Government transparency shouldn’t require a lawyer.
FOIAFiler is a free tool that helps anyone — journalists, researchers, organizers, or everyday people — write a clear Freedom of Information Act request to a federal agency.
Why this exists
The Freedom of Information Act gives every person the right to ask federal agencies for records. In theory that is simple. In practice you need the right agency, the right address, the right statutory language, and a description narrow enough that the agency can actually search for it. Most people give up before they start.
FOIAFiler walks you through it step by step and produces a properly formatted letter you can send the same day.
What it does
Agency database
72 federal agencies and components with FOIA office addresses, emails and portal links, drawn from each agency’s own FOIA page and reviewed September 24, 2026. 30 of them have their own detailed guide.
Guided request builder
Answer a few plain questions. FOIAFiler writes the request with the statutory citations, fee language and appeal-rights wording already in place, and you can edit every line before you send it.
PDF, text or calendar
Download the finished letter as a PDF, copy it into an agency web form, or save it as a text file. A deadline estimate can go straight into your calendar.
Appeals
If an agency denies your request, stalls, or says there are no records, build an administrative appeal that challenges the specific exemptions or the search.
Request bundles
When several agencies may hold pieces of the same record set, generate a separate letter for each one, or download them all as a single PDF.
Record router
Not sure who holds what you want? Describe it and the router suggests likely custodians, or tells you when FOIA is the wrong tool.
What it doesn’t do
FOIAFiler is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. It doesn’t file requests for you, it doesn’t guarantee results, and it can’t see your case. It is a letter generator and a reference — a way to make the mechanical part of FOIA faster and less intimidating.
For a lawsuit or a complicated records dispute, talk to a FOIA attorney. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and similar organizations publish resources for requesters.
Free, with no account
There are no sign-ups and no paywalls. Your letter is built in your browser and is never sent to our servers. See the privacy page for the details.
Sister tools
Court Yourself helps people representing themselves in court. ECF PDF prepares PDFs for federal court e-filing systems.