Registered Lobbyist
A lobbyist who has formally registered with the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
Understanding Registered Lobbyist
A registered lobbyist is an individual who has met the LDA thresholds for registration and has filed the required LD-1 registration form with Congress. Registration is required when an individual is employed or retained by a client, makes more than one lobbying contact, and spends at least 20 percent of their time on lobbying activities for that client in a quarterly period. Registration must occur within 45 days of the first lobbying contact. Once registered, the lobbyist (or their employer) must file quarterly LD-2 disclosure reports detailing activities, issues, and spending.
They must also file semi-annual LD-203 reports disclosing campaign contributions and other payments. The Secretary of the Senate maintains a searchable public database of all registrations and filings at lda.senate.gov. As of 2024, there are approximately 12,000 active registered lobbyists, though the actual number of people engaged in lobbying-adjacent activities is believed to be significantly higher. Some former officials and advocacy professionals structure their work to stay below the 20 percent threshold and avoid registration, a practice sometimes called "shadow lobbying.".
Related Glossary Terms
Lobbyist
An individual who is employed or retained by a client to make lobbying contacts on behalf of that client and who spends at least 20% of their time on lobbying activities for that client.
Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA)
The 1995 federal law (amended in 2007) that requires lobbyists and lobbying organizations to register with Congress and file quarterly spending and activity reports.
Lobbying
The act of attempting to influence government decisions, policies, or legislation by contacting elected officials, their staff, or executive branch officials.
Shadow Lobbying
Policy influence activities conducted by individuals who structure their work to avoid meeting the LDA's registration thresholds, thereby operating without public disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does registered lobbyist mean?
A lobbyist who has formally registered with the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
Why is registered lobbyist important in lobbying?
A registered lobbyist is an individual who has met the LDA thresholds for registration and has filed the required LD-1 registration form with Congress. Registration is required when an individual is employed or retained by a client, makes more than one lobbying contact, and spends at least 20 percen...
this entity is one of the U.S. federal lobbying disclosure concepts that recurs across this site. The definition above is the technical answer; the paragraphs below add the practical context for how the concept connects to the the Senate Lobbying Disclosure Office LD-2 filings data behind every per-entity page on the site.
In the the Senate Lobbying Disclosure Office LD-2 filings data, this concept shapes one or more of the fields that drive the per-entity grades and rankings on this site. The methodology page describes which fields feed into which output; this glossary entry documents the underlying term.
Source: U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act database, 2026.