FOIA Request Template

A good FOIA request is short, specific, and written for the FOIA officer who will process it — not for your future readers. It names the records, names the custodian, names the date range, and claims a fee waiver where justified. Most rejected requests are rejected because they asked for too much in language that was too vague. This template is a starting point for the opposite.

Before you use the template

Read the FOIA request process tutorial for the underlying workflow: choosing the right agency, identifying the correct component, tracking deadlines, and appealing exemptions. The template below is the letter. The tutorial is everything around the letter.

Key drafting decisions to make first:

Agency and component. Federal agencies route requests internally, but filing at the correct component cuts weeks of latency. State and local records go through state public-records acts, not federal FOIA.
Record types. Name them explicitly: emails, memos, incident reports, contracts, training materials. "All records" is a signal of an unserious requester.
Date range. Narrow is better. If you know an event, request a window around it rather than an open-ended range.
Custodian or program. Where you can, name the specific office, program, or officials whose records are in scope.
Format. Request native electronic format. Printed PDFs of emails lose metadata and searchability.
Fee waiver. Claim it in the original letter if you qualify. Journalists, academic researchers, and requests with a strong public-interest showing often qualify; late fee-waiver requests rarely succeed.

Print this page

Use Ctrl+P / Cmd+P and save as PDF. Keep a dated copy of your outbound letter in your case directory, alongside the receipt from the agency's portal or the certified-mail receipt.

FOIA request — template letter

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone]
[Date]
[Agency FOIA Officer]
[Agency or Component Name]
[FOIA Office Address]
Re: Freedom of Information Act request
Dear FOIA Officer,
Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request copies of
the following records in the possession of [agency / component / program]:


All [record type: emails, memoranda, incident reports, contracts,
training materials, etc.] sent to or from [specific office, program,
or officials] between [start date] and [end date] that reference
[specific subject, keyword, or event].


[Optional second specific category, with its own custodian and date
range.]


[Optional third category.]


I request that responsive records be produced in their native electronic
format where available (for example, .docx, .xlsx, .eml, .pdf with
embedded text). If records are produced as images, I request that the
production include the original electronic files from which the images
were generated.
Fee waiver
I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the
requested records is in the public interest because it is likely to
contribute significantly to public understanding of [specific topic],
and it is not primarily in my commercial interest. I am a
[journalist / academic researcher / representative of the media / member
of the public] working on [brief description of the public-interest
purpose of the request].
Maximum fee
If the fee waiver is denied in whole or in part, please notify me before
incurring any charges exceeding $[dollar amount, commonly $25-$50].
Narrowing
If any part of this request is unclear, or if narrowing the request
would expedite processing, please contact me at [email] or [phone] to
discuss. I am available to respond promptly to clarifying questions.
Deadline
I look forward to your response within twenty (20) business days, as
provided by 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A). Please confirm receipt of this
request at your earliest convenience and provide the assigned tracking
number.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
[Your Signature (if mailed)]
[Your Printed Name]

State and local adaptation

State public-records statutes differ from federal FOIA in citation, deadlines, and exemptions. Replace "5 U.S.C. § 552" with the relevant state statute (for example, California Public Records Act, Gov. Code § 7920 et seq.; New York FOIL, Public Officers Law § 84 et seq.; Texas Public Information Act, Gov. Code ch. 552). Keep the rest of the structure: custodian, record type, date range, subject, fee waiver, narrowing, deadline.

Drafting checklist

For analysing records returned through FOIA, pair this template with the metadata extraction tutorial and the Subthesis legal document analysis tool.