FOIA Request Letter Template for Journalists
By The National Press Association editorial team · Last reviewed:
A federal FOIA request must be in writing and reasonably describe the records you want. No form is required. Name the right agency, give a date range, ask only for existing records, and say why you qualify as news media. FOIA does not cover Congress, the courts, or state and local governments.
Key takeaways
- A federal FOIA request needs two things: it must be in writing, and it must reasonably describe the records.
- FOIA reaches federal agencies only, and only for records that already exist.
- Narrow requests with a date range and search hints are easier for an agency to process.
- Press credentials do not earn an automatic fee waiver or expedited processing.
- The agency has 20 days to decide, and you can appeal a denial to the head of the agency.
What can you get with a federal FOIA request?
A federal FOIA request has two basic requirements. It must be in writing, and it must reasonably describe the records you seek [1]. You do not need a special form [1].
When a request reasonably describes the records and follows the agency's published rules, the agency must promptly make the records available to any person [2]. Those rules cover time, place, fees, and procedures [2].
Know the limits before you write. The federal FOIA does not apply to the courts, Congress, or state and local governments [1]. OGIS, the National Archives office, says not to waste time sending a FOIA request to Congress or the federal courts [3]. For state or local records, check your state's law.
FOIA also covers only records that exist. An agency does not have to create new records, conduct research, analyze data, or answer questions [1]. OGIS says the same about creating records and doing research [4].
So ask for documents. Ask for the email, the contract, the log. Do not ask the agency to explain anything.
What should you do before you write?
Check first whether the information is already public. FOIA.gov tells requesters to look before they file [1].
Then find the right office. Look at the agency's FOIA page, which may say where records are housed [4]. OGIS gives an example: a request for Army records sent to the main Department of Defense FOIA office wastes time and resources [4].
Next, read your own draft as the FOIA officer would. Would it tell you where to search, who might have the records, and exactly what is sought [5]?
If the answer is no, rewrite it.
What goes in a FOIA request letter?
Start plainly. OGIS advises you to be simple, direct, and polite [4]. Say you are making a request under the Freedom of Information Act. Then describe the records in specific terms: the document type, the subject, the people or offices involved.
Assume the FOIA officer does not know your topic [6]. Spell out names and terms the way a stranger would need them.
Give a date range, or the date of the event you are researching. That helps the agency narrow its search [6].
Add search hints. Name the offices where you think the records sit. The National Security Archive guide says you may list offices or bureaus and ask the agency to search their files [6].
State the format you want. A requester can specify printed or electronic form [1]. The statute requires the agency to use the format you ask for if the record is readily reproducible in it [2].
Finally, say who you are and which fee category you are asking for. A requester seeking news-media status should explain why in the first request [6].
Here is a short template. Replace the brackets.
[Date] [Agency name], FOIA Officer [Office address or online portal] Re: Freedom of Information Act request Under the Freedom of Information Act, I request copies of [specific records: for example, emails, contracts, or logs] about [specific subject] sent or received by [office or named official] between [start date] and [end date]. Please send the records in electronic form. I am a freelance journalist working on a story for [outlet or intended outlet]. I ask to be placed in the news-media fee category. [One sentence on your assignment or basis for expecting publication.] If you need more information from me, please contact me at [email and phone]. I look forward to your determination within the statutory 20-day period. [Your name]
The National Security Archive's FOIA guide includes advice on writing a request [6]. It is worth reading next to your draft.
Document · National Security Archive, George Washington University
Pen to Paper: Writing a FOIA Request (National Security Archive guide, chapter 3)
Document from National Security Archive, George Washington University. Open at nsarchive2.gwu.edu. Content from nsarchive2.gwu.edu loads only if you click.
How do you keep the request narrow?
Narrow requests move faster. FOIA.gov says that tailoring a request to fit an agency's simple track can get you a quicker response [1].
Do not explain your whole story. OGIS warns that too much detail about what you want and why can complicate the process [4]. The National Security Archive guide likewise says to avoid narratives and duplicative supporting materials that confuse agency staff [6].
Reading prior coverage and other source material can help you identify the tightest defensible timeframe [5].
Leave out news clippings, press releases, and listserv messages. Bloomberg's Jason Leopold advises this because they can bog down the substantive records you want [5].
That raises a fair question. You need to show you are a journalist, so should you attach your clips? Keep the request itself clean. Say in a sentence or two who you are and what you are working on [6]. Then follow the agency's published rules if it asks for more [2].
Video from Reporters Committee (YouTube). Open at youtube.com. Content from youtube.com loads only if you click.
How do fees work for freelancers?
Fee category is where freelancers can save money. Requesters from the news media, non-commercial scientific institutions, and educational institutions pay only for duplication. The first 100 pages are free [1].
You do not have to be employed by the outlet. But you must demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication through it [2]. The statute treats a freelance journalist who can do that as working for a news-media entity [2]. Say so in your first letter [6].
