be explained at the end of each tariff publication. U.S. Postal Service state abbreviations and other commonly used abbreviations need not be explained.
(10) Changes to be indicated in tariff or supplement.
(i) All tariff publications must identify where changes have been made in existing rates or charges, rules, regulations or practices, or classifications. One of the following letter designations or uniform symbols may be used to indicate the change, and insertions, other than to tables and rates, must be indicated by either highlight, background shading, bold, or underline, with deleted text indicated by strike-through:
| Description | Option 1 | Option 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Increase | > | [I] |
| Decrease | < | [D] |
| Change in wording only | ? | [W] |
| Cancel | / | [C] |
| Reissued Item | ? | [R] |
| Unchanged Rate | = | [U] |
| New | + | [N] |
(ii) Reissued items must include in the square or brackets the number of the tariff supplement where the item was first issued or amended. If the letter designation is used, the number of the supplement must be shown together with the letter. The references must be explained at the end of the tariff. For example: “[R2] Reissued from Supplement No. 2, effective [specify date].”
(iii) The symbols and letter designations contained in paragraph (b)(10)(i) of this section must not be used for any other purpose.
(iv) When the same change is made in all or in substantially all rates in a tariff, a tariff supplement, or a tariff or tariff supplement page, that fact and the nature of the change must be indicated in distinctive type at the top of the title page of the issue, or at the top of each page, as appropriate. For example: “All rates in this issue are increased,” or “All rates on this page are reduced unless otherwise indicated.”
(v) When a tariff publication that cancels a previous tariff publication does not include points of origin or destination, or rates, rules, or routes that were contained in the prior tariff publication, the new tariff publication must indicate the cancellation. If such omissions effect changes in charges or services, that fact must be indicated by the use of the symbols prescribed in paragraph (b)(10)(i) of this section.
(vi) Only revisions to tariff provisions identified in the filing constitute the tariff filing. Revisions to unidentified portions of the rate schedule or tariff are not considered part of the filing nor will any acceptance of the filing by the Commission constitute acceptance of such unmarked changes.
(11) Tariff publications must be consecutively numbered.