If you're filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, it's important to know how fees are determined.

Agencies typically place requesters into one of the five categories, each with different cost structures:

1. Commercial Use – requesters are charged for search, review, and duplication.

2. Educational Institutions – requesters only pay duplication fees after the first 100 pages.

3. Non-commercial Scientific Institutions – Same as educational institutions.

4. News Media Representatives – requesters only pay duplication fees after the first 100 pages.

5. All Other Requesters – These requesters are charged for search after the first 2 hours and duplication after the first 100 pages.

Fee waivers are available if the request serves the public interest and isn’t primarily for commercial gain.

So, whether you're a FOIA Officer, government employee, a journalist, researcher, or just a curious citizen. It is important to understand FOIA fees.

By understanding FOIA fees, requesters can navigate the FOIA process more strategically—and potentially reduce the costs associated with their requests.

Post. 15. Uncover the truth behind the Glomar response: The Origin Story

In 1975, the CIA faced a FOIA request about a covert mission to recover a sunken Soviet submarine using the Hughes Glomar Explorer. To protect the secrecy of Project Azorian, the agency issued a now-famous reply:

“We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of the requested records.”

This evasive phrase—now known as the Glomar response—was born out of necessity. Acknowledging the existence of records would have revealed classified operations. Courts upheld the CIA’s stance, and a new legal doctrine was born.

So, how often Is Glomar Used by agencies today?

A 2024 analysis by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press revealed that

• Over 5,000 Glomar responses were issued by federal agencies between FY 2017 and FY 2021.
• Nearly 300 agencies responded to the study, with one-third confirming they had issued at least one Glomar denial.
• Glomar responses are most often tied to Exemption 1 (national security) and Exemption 3 (statutory confidentiality).

Despite its widespread use, many agencies don’t publicly report Glomar statistics, making it one of the least transparent aspects of FOIA practice.

Related reading: More insights from Dr. Moya Hill | Explore the Unified Information Governance Model