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 E—Access to Materials Containing National Security-Classified Information (§1256.70 to §1256.80) > 1256.72—What are FOIA requests and mandatory review requests?

1256.72—What are FOIA requests and mandatory review requests?

(a) You may file a FOIA request for Executive Branch agency records, regardless of whether they contain classified information. The FOIA also applies to Presidential records as cited in § 1256.74(b). The FOIA does not apply to records of the Judicial and Legislative Branches or to donated historical materials.
(b) You may only file a mandatory review request if the records contain classified information. NARA handles mandatory review requests for records we hold for the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Branches as well as donated historical materials under E.O. 12958, as amended, section 3.5.