PMP Tips: Standard vs Regulation

A Standard is a “document established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.”

A Regulation is a government imposed requirement, which specifies product, process or service characteristics, including the applicable administrative provision, with which compliance is mandatory.

It's often seen that standards become so overly used, that with a widespread use, they take the form of a regulation.