| Guide | GDE-099 |
| Topic | FOIA requests |
| Domain | Public records |
| Last tested | 1 November 2026 |
Short answer: To make a FOIA request, first search the agency's FOIA library and published requests on MuckRock, then file a narrow, dated request through FOIA.gov. The agency owes a determination within 20 working days, but complex requests at some agencies take far longer.
What is a FOIA request?
A FOIA request is a written request to a US federal agency for its records under the Freedom of Information Act, which requires the agency to release them unless one of the Act's nine exemptions applies.
FOIA covers federal executive agencies, not Congress, the federal courts or state and local bodies, which answer under their own public records laws. In the UK the Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a similar right against public authorities, also with a 20 working day limit.
For an investigator, filing is the last step, not the first: the record you want may already be public.
| • | Confirming what an agency holds before a story or a filing relies on it |
| • | Finding records already released to other requesters |
| • | Requesting contracts, correspondence, inspection reports or logs that are not yet public |
| • | Checking how long an agency takes to answer before you commit to a deadline |
How do you file a FOIA request?
Six steps from a question to a dated receipt and a known deadline.
Each tool below was opened on 1 November 2026 to confirm its cost, access and status.
FOIA.gov: FOIA.gov is the Justice Department's central FOIA site for finding the right agency, its processing times and a request form. Free, no account; the form asks for your name and address. Working.
FBI Records: The Vault: The Vault is the FBI's online FOIA library of released files and yearly FOIA logs. Free, no account. Working.
CIA FOIA Electronic Reading Room: The CIA Reading Room holds declassified CIA documents, searchable by keyword. Free, no account. Working.
MuckRock: MuckRock files records requests and publishes them with agency letters and released files. Searching is free, no account; filing needs a paid account. Working.
WhatDoTheyKnow: WhatDoTheyKnow is a UK site that sends Freedom of Information requests to public authorities and publishes the replies. Searching is free, no account. Working.
What we tested: On 1 November 2026 we ran one public search per tool and opened the filing forms without submitting, using public topics and a constructed date. Every search worked; FOIA.gov filing was partly tested and MuckRock filing was not, as both need personal details or an account.
The FBI page showed 2025 averages of 17 working days for simple requests and 313 for complex ones. | ||
Opened without an account; it needs a name, address and agreement to terms, so we did not submit. | ||
"Amelia Earhart" returned 20 items: two Earhart file entries and 18 other files, mostly FOIA logs. | ||
"stargate" returned 20 results, including Star Gate status documents dated 1998 and 2000. | ||
"body camera" filtered to Completed returned 166 requests, the latest updated 27 September 2026. | ||
Needs an account ($20 for four requests); requests are public unless you upgrade. | ||
"body worn video" returned about 300 requests to police, NHS trusts and councils. | ||
Python, numpy and JavaScript agreed: received 2 November 2026, due 2 December 2026. |
One search per tool on one day is a snapshot, not a measure of how often agencies release records.
The Search-First Rule: Search the agency's FOIA library and published requests before you file. Ask only for what is not already out, and name the documents, dates and offices you want.