MAKING A FOIA REQUEST

• FOIA Introduction
• Making A Request
• Reading Room
• Reference Guides
• Annual Reports
• Requestor Service Center

1. A request for records shall be made in writing.
   
   
2. You must describe the records that you seek in enough detail to enable the agency to locate them with a reasonable amount of effort. Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient and subject matter of the record.
   
   
3. If you are making a request for records about yourself, you must provide either a notarized statement or a statement signed under penalty of perjury stating that you are the person that you say you are. You may fulfill this requirement by:
   
   
   1. having your signature on your request letter witnessed by a notary; or
      
   2. including the following statement immediately above the signature on your request letter: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on [date].”

   If you request information about yourself and do not follow one of these procedures, your request cannot be processed. This requirement helps ensure that private information about you will not be disclosed to anyone else.

4. If you are making a request for records about another individual, you must provide either a written authorization signed by that individual permitting disclosure of those records to you or proof that the individual is deceased (for example, a copy of a death certificate or an obituary).
   
   
5. If you make a FOIA request, it shall be considered a firm commitment by you to pay all applicable fees charged under Sec. 5.11 up to $25, unless you seek a waiver of fees. In making a FOIA request, please indicate whether you are willing to pay for the request or desire a waiver. When making a request, you may specify a willingness to pay a greater or lesser amount. If you are seeking a waiver of fees, you must provide a justification for your fee waiver request in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 5.11(k).

Where to File a Request

Request should be submitted to the following address:

Communications Center (FOI/PA)
245 Murray Lane
Building T-5
Washington, D.C. 20223