How to Make a Request:

Anyone may submit an FOIA request. There is no central FOIA office in the District government. Each public body responds to requests for its own records. To submit a request, you should determine which public body is likely to maintain the records you are seeking and submit a request to the FOIA Officer of that public body. Please refer to the FOIA Officer list for contact information.

• An FOIA request should be in writing and may be mailed, faxed or e-mailed.
• When submitting your request, please mark the outside of the envelope or the subject line of the fax or email: "Freedom of Information Act Request" or "FOIA Request."
• Please include a daytime telephone number, email address or mailing address in your request letter so that the FOIA Officer may contact you if necessary.
• Describe the record(s) you are seeking as clearly and precisely as possible. In your description, please be as specific as possible with regard to names, dates, places, events, subjects, and other pertinent details that will help the public body to identify the records. The more specific you are about the records you are seeking, the more likely the public body will be able to locate those records. If your request is vague or too broad, we may ask you to be more specific, and this may delay the processing of your request.