Although there are a variety of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), all of them review research protocols to ensure the rights of human subjects are protected. The federal regulations that govern IRB composition and define their charge are known, in general, as the Common Rule, which was updated most recently in 2018. Researchers should be familiar with the IRB and all of the associated standard operating procedures at their institution prior to submitting their first study for review and approval. Being familiar with the expectations will make the process more predictable and easier to implement.