Freedom of Information Act
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Before making a request, firstÂ see if the informationÂ is already publicly available.Â You canÂ find a lotÂ of useful information on individual agency websites and you canÂ also search across the governmentÂ for information.

If the information you want is not publicly available, you can submit a FOIA request.

Itâs important that you identify the correct agency for your request. There are over 100 agencies and each is responsible for handling its own FOIA requests. You can use our search tool to help you identify the correct place to find the information you seek. You may also search for a specific agency here.

The agency will typically first search for the records and then review them to determine what can be disclosed.Â While FOIA allows for many records to be released,Â there are also nine exemptions that protect certain types of information, such asÂ personal privacy and law enforcement interests. The length of time to respond to your requestÂ willÂ vary depending onÂ its complexityÂ and any backlog of requests.