Upon receipt, your request is reviewed to determine how fees will be assessed. Requesters generally fall into one of three categories.
| Requester Category | Duplication Cost | Search Fees | Review Fees |
|---|
| Commercial Business Requesters | 20cents per page, or the $3.00 cost of each computer disk. No duplication fees if records are released as email attachment. | Based on the duration of the search and the salary of the agency employee who performed the search, plus 16%. | Based on the duration of the review and the salary of the agency employee who reviewed the records, plus 16%. |
|---|
| Educational Institutions/ Media | 20cents per page (first 100 pages free), or the $3.00 cost of each computer disk. No duplication fees if records are released as email attachment. | None. | None. |
|---|
| All others (private individuals, etc.) | 20cents per page (first 100 pages free), or the $3.00 cost of each computer disk. No duplication fees if records are released as an email attachment. | First 2 hours free. Based on the duration of the search and the salary of the agency employee who performed the search, plus 16%. | None. |
|---|
For all requesters, if the total fee for your request is less than $5, you will not be charged. You will be notified if your fees exceed $25 or any other amount specified in your request. If the fees total more than $250, ED will request payment in advance.
If you expect that a fee will be charged, you may request a fee waiver. ED's FOIA Officers have sole authority to grant or deny fee waivers.
For more information on fees and fee regulations read the FAQs.
