Requests for access to records.

  1. Law
  2. CFR 1
  3. General Provisions
  4. Administrative Conference of the United States
  5. Disclosure of Records or Information
  6. Protection of Privacy and Access to Individual Records Under the Privacy Act of 1974
  7. Requests for access to records.

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§ 304.21 Requests for access to records.

(a) How made and addressed. You may make a request for access to a record about yourself by appearing in person or by sending an e-mail message addressed to . You may also send a written request letter to the agency either by mail addressed to 1120 20th Street, NW., South Lobby, Suite 706, Washington, DC 20036, or by fax delivery to (202) 386-7190. For the quickest possible handling of a mail request, you should mark both your request letter and the envelope “Privacy Act Request.”

(b) Description of records sought. You must describe the records that you want in enough detail to enable agency personnel to locate the system of records containing them with a reasonable amount of effort. Whenever possible, your request should describe the records sought, the time periods in which you believe they were compiled, and the name or identifying number of each system of records in which you believe they are kept. The agency publishes a notice in the Federal Register that describes its systems of records.

(c) Agreement to pay fees. If you make a Privacy Act request for access to records, it will be considered an agreement by you to pay all applicable fees charged under § 304.27, up to $50.00. Duplication fees in excess of $50.00 are subject to the requirements of § 304.27 of this subpart and the notification requirements in § 304.9 of subpart A. The agency ordinarily will confirm this agreement in an acknowledgment letter. When making a request, you may specify a willingness to pay a greater or lesser amount.

(d) Verification of identity. When you make a request for access to records about yourself, you must verify your identity. You must state your full name, current address, and date and place of birth. You must sign your request and your signature must either be notarized or submitted by you under 28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made under penalty of perjury as a substitute for notarization. In order to help the identification and location of requested records, you may also, entirely at your option, include the last four digits of your social security number.


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