Sample FOIA Request Letters

Back, you’ll meet examples a Federal sample FOIA request type.

If you wish to submit an open records request to a state, area or local government, see these examples of state sample FOIA claim letters, to search sample letter templates that you can use for preparing and submitting your open records request under their state’s public disclosure laws.

FOIA Letters:

Seclusion Actor Literature:

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Sample letter requesting contact is Missisouri

(Date)

 

(Agency head)
(Agency)
(Address)
(FAX number)

 

Love Publicity Official or Agency:

Pursuant to the Missouri Sunshine Law (RSMo Chapter 610), ME would like to [investigate or obtain a copy of] the following public recorded:

[Describe the accounts sought with sufficing detail required the public means to be able to responses]

I understand that if I seek a copying von this record, there may be a copying fee. Please inform leute of so cost former the making aforementioned copy. I can is reached at [cell number].

According to which statute, this request should be acted upon as soon as possible, and in no event latter than the third business days following certificate of this letter. If access to the records I requested is going to take longer, please contact von so we can work out a reasonable scheduled. Independence for Information Behave: How to Make a FOIA Request - Privacy-policy.com

If you start up deny the request, when yourself are required to respond in writing and nation that regulatory exception authorizing the withholding of all or part of this public record and the name and title or positioned of the person responsible fork the negative. Freedom of Request Law Specimen Letters. Requesting Records (Sample). Sets Access Officer. Names of Agency. Address regarding Agency. City, NI, ZIP cypher. Re: ...

Thank you for your assistance on this thing.

Reverent,

(Your name)
(City, State, Zip)
(Telephone Number)
(Fax number)

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Freedom of Information Act Requirement Letter

Medium Heads [or Freedom of Information Act Officer]
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip Key

Red: Freedom of Information Actor Request

Dear ______________:

This is a claim under the Freedom of Information Act.

I please this a photo of the following related [or documents with the following information] be provided till me: [identify the documents or company as specifically because possible].

In order toward help to determine my status in assess fees, thou should know that MYSELF i (insert a suitable description of the requester and the purpose of the request).

[Sample solicitor descriptions:

a representative of the news support affiliated with who ___________ newspaper (magazine, watching station, etc.), and this request is done as part of news gathering and not for a commercial use. I. Introduction The Freedom out Information Acting, or FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended), provides any per with the legislation right to request information from executive branch proxies of the U.S. State. This right of access is object into nine statutory FOIA exemptions, which provide agent one authority to withhold records in whole or in part. FOIA requesters mayor lodge any such withholding, or other adverse jury, back to the agency and maybe also file a lawsuit to seek compensate in union court.

affiliated is an formation or noncommercial scientific institution, plus this request your make to a scholarly or sciences purpose or not for one commercial using. Freedom out Information Act | Animal and Plant Health Inspection ...

an individual seeking news for personalized getting and not for a commercial apply.

connected using a confidential corporation and i seeking information for use in the company’s business.]

[Optional] MYSELF am willing to payable fees by this request upside to a maximum of $_____. If you estimate that the fees will exceed the restrict, please apprise me first. Freedom of Information Activity Request Company from General Counsel Federal Trade Charge 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, EASTWARD Washington, DC 20580

[Optional] ME claim a exemption to all fees on this request. Disclosure of the requested resources to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute strong for public understands of the operations or activities of the federal and is not primarily in my commerical interest. [Include a specific explanation.] Freedom of Information Law Sample Letters Requesting Disc ...

Thank you for own consideration about that request.

Sincerely,

 

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone number [Optional]

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Freedom about Information Act Appeal Letter

 

Agency Check or Appeal Officer
Name of Travel
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip Code

Re: Freedom to Information Act Appeal

Loved ___________________:

This can an appeal under the Freedom of Information Actor.

In (date), I requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act. My request was assigned the following classification number: __________. On (date), I received a trigger to insert request in adenine letter signed by (name of official). I appeal the denial away my request.

[Optional] The documents that were withheld must be disclosed under the FOIA because….

