FOIA Request Template: Free Examples for Every Agency

A good FOIA request template saves you from rewriting the legal boilerplate every time. A great one also reflects how a specific agency processes requests — because the FBI, the DOJ, and the EPA each expect slightly different things. Below is the core template plus three agency-specific variants you can copy and adapt.

The base FOIA request template

Use this as your starting point for any federal agency. Replace the bracketed fields and remove sections that don't apply.

[Your Full Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone]
[Email]

[Date]

FOIA Officer
[Agency Name]
[Agency Mailing Address]

Re: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear FOIA Officer:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request the
following records:

[One to three paragraphs describing the records with dates, names, document
types, and topics. Avoid open-ended questions; ask for specific records.]

If you determine that any portion of the requested records is exempt from
disclosure, I ask that you release all reasonably segregable non-exempt
portions and describe each redaction by citing the specific exemption invoked.

I agree to pay reasonable duplication and search fees up to [$25]. Please
notify me before incurring any charges in excess of that amount.

[Optional: Fee waiver request — see sample language below.]

[Optional: Expedited processing request — see sample language below.]

I prefer to receive the records electronically as PDF. If electronic delivery
is not available, please mail hard copies to the address above.

Thank you for your attention to this request. The statute requires a
response within 20 business days of receipt. Please assign a tracking
number and let me know if you need any clarification.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

Fee-waiver language (optional block)

I request a waiver of all fees associated with this request under
5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(A)(iii). Disclosure is in the public interest because
[explain what the records reveal about federal government operations or
activities and why that is significant]. I am [your role — journalist,
academic researcher, non-profit staff, etc.] and intend to [describe how
you will disseminate the information]. This request is not primarily in
my commercial interest.

Expedited-processing language (optional block)

I request expedited processing pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(E) because
[describe the compelling need — either an imminent threat to life or safety,
or an urgent need to inform the public about actual or alleged federal
government activity, given that I am primarily engaged in information
dissemination]. I certify that this statement is true and correct to the
best of my knowledge and belief.

Variant 1 — Department of Justice (DOJ / OIP)

DOJ has many components (FBI, DEA, U.S. Attorneys' Offices, BOP, etc.). The Office of Information Policy (OIP) handles Department-wide policy and will route requests if you don't know which component has the records. If you do know, address the request to that component directly — it will be processed faster.

Key adjustments:

• Recipient: "Office of Information Policy, U.S. Department of Justice, Sixth Floor, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20530" (or the specific component).
• Subject line: "Freedom of Information Act Request to [Component Name]".
• Records description should name the component and, if possible, the office or program.

Example opening:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request the following records from the Antitrust Division: all formal enforcement actions, settlement agreements, and case-initiation memoranda issued between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024 involving pharmaceutical patent litigation.

Variant 2 — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

FBI FOIA requests go to the Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS) in Winchester, Virginia. The FBI's online eFOIPA portal is the fastest channel. Note that the FBI responds to FOIA and Privacy Act requests together (FOIPA).

Key adjustments:

• Recipient: "FBI FOIPA Request, Record/Information Dissemination Section, 200 Constitution Drive, Winchester, VA 22602".
• Third-party requests (records about someone who is not you) require either proof that the person is deceased, a privacy waiver signed by the subject, or a compelling public-interest showing. Without one of those, the FBI will issue a Glomar response — neither confirming nor denying the existence of records.
• Name / date-of-birth / place-of-birth of the subject (if requesting records about a person) should be included verbatim; vague identifiers produce false negatives.

Example opening:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, and the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, I request the following records: any investigative files, interview reports, or memoranda maintained by the FBI concerning [Subject Full Name, DOB MM/DD/YYYY, Place of Birth]. [Subject] is deceased (obituary attached).

Variant 3 — Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA processes FOIA requests through a national office and ten regional offices. If you know which EPA region the records belong to (Region 5 covers Michigan, for example), address the request to that region — it will be faster and less likely to be rerouted.

Key adjustments:

• Recipient: national office is "U.S. EPA, FOIA Office (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460", or the regional FOIA office.
• Records description should name the program (Air, Water, Superfund, TSCA, etc.) and include docket or case numbers where possible.
• Preferred format: EPA frequently produces records in spreadsheets or databases. Ask explicitly for "native electronic format (including spreadsheet files in their original format where applicable)."

Example opening:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request the following records from EPA Region 5: all enforcement action letters, consent agreements, and inspection reports issued between January 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025 involving facilities regulated under the Clean Water Act in Wayne County, Michigan (Docket No. [if known]).

Checklist before you submit

• Clear "Freedom of Information Act Request" heading.
• 5 U.S.C. § 552 reference in the first paragraph.
• Mailing address included (statutory requirement).
• Records described with dates, names, and document types.
• Segregability language (release non-exempt portions).
• Fee commitment or fee-waiver justification.
• Expedited-processing justification if applicable.
• Preferred format stated.
• Signed.

When a template isn't enough

A template is a great baseline, but the difference between "granted" and "perfected after three rounds of clarification" usually comes down to how specifically the records are described for the particular agency and office. If you're filing against tight deadlines or under adverse circumstances (appeals, unusual subject matter, third-party records), the marginal hour spent tailoring the request is worth it.