FOIA Fees and Rates
FOIA Fees and Rates
Consistent with the FOIA statute and EPA’s FOIA regulations, EPA may charge fees to process your FOIA request. FOIA requesters may request that EPA waiver or reduce those fees by applying for a fee waiver. Here’s how to make a fee waiver request.
The following rates and thresholds apply to FOIA requests received by EPA after January 1, 2024. For information about FOIA requests received by EPA earlier, please contact EPA’s FOIA requester service center at FOIA_HQ@epa.gov or 202-566-1667.
FOIA Fee Rates
In addition to direct costs and other services, EPA may charge for personnel time spent searching for and reviewing records potentially responsive to your FOIA request. EPA charges for personnel time with the following two rates:
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Personnel at the GS-9 to GS-12 Level: $13.00 per quarter-hour
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Personnel at the GS-13 to GS-15 Level: $22.00 per quarter-hour
Minimum Fee Threshold
EPA will not charge fees when the total chargeable fees are below $310.00, for requests EPA receives after January 1, 2024.
Assurance of Payment Threshold
If EPA determines that the actual or estimated fees exceed $310.00, EPA may require that the FOIA requester agree to pay the anticipated fee before EPA processes the FOIA request.
Advanced Payment Threshold
If EPA determines that the actual or estimated fees exceed $550, EPA may require that the FOIA requester pay the estimated or actual fee before EPA processes the FOIA request.