How do I conduct a line-by-line declassification review and redact a classified document for release?

A line-by-line declassification review is a deliberate, word-by-word examination of a classified record to determine what can be released and what must remain protected. It is not a quick skim. The goal is to release the maximum amount of information while safeguarding only what genuinely still requires protection. Conduct the review only if you hold delegated declassification authority or are working under the direction of someone who does.

Prepare Before You Review

• Confirm your authority and the governing rules. Review classified information under the standards of the current executive order on classification and your agency’s implementing guidance.
• Gather the right tools: the original classification authority’s guidance, applicable classification guides, and any equity or referral requirements for other agencies.
• Work on a copy in an approved, secure environment. Never mark up the only original.

Conduct the Line-by-Line Review

1. Read the entire document for context first, then examine it line by line.
2. For each portion, ask whether the information still meets a current classification category and whether disclosure could still cause identifiable harm.
3. Distinguish classified national security information from other withholdable material, such as privacy data or information protected by statute. Each is handled under its own authority.
4. Identify information that belongs to another agency (an “equity”) and refer those portions for coordination rather than deciding unilaterally.
5. Document your decisions, the reasons, and the authority for each redaction.

Redact and Release

• Apply redactions so the protected text cannot be recovered. For paper, mask and reproduce; for digital files, use redaction tools that remove the underlying data, not just a visual overlay.
• Mark each redaction with the basis for withholding so reviewers and requesters understand why information was held back.
• Apply any required declassification or downgrading markings to the portions being released.
• Have a second qualified reviewer verify the result before release whenever possible.

Keep a complete record of the review itself. The decision log supports later appeals, audits, and consistency across requests. For broader context on standards and authorities, see the declassification topic hub.