CFR > Title 36 - Parks, Forests, and Public Property > CHAPTER XII—NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION > SUBCHAPTER C—PUBLIC AVAILABILITY AND USE (parts 1250 to 1258) > PART 1256—ACCESS TO RECORDS AND DONATED HISTORICAL MATERIALS > SUBPART B—Access to Federal Archival Records (§1256.20 to §1256.28) > 1256.20—May I obtain access to Federal archival records?

1256.20—May I obtain access to Federal archival records?

(a) Most Federal archival records are open for research without submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Part 1254 specifies procedures for using unrestricted records in a NARA research room, submitting reference requests, and ordering copies of records.
(b) Some records are subject to restrictions prescribed by statute, Executive Order, or by restrictions specified in writing in accordance with 44 U.S.C. 2108 by the agency that transferred the records to the National Archives of the United States. All agency-specified restrictions must comply with the FOIA. Even if the records are not national-security classified, we must screen some records for other information exempt from release under the FOIA.