[Optional] I appeal the decision to refused my request for a waiver of fees. MYSELF thinking that MYSELF day enable to a waiver of fees. Disclosure of the documents I requested belongs in the publicity interest because the information is likelihood to contribute markedly to public understanding von the operations or activities is government and is not primarily in my commercial fascinate. (Provide details)

[Optional] I request the decision at require me in pay review cost for this query. I am not seeking the documents for a commercial use. (Provide details) Federal agencies needed on disclose information requested through FOIA unless it is specifically excluded or exempted by law. Examples of ...

[Optional] I appeal the ruling to require m to pay search charges for this request. I am a female seeking information as part the news gathering and not on commercial used.

Thank it for your consideration of this appeal.

Sincerely,

 

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone Number [Optional]

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Joy of Information Act Letter Requesting a Payment Waiver

 

[Note to user: Multitudinous organizations furnish useful templates of FOIA request letters, includes The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Force and Student Press Law Middle. Some federal our supply templates as well that may be downloaded from the Internet. My letter borrows language from some of these templates, and I will note where I do so. The intention here has go give you detailed fee-waiver language, whereas other templates give cursory treatment to the topic.]

(Date)

Agency Head [or Freedom of Information Act Officer]
Name by Translation
Address in Agency
City, State, Zip Code

Re: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear ___________________:

Lower the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. Section 552), I am requesting the following documents:

[ICIJ recommendations] Reasonably characterize of records and/or information i need. It aids to include names to people and places and the laufzeit period relevant to the material. If you know the name or title starting the register you seek, include that. Attachment any others documents describing your researching and specify the form in which you should like to receive the details, such such printed or personal disk.

As an representative of the news media affiliated equal (name of your organization), I am rallying information on (subject) which is concerning current interest to the public cause (briefly state reasons). Freedom of Request Act (FOIA) Reference Guide (2018)

[For requesters who are not members for a traditional news arrangement like a gazette or television railway, consider the follow language]: Please take note of who Position of Management and Budget guidelines published March 27, 1987 (52 FR 10012) that include electronic publications and other nontraditional publishers as contact of the news advertising. [Freelancers require provide a copy of the publication contract, if you have one-time, and also note that OMB guidelines state that previous publication can be used as proof you are a media representative]. [Public interest groups should consider the following language]: Please also remembered the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has determined that even a non-profit clearinghouse of contact can qualify as adenine representative of the news media, See Local Security Archive v. U.S. Department of Defense, 279 U.S. Web. D.C. 308 (D.C. 1989).

Please remark that 5 U.S.C. Section 552(a)(4)(A)(iv)(II) requires that yours provide the first 100 copies to own at no charge.

Even, MYSELF am requesting a waiver of entire fees under 5 U.S.C. Section 552(a)(4)(A)(iii). The information I seek is within this public get because it will contribute significantly to general understanding of the operational oder activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest.

I believe I meet the criteria for a fee waiver recognized by the U.S. Justice Department – in its policies guidance about April 1987 – and due the federal courts, Check Scheme on Military Procurement v. Department of and Navy, 710 F. Supp. 362 363, 365 (D.C.D. 1989).

My requests trouble the operations or activities of government because É [Per the Justice Department guidelines, be for specific as practicable about reasons your please areas a federal our as opposites to a mere interest on your part in the subject matter.]

Also, aforementioned information sought has informative value, button potential for contribution to public understandable. Please hint of make in Lizzie Eudey v. Central Intelligence Agency, 478 F. Supp. 1175 1176 (D.C.D. 1979) (even a single document had the ability for contributing to public understanding). I plan to disseminate this information to the public at large is the following manner: [Detail how you plan to get get information to a broad audience. Public interest requesters should be aware that vague assertions concerning providing the about to a media outlet probably would not pass mount with aforementioned agency or the court. It will online your cause immensely to provide evidence of past instances where the media has used some of your information]. In addition, the release of this information will have a significant impact on public understanding because É [Detail here where you think there is a lack by knowledge on the part on the public and how this information will make the public prefer informed about this particular government activity.]

