Pay for a FOIA
A requestor can be charged for various services performed by agency personnel who are responding to a FOIA request. An estimate of these costs must be reported to the ITA FOIA officer before beginning the search and review. Chargeable costs vary depending on the type of requestor:
 | Commercial Use Requestors (Corporations and Law Firms) - All search, review, and duplication costs are chargeable. |
| Educational Institutions. (Non-Profit Scientific Groups or News Media Representatives) - Duplication costs are chargeable (after the first 100 pages). |
| All other Requestors - Search and duplication costs are chargeable with no review cost. The first two hours of search time and the first 100 pages of duplication are free of charge. Fees are charged to the requester after the first two hours and 100 pages. |
To calculate the estimated amount of these charges:
- Determine the hourly rate(s) of the person(s) doing the work.
Hourly rate=annual salary/2080hours. - Multiply the rate(s) times the hours of search/review time.
- Duplication costs cannot be calculated until the actual pages are counted for release.
- A duplication cost of $.16 per page is added to the final fee letter to the requester.
Administrative fees cannot be charged to the requestor. These include time spent by ITA personnel (both professional and clerical) in preparing a FOIA response (writing and typing, obtaining clearances, or resolving general legal or policy issues regarding the application of exemptions).
All fees are waived (including search, review, and duplication charges) when the amount is less than $20.00.