FOIA / Federal Records Request
Prepare a federal records request with a clear description of the records, date range, custodians or systems when known, and the requester information needed for the agency.
Build the request around the records job, not a vague request for “everything.”
A strong records request identifies the agency, record type, time period, and identifiers or custodians that make the records searchable. Official agencies commonly ask for practical inputs such as addresses, parcel or case numbers, dates, permit numbers, custodians, and a clear description of the records sought. This workflow turns those inputs into a structured request.
Turn the search into a request that an agency can act on.
Enter what you know, identify the records, review the generated scope, and preserve the final request. The goal is a clear, searchable description of the records you want and the information that helps the custodian find them.
Receiving files is not the same as verifying a complete production.
Preserve the original request, organize the response, and review the production for missing categories, references to records that were not produced, duplicates, identifier inconsistencies, timeline gaps, and redaction or withholding language.
FOIA / Federal Records Request FAQ
Answers focus on the practical search and request questions people ask before submitting a records request.
Identify the federal agency likely to maintain the records, describe the records with reasonable specificity, provide relevant dates and identifiers, and use the agency’s accepted submission channel.
Identify the records sought, relevant time period, custodians or systems when known, distinctive search terms, and any requester or fee information the agency requires.
Yes. Names, project terms, document titles, case numbers, and other distinctive search terms can help the agency locate responsive records.
Usually not. Federal FOIA applies to federal executive-branch agencies; state and local records are generally governed by applicable state or local public-records law.
Turn this search into an actual request.
Start with the objective in plain English. The workspace handles the structure.
Build a FOIA request →