File a Federal FOIA Request

Is this an official government service?

No. Federal Data Reference is an independent guide. Complete the transaction only on the linked official government website.

Can every record be obtained?

No. Availability depends on the record system, applicable law, court rules, privacy protections, and the official custodian's access policy.

How do I verify current fees or timing?

Check the linked official source before submitting a request. Fees, system hours, processing queues, and local practices can change.

Should I ask for information or records?

Frame a request around identifiable existing records. A records office generally is not required to research a question or create a new record unless its governing rules say otherwise.

Detailed FOIA request planning

The federal Freedom of Information Act applies to records of federal executive-branch agencies; it is not the access law for Congress, federal courts, state governments, or local governments. FOIA.gov advises requesters to look for material already posted online before filing. If the material is not public, the requester should write to the FOIA office of the agency that maintains it. The request must reasonably describe the records sought. No universal federal request form is required. These points come from the FOIA.gov request guide, which should be reread immediately before submission.

1. Turn a question into a record description

An agency processes requests for existing agency records; FOIA.gov explains that the law does not require an agency to create a new record, conduct research, analyze data, or answer questions. A practical request therefore describes documents or data rather than asking the office to explain an event. Include a subject, program or office, approximate date range, record format, and known identifiers. If a contract number, report title, correspondence participant, case identifier, grant number, or system name is already public, include it. Avoid a speculative list of unrelated topics. A focused description helps the office identify likely custodians and can reduce unnecessary search work.

2. Identify the responsible agency and component

FOIA requests are decentralized. Send the request to the agency that created or controls the records, not automatically to the Department of Justice or the government-wide portal. Large departments have components that process separate subject areas. Use the FOIA.gov agency directory to locate the current office, submission channel, contact information, regulations, and service-center details. If more than one agency may hold distinct records, prepare separate descriptions for each. A request sent to the wrong office can require referral or consultation and may take longer to route.

3. Search reading rooms and public datasets first

Agencies publish frequently requested records, policy materials, reports, data, and prior releases in electronic reading rooms. Search the agency’s own site as well as its FOIA library. A title found there may answer the question immediately or provide terminology for a more precise request. Public catalogs can also reveal the office, date coverage, file format, or record-series name. Record the URLs and search terms you tried. A request can then state which published material was reviewed and identify the missing records without asking the agency to duplicate what is already available.

4. Write the request in a reproducible way

State that the message is a Freedom of Information Act request. Identify the records in plain language, give a bounded period when possible, and specify an electronic format if one is useful. Provide a reliable method for the office to contact you about scope. Do not place sensitive personal information in an ordinary email unless the agency’s official process says it is necessary and explains the protected submission method. When seeking records about yourself or another individual, consult that agency’s identity, consent, and Privacy Act instructions; do not assume an ordinary public-record request is sufficient.

5. Address fees without guessing

Fee rules depend on the agency’s regulations, the requester category, and the search, review, and duplication work involved. Use the agency’s current official fee instructions rather than a third-party estimate. A requester may state a maximum amount they are willing to pay or ask to be contacted before fees exceed that amount. Fee waivers apply under legal standards and are not automatic merely because a requester prefers free access. Describe any waiver request using the factors in the responsible agency’s regulations and support it with concrete information. The acknowledgment should indicate how the office will communicate about fees.

6. Understand timing correctly

FOIA.gov states that processing time varies with complexity and the agency’s backlog. Simple, targeted requests may move faster than requests requiring a large volume of material, searches in multiple locations, consultations, or review of protected information. A statutory response period is not a promise that every responsive record will be produced within a fixed number of calendar days. Track the acknowledgment date and request number, and use the agency’s requester service center for status questions or scope discussions. Do not publish a projected completion date unless the responsible office provides it.

7. Read the response as a record of the decision

An agency response may release records in full, release records with redactions, withhold records under cited exemptions, state that no responsive records were located, refer records to another component, or explain that more information is needed. “No records” describes the result of the documented search; it does not necessarily prove that an event never occurred. Review the offices and systems searched, the date range, the wording of the request, and any appeal instructions. Preserve the released files, correspondence, tracking identifier, and response letter together so the provenance and limitations remain clear.

8. Use assistance, mediation, and appeals

FOIA.gov identifies agency FOIA Requester Service Centers and Public Liaisons as assistance points. A response letter should explain applicable administrative appeal rights. Follow the named agency’s deadline, address, and submission method rather than relying on a generic template. The Office of Government Information Services at the National Archives provides FOIA ombudsman services and dispute-resolution assistance; its role does not replace the agency’s administrative appeal process. For litigation strategy, privilege questions, consequential privacy issues, or a deadline with legal effect, consult qualified counsel rather than treating this reference page as legal advice.

9. Protect privacy and use released material responsibly

FOIA is a disclosure statute with exemptions, including protections relevant to personal privacy, law enforcement, national security, confidential business information, and internal government interests. The official FOIA FAQ summarizes the nine exemptions. Release to one requester generally reflects an access decision about the record, not an official endorsement of every downstream use. Do not use this guide to conduct harassment, identity theft, stalking, or an eligibility decision governed by consumer-reporting, employment, housing, credit, insurance, or other law.

10. Keep a complete request log

For every submission, retain the exact request text, official destination, date and time, delivery confirmation, tracking number, fee language, scope changes, status contacts, interim releases, final determination, and appeal record. A simple log makes follow-up accurate and distinguishes what the agency actually said from later recollection. When publishing research based on released records, cite the agency, request identifier where appropriate, response date, and any stated limitations. Redact sensitive information responsibly and avoid implying that an incomplete release is a complete account.

11. Distinguish FOIA from other access systems

A FOIA request is not the default route for every government document. Federal court filings are generally accessed through the clerk or PACER under judiciary rules. Congress publishes legislative materials through Congress.gov and committee channels. The National Archives may provide archival research and reproduction services for permanently preserved records. Data.gov points to datasets maintained by contributing publishers. State freedom-of-information, open-records, sunshine, and public-record statutes govern state and local bodies. Choosing the correct system first avoids sending a request to an office that has no authority over the record.

12. Plan for consultations, referrals, and rolling releases

A responsive file can contain information originating with another agency or component. The processing office may consult that organization or refer part of the record for a disclosure determination. Large requests may also produce interim or rolling releases rather than one final package. Keep the cover letter for each installment, because it may identify the pages reviewed, exemptions applied, remaining processing, and appeal posture. Compare the page counts and identifiers across installments before assuming the production is complete. Direct status questions to the service center identified in the acknowledgment rather than an unrelated general mailbox.

13. Make published findings auditable

If released records support an article, analysis, or dataset, preserve enough provenance for another reader to understand the source. Identify the releasing agency, request or appeal number when appropriate, determination date, record date range, and relevant redactions or exclusions. Link to an official public copy when one exists. Separate statements contained in the released record from verified conclusions about the underlying events. A government file can document what was submitted, alleged, recorded, or decided; its presence alone does not establish that every statement inside it is accurate. This distinction is especially important for investigative, enforcement, complaint, and historical files.