What annual FOIA reports are agencies required to file and who reviews them for compliance?

The Freedom of Information Act requires federal agencies to report regularly on how they handle requests for records. These reports create a public record of agency performance and give oversight bodies the data they need to measure compliance and spot backlogs.

What agencies are required to file

Federal agencies subject to FOIA generally produce two recurring reports each year.

• Annual FOIA Report. Each agency compiles a detailed accounting of its FOIA activity for the fiscal year. This typically includes the number of requests received, processed, and pending; the disposition of those requests; the exemptions invoked to withhold information; processing times; backlog figures; and fees collected. Agencies submit these reports in a standardized electronic format so the data can be compared across government.

• Chief FOIA Officer Report. Each agency’s designated Chief FOIA Officer prepares an annual report describing the agency’s efforts to apply the law’s presumption of openness, improve responsiveness, reduce backlogs, and adopt better technology and proactive disclosure practices. This report is more narrative and forward-looking than the statistical Annual FOIA Report.

Agencies are generally expected to make these reports publicly available, often through their own websites and a governmentwide portal, so the public can review agency performance directly.

Who reviews them for compliance

Several bodies play a role in oversight, each from a different angle.

• The U.S. Department of Justice guides agencies on FOIA compliance, issues reporting requirements and templates, and compiles governmentwide summaries of the data agencies submit.

• The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), located within the National Archives, reviews agency FOIA policies, procedures, and compliance, mediates disputes between requesters and agencies, and recommends improvements.

• Agency Inspectors General may audit or evaluate their agency’s FOIA program, including the accuracy of reported data and the adequacy of recordkeeping that supports timely responses.

• Congress uses the published reports for oversight, and the public and watchdog groups scrutinize the data to hold agencies accountable.

Because accurate FOIA reporting depends on sound underlying recordkeeping, records and information governance professionals support compliance by ensuring records are properly created, retained, and retrievable.

For related guidance, see the FOIA and public records topic hub.