Federal agency FOIA guide · Independent Agency
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
For NARA operational records and some archival federal records. Access rules vary by record group. Classified archival records may involve FOIA, Special Access, or Mandatory Declassification Review.
Common request topics
archivesnarahistorical recordsdeclassificationpresidential library
Where to submit
Mail / email details in FOIAFiler
Email: Not listed in FOIAFiler data; use the official FOIA page.
Mail:
Use the agency’s current official submission instructions.
Related request recipes
Intelligence / classified historical records
For a specifically identified classified document, Mandatory Declassification Review can sometimes be an alternative. FOIA and MDR should not be pursued concurrently for the same information.
How to make the request easier to process
- Describe the records, not just the question you want answered.
- Use a specific date range when possible.
- Name the office, event, case number, contract number, facility, or other locator if known.
- List useful record types such as emails, reports, memoranda, photographs, logs, contracts, or policy documents.
- For records about yourself, follow the agency’s identity-verification and Privacy Act instructions.
- Ask for reasonably segregable non-exempt portions if responsive records contain exempt material.
Build it
One agency or several?
If this agency is clearly the custodian, build one request. If the records may be split among several components, Request Bundles can generate a separate letter for each selected agency while keeping the core description consistent.