What is the difference between classified information and CUI, and can the same document be both?

Classified information and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) are two distinct categories of sensitive federal information. They are governed by different authorities, carry different markings, and impose different handling rules. Understanding where they overlap—and where they do not—is essential for anyone managing federal records.

Classified Information

Classified information is information that an authorized official has formally determined could damage national security if disclosed without authorization. It is created under the executive-branch security classification system and assigned a level—Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret—based on the expected degree of harm. Access requires an appropriate clearance and a demonstrated need to know, and storage, transmission, and destruction are tightly controlled. The classification system is overseen by the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO).

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

CUI is information that is sensitive and requires safeguarding or dissemination controls under law, regulation, or government-wide policy—but that does not meet the standard for classification. Examples include certain privacy, law-enforcement, tax, and procurement-sensitive information. The CUI Program standardizes how the government identifies and marks this material, replacing a patchwork of older labels such as “For Official Use Only.” It is managed government-wide through the National Archives.

Key Differences

• Authority: Classified information flows from the national-security classification system; CUI flows from laws, regulations, and government-wide policies.
• Harm standard: Classification requires a determination of potential damage to national security; CUI does not.
• Access: Classified material requires a clearance and need-to-know; CUI generally requires safeguarding but not a clearance.
• Marking: The two use separate marking schemes.

Can the Same Document Be Both?

A single document cannot have a given portion be both classified and CUI at the same time—those are mutually exclusive determinations for any one piece of information. However, a document can contain a mix: some portions classified and other portions unclassified-but-controlled. In that case the document is marked at its highest classification level, and portion markings identify which paragraphs are classified and which are CUI. When classified content is removed or downgraded, the remaining controlled portions may still warrant CUI handling.

For more on how these categories fit into federal recordkeeping, see the federal records topic hub.