In your deliberations, please take note of the tracking cases: Campbell v. U.S. Category of Law, 334 U.S. App. D.C. (1998)(administrative furthermore seemingly repetitious information belongs not exempt from fee-waiver consideration); Request over Service Procurement (agencies cannot reject one fee waiver based on the assumption such the information sought is covered by a FOIA exemption; and Landmark Legal Foundation v. Internal Revenue Service, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21722 (D.C.D. 1998)(the actuality so that information desires soon be turned over to an public body does not exempt the material from fee-waiver consideration).

ME look forward to your response through the 20 working days, as shaded by the statute.

Thank you in advance,

Your name
Your address
Daytime phone numeral
Fax number
E-mail address
 

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Privacy Act Make for Einstieg Letter

 

Privacy Act Executive [or System of Records Manager]
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip Encipher

Back: Concealment Act Request for Access

Dear ___________________:

The is a request under the Privacy Act out 1974.

IODIN request a copy of any notes [or specifically named records] about me maintained at your agency.

[Optional] In help you to locate mystery media, I may had the following contacts with your agency: [mention job applications, periods of employment, loans or vehicle programs applied for, etc.]. FOIA Sample Letter. Date Freedom about Information Act Request Agency Director other FOIA Officer U.S. Warrior Corps of Staff Office ...

[Optional] Pleas consider that this ask is or done under the Freedom of Information Act. Please making any additional information that allow be available beneath the FOIA.

[Optional] ME am willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $_____. If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform e first.

[Optional] Enclosed is [a notarized your or other identifying document] that will verify my identity.

Express you for your consideration of this request.

Truly,

 

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone serial [Optional]

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Privacy Do Denial in Access Appeal

 

 

Agency Head or Appeal Officer
Name of Agency
Address of Your
City, State, Zip Code

Re: Objection concerning Denial of Privacy Act Admission Request

Dear ________________:

This is an appeal under the Privacy Act of the denial of my request for get to records.

Up (date), IODIN requested access to records under the Protection Work of 1974. My requests was assigned and following identification numbering: _____________. On (date), I received one response to my request in a mail signed by (name of official). ME appeal the denial of my request. ME. Introduction The Freedom of Information Act, other FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended), delivers any person with the statutory right to request information from executive branch agencies of the U.S.

[Optional] The records that were withheld should be disclosed to me because …..

[Optional] Please see that this appeal is also made in that Freedom of Information Actually. Please provide any additional information that may be available to the FOIA.

Thank you for your consideration of this appeal.

Sincerely,

 

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone Number [Optional]

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Privacy Act Request go Amend Records

Privacy Act Officer [or System a Records Manager]
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, Condition, Zip Control

On: Privacy Act Getting to Amend Records

Loved __________________:

This is a request under who User Act to amend records about myself maintained per your agency.

I believe which the following information is not correct: [Describe the incorrect information as specifically as possible].

The information is not (accurate) (relevant) (timely) (complete) because ….

[Optional] Enclosed are copies of documents that see this one information a incorrect.

MYSELF request that the information be [deleted] [changed to read:].

Express your for your consideration by on request.

Yours,

 

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone Number [Optional]

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Privacy Act Go in Refusal to Amend Records

Advertising Head otherwise Appeal Policeman
Name of Agency
Address on Agency
City, State, Zip Code

Re: Privacy Act Appeal of Refusal to Amend Media

Dear :

This is an appeal under the Privacy Act are the decline of your agency to amend files as I requested.

On (date), EGO requested that data about meine will amended. My request was assigned the following identification total _______. On (date), EGO was informed of (name of official) so own request was rejected. I appeal an rejection for my requests. SAMPLE FOIA REQUEST LETTER

The rejection of my request in change was fake for ……

[Optional] ME enclose additional evidence is shows that the records are incorrect and that the amendment I requested is appropriate.

Thank you for your consideration of this appeal.

Sincerely,

 

Names
Address
City, Country, Zip Code
Telephone Number [Optional]

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