Sample FOIA Request Letter

Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy 
Attention:  FOIA Coordinator 
121 Blake Road 
Annapolis, MD 21402-1300

Dear Sir/Madam:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. §552).

I request that a copy of the following record(s) be provided to me (describe the specific record(s) you are seeking with sufficient detail so that a knowledgeable official of the activity may locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort.  Be specific, include dates, timeframes, and the name(s) of individual(s) who may have knowledge of the subject of your request).

I am willing to pay all fees associated with processing this request up to $______ of the amount which exceeds 2 hours of search effort and duplication of 100 pages (commercial requesters responsible for all search and duplication).

In order to help you determine my status for the purpose of assessing fees, you should know that I am [insert one of the descriptions below]

• A representative of the news media affiliated with the _______ newspaper (magazine, television station, etc.), and this request is made as part of news gathering and not for a commercial use.
• Affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution, and this request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose and not for a commercial use.
• Affiliated with a private business and am seeking information for use in the company's business.
• An individual seeking information for personal use and not for commercial use.

You may contact me or (name of representative) concerning this request at (area code and telephone number).

Sincerely,

Telephone number

Note:  If you choose to receive electronic records, no duplication cost, provide your email address on the request.