Voting and civic life
Who handles requests for public records from a government agency?
Who handles it
For federal agency records, send a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the agency that holds them. For state and local records, use your state’s open records law.
- Federal
- State
- Local
Facts checked November 5, 2026 · 3 sources
Why federal and state and local government
FOIA covers the federal executive branch only. It does not apply to Congress, the federal courts, or state and local governments, which have their own open records laws.
What to do next
- Check the agency’s website and FOIA.gov first, since the records may already be public.
- Send a written request to the agency’s FOIA office that reasonably describes the records you want.
- For state or local records, send your request to that office under your state’s public records law.
In your state
Find your state’s official offices on our state pages.
What varies
Every state has an open records law, but the scope of these laws varies by state.
Learn the background: How can you get government records and attend meetings?
Sources
Official recordFOIA.gov: Frequently asked questions
Official recordFOIA.gov: What is FOIA?
Official recordU.S. Department of Justice: Beyond the FOIA