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  1. Home
  2. FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
  3. FOIA office FAQS
  4. How do I request information under the FOIA?
  • Freedom of Information Act
    • Submit & Check Status of FOIA Requests
    • FOIA Contacts & Requester Service Centers and Privacy Act Contacts
    • HHS FOIA Reports
      • Annual Reports
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      • Chief FOIA Officer Report
      • Open Pending FOIA Request Reports
    • FOIA Library / Electronic Reading Room
      • 2016/2017 HHS Presidential Transition Documents
    • FOIA Exemptions & Exclusions
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      • The Privacy Act
      • HHS System of Records Notices (SORNs)
      • HHS Computer Matching Agreements (CMAs)
    • FOIA FAQS
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    • COVID-19 Contracts

How do I request information under the FOIA?

In order to make a FOIA request, simply write a letter to the HHS FOIA office. For the quickest possible handling, mark both your letter and the envelope “Freedom of Information Act Request.” You should identify the records that you seek as specifically as possible in order to increase the likelihood that the HHS will be able to locate them. Any facts that you can furnish about the time, place, authors, events, subjects, and other details of the records will be helpful to us in deciding where to search for the records that you seek.

When you make a FOIA request, you must describe the records that you seek as clearly and specifically as possible and comply with the agency’s regulations for making requests. If the agency cannot identify and locate records that you have requested with a reasonable amount of effort, it will not be able to assist you.

Content created by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Division
Content last reviewed September 17, 2015
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