A sunset clause is a provision embedded in legislation, regulation, or contract that automatically terminates the provision at a predetermined date or upon the occurrence of a specified condition, unless legislative or contractual renewal extends its operation. Parameters: (1) the trigger — either a calendar date or a condition precedent; (2) the scope — the provision(s) subject to expiration; (3) the renewal mechanism — the authority and process required to extend. The sunset clause persists through written legal text, embedded within the statutory or contractual instrument that contains it, enforceable by the same interpretive authorities that read the host document. [formal: clausula solvens | substrate: mind | horizon: a life | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
sunset-clause
A sunset clause is a provision embedded in legislation, regulation, or contract that automatically terminates the provision at a predetermined date or upon the occurrence of a specified condition, unless legislative or contractual renewal…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A sunset clause is a human-made legal construct: a provision written into a law, regulation, or contract that sets an automatic expiration date or triggers termination upon a specified event, ensuring the provision ceases to operate unless actively renewed or extended by the governing authority.
Names and aliases
- sunset-clauseen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmro0ds1503mhd1nl7427f4seINSTANCE_OF →
A sunset clause is a specific kind of provision — one that includes an automatic expiration trigger. Law 9: a competent speaker would call a sunset clause a provision.
- cmr784r5e002bs126m1vdhxgkSERVES →
A sunset clause is designed for the sake of law: it ensures legislative provisions automatically expire unless actively renewed, serving the legal system's need for periodic review. Law 8d: servant→master (clause→law).
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Aug 6, 2026, 8:10 AM UTC
- Content hash
- c03f133d8b5a428db7620426909ea4fa6e12499c576293d4ff29b856496cd080