How To Submit A FOIA Request

• Identify the letter or e-mail as a "Freedom of Information Act Request."

• Be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission.

• Contain your full name, postal mailing address, telephone number(s), and an email address, in case we need to contact you to discuss your request.  If you do not provide this information it may delay the processing of your request or result in your request not being processed at all.

• Specifically state the types of records you are seeking (e.g., recall files, investigations, consumer complaints, meeting logs, technical staff reports).  Where possible, you should include specific information regarding dates, titles, file designations, and other information that may help identify the records.  

• Specify the timeframe for the staff to search (e.g., calendar year, fiscal year or a particular period of time).  

• Specify the format you would like to receive the requested materials (paper or electronic) or state whether you would like to make arrangements to review the records at the CPSC.

• State your willingness to pay applicable fees, if any, associated with the processing of your request.  If your request has the potential to produce a voluminous number of responsive documents, you will be notified before we begin to process the request. Please note that some requesters and some voluminous requests may be required to submit a partial payment or be required to prepay in full.

How To Submit An Appeal

• You must sign into PAL to submit an appeal.

• Click on Submit Appeal, for the Reference No., click on the … (ellipses) to search for the request you want to appeal and select the request number.

• For the Request Description, enter reason for Appeal of the FOIA Request #YY-F-#### (Example: 17-F-00000)