Keep your proof in one place: an assignment email, an editor's note, or a link to your published work. If you want a document that supports your reporting, you can see how a press credential can document your work. It is a record of your work, not a legal right. And if you are looking for a professional home for your reporting, you can join the National Press Association.
Do not assume a fee waiver. OGIS says that holding press credentials does not mean an automatic fee waiver [3]. A fee waiver is separate from your fee category and has a much higher threshold [3].
FOIA.gov adds that a requester's inability to pay is not a legal basis for a fee waiver [1]. If you want one, the National Security Archive guide says to state clearly that you seek a public interest fee waiver under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iii) [6].
Advance payment is also limited. An agency cannot require it unless you previously failed to pay fees on time or the agency determines the fee will exceed $250 [2].
Can you ask for faster processing?
You can ask, but do not count on it. OGIS says being a journalist does not mean you get automatic expedited processing [3].
You must show how you meet one of the standards [1]. The National Security Archive guide says Congress meant expedited processing for matters that are truly urgent, not as a way around ordinary delays [6].
Search the agency's regulations for the circumstances where expedited processing may be granted [5]. Make your case in the letter only if your situation fits. Do not make an urgency claim you cannot support.
OGIS says agencies have 10 calendar days to grant or deny a request for expedited processing [3].
Step by step: how do you file?
- Check whether the information is already public [1].
- Find the agency's FOIA page and pick the office that holds the records [4].
- Write down the exact records you want, the people or offices involved, and a date range [6].
- Draft the letter. Keep it simple, with no clippings and no long story [5].
- State the format you want and the fee category you are asking for [1].
- Send it the way the agency's published rules require [2].
- Log the date you sent it. You should receive an acknowledgement letter with a tracking number. Keep it and include it with any correspondence [4].
If you are building your proof of work, read our guide to press credentials for independent reporters before step 5.
What happens after you file?
The clock starts when the agency receives your request. The statute gives the agency 20 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays, to decide whether to comply [2].
That clock can move. The agency may make one request for information from you and pause the 20-day period while it waits for your answer [2]. Answer fast and answer exactly.
In unusual circumstances, the agency can extend the deadline by written notice. The extension cannot run more than ten working days unless another clause of the statute applies [2].
If you have heard nothing by Day 21, OGIS says a gentle inquiry to the agency's FOIA office or FOIA Public Liaison is better than threatening to sue [3]. Be polite and brief. Give your tracking number [4].
You can also research how long the agency takes to respond on average [5].
What if the answer is no, or you hear nothing?
If the agency issues an adverse determination, the statute lets you appeal to the head of the agency [2]. You may appeal to the head of the agency. The appeal window is set by the agency and must be at least 90 days after the determination [2].
Read the denial letter for the deadline and where to send the appeal. The Reporters Committee reminds requesters they can't sue until they've exhausted all administrative options [5].
If the stakes are high, or the denial is complicated, talk to a lawyer who handles public-records cases. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special form to file a federal FOIA request?
No. FOIA.gov says no specific form is required. The request must be in writing and must reasonably describe the records you want. Look at the agency's FOIA page and follow its published rules on time, place, fees, and procedures.
How long does an agency have to respond to a FOIA request?
The statute gives an agency 20 days to decide whether to comply, not counting weekends and legal public holidays. The agency can pause that clock once to ask you for information, and it can extend the deadline in unusual circumstances.
Can I use FOIA to ask an agency a question or get it to do research?
No. FOIA does not require agencies to create new records, conduct research, analyze data, or answer questions. Ask for existing documents instead, such as emails, reports, contracts, or logs that already exist.
Does FOIA apply to state and local records, Congress, or the courts?
No. The federal FOIA does not apply to the courts, Congress, or state and local governments. For state or local records, check your state's public records law. This guide covers the federal law only.
Does being a journalist get me free records or faster processing?
Not automatically. News-media requesters pay only for duplication, and the first 100 pages are free. But press credentials do not mean an automatic fee waiver, and being a journalist does not mean automatic expedited processing.
Can an agency make me pay in advance?
Only in limited cases. The statute bars advance payment unless you previously failed to pay fees on time, or the agency determines the fee will exceed $250. Ask for the news-media fee category in your first letter.
Answers restate the sourced facts on this page.
NPA membership is separate from any credential an agency issues
The National Press Association credential is a private association credential. It is not government-issued, it does not give you legal rights, and it does not guarantee access to any event, venue, or agency. It can serve as identity verification and supporting documentation alongside your published work. It is free to apply.
Sources
- FOIA.gov - How to Make a FOIA Request, U.S. Department of Justice (FOIA.gov) (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- 5 U.S. Code 552 - Public information; agency rules, opinions, orders, records, and proceedings, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (statute text) (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Requester Best Practices - Things Journalists Ought to Know About FOIA, National Archives, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Requester Best Practices - Filing a FOIA Request, National Archives, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- How to file FOIA requests like a pro, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (secondary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Pen to Paper: Writing a FOIA Request (Effective FOIA Requesting for Everyone, ch. 3), National Security Archive, George Washington University (secondary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
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