FOIA for Beginners
The Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request federal agency records. The clock is real. So are the delays, the exemptions, and the appeal.
NU commentary. This is an NU original explainer of a federal records law. It is not legal advice and not a request template for a specific agency.
AI-assisted. Drafted with AI assistance. The statute and the agency pages control. Start at FOIA.gov. Disclosure and law references.
Who can ask
The Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request records from a federal agency. The front door is FOIA.gov.
The clock
Agencies generally must respond within 20 business days. They often take longer. A response can be a release, a partial release, or a denial. The deadline is not a promise that the records arrive on day 20.
Write a narrow request
Be specific about dates, offices, and document types. Name the records you want. A narrow request is easier for an agency to search than "everything you have on this."
Exemptions and appeals
The law lists nine exemptions. A denial can rest on one of them. You can appeal a denial. FOIA.gov explains both the exemptions and the appeal. Read that page before you argue with a letter.
States are a different law
State public records laws work separately. A FOIA request does not reach a city, a county, or a state agency. Check that state's own rules. NU's shorter field guide is file a FOIA request.
Not legal advice. Deadlines, fees, and exemptions depend on the agency and the records.