Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
"I signed this measure with a deep sense of pride that the United States is an
open society in which the people’s right to know is cherished and guarded."
-Lyndon B. Johnson

Welcome to the Postal Service's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) home page. Get information and guidance on the FOIA, the Privacy Act, and Postal Service records management, and access the USPS eFOIA Reading Room.
 
 
Reading Room
Electronic FOIA Reading Room
Find records routinely available to the public and documents previously released through the FOIA which have been the subject of multiple requests.

Conventional FOIA Reading Room
U.S. Postal Service Library
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Rm. 11800
Washington, DC 20260-1540

For further information contact:
Carolina Menéndez
Senior Reference Librarian
(phone) 202.268.2904
(fax) 202.268.4423

Requesting Records
Requesting United States Postal Service Records
The FOIA provides the public with access to Postal Service records, unless the records are covered by an exemption. It is Postal Service policy to make its records available to the public to the maximum extent consistent with the public interest.

Requesting Records About Yourself
Under the Privacy Act, you may request and obtain information about yourself that the Postal Service maintains in a system of records.

FOIA Information
Handbook AS-353 - Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management
The handbook is designed to familiarize you with specific procedures relative to FOIA and privacy.

U.S. Postal Service FOIA Requester ServiceCenters and Public Liaisons
Find out who to contact to get the status of FOIA requests or other related FOIA information.

USPS FOIA Regulations
Go to the Title 39 C.F.R. Section 265 (2006) - Release of Information on the Government Printing Office Web site.

USPS Report and Improvement Plan on Executive Order 13,392
Learn about the Postal Service’s improvement plan of its FOIA operations. (pdf) | (rtf)

FOIA Exemptions
Read the nine exemptions under which records or portions of records may be withheld from public disclosure.

FOIA Annual Reports
View Annual Reports on the USPS administration of the FOIA.

Privacy Information
Privacy Office
Find information and resources on privacy policy and procedures.

USPS Privacy Act Regulations
Go to the Title 39 C.F.R. Section 266 (2006) - Privacy of Information on the Government Printing Office Web site.

Privacy Policy
Read our privacy policy and how the information you provide to us is protected.

Privacy Act System of Records
Read how the USPS provides protections for personal information that the agency maintains in a system of records.

Additional Resources
Major Information Systems
For information, contact the Records Office at privacy@usps.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the FOIA.

Other Federal Agency FOIA Web Sites
Get other departments’ and agencies’ FOIA information from the Department of Justice Web site.

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