Accessing the Presidential and Vice Presidential Collections
The National Archives holds the Presidential records from President Hoover onward, and some Vice Presidential collections. It is important to understand the laws and regulations of the records you are interested in accessing. Many collections are publicly available and can be accessed onsite at Presidential Libraries across the country, at the National Archives facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and virtually on the Libraries’ websites and in the National Archives Catalog. However, there may be circumstances in which you may want access to Presidential and Vice Presidential records that are not yet available to the public. Access to those records depends on which laws the records are subject to and whether they are unclassified or classified material.
Requesting Access to Unclassified Collections
The records of the Hoover administration through Carter administrations are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) because they were donated to the National Archives by the former Presidents under the Presidential Libraries Act. However, you may still submit a request to the Presidential Library that maintains records that are of interest to you by contacting the Presidential Libraries.
The Nixon administration’s records are subject to additional laws and regulations under the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act (PRMPA), which applies only to the Nixon Presidential materials and recordings. It stipulates that the materials relevant to the understanding of abuse of governmental power and Watergate are to be processed and released to the public prior to the release of all other materials. Read Title 44, Chapter 21 Note. To request access to the records contact the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.
The records of the Reagan administration through the Trump administration are governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) and subject to the access provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The FOIA gives any person the right to request access to records of the executive branch of the U.S. Government. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions. Under the PRA, the records of former presidents become subject to the FOIA five years after the end of the administration. The incumbent or former President may continue specific restrictions outlined in the PRA for up to twelve years, after which only statutory FOIA restrictions may be applied. You may submit your written FOIA request to the Presidential Library that maintains records that are of interest to you by contacting the Presidential Libraries.
Requesting Access to Classified Records
Presidential records include some of the highest-level foreign policy documents in the federal government and are of great historical value. The National Archives systematically declassifies classified records. View newly declassified Presidential records on each Presidential Library’s website and in the National Archives Catalog.
In addition to systematically declassified records the public may request access to specific classified records by filing a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request made under the provisions of Executive Order 13526.
To file a Mandatory Declassification Review request:
- Download Form 14020
- Complete Sections I, II, and III
- Mail or email the completed Form 14020 to the Presidential Library or office that holds the records to which you seek access.
Once a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request for classified Presidential records is received, it will be processed as follows:
- The National Declassification Center will submit a copy of the record to the originating agency and/or other agencies that have primary subject matter interest in the document.
- Each agency that has primary subject matter interest will review the document and advise the NDC of its classification determination.
- After all agency responses have been received and a review for all applicable PRA restrictions and FOIA exemptions is completed, the requester will be notified of the results of the reviews.
- If the request for declassification is denied in full or in part, the requester may appeal this decision. The Library will provide the requester with appeal instructions. The requester must submit their appeal within 60 days of the Library’s notification of the declassification decision.
- If the appeal determination is that more information may be released without harm to national security, the record will be released in accordance with the regulations governing access. The requester then has the right to appeal any information still withheld to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) within 60 days of the Library’s notification of the appeal determination.
- If the appeal determination is that no further information can be released without harm to national security, the requester will be notified and informed of the right to file an appeal with the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) for final adjudication.
Limitations on the Right to Mandatory Declassification Review:
- Records that have been reviewed by an agency with declassification authority and exempted from declassification may not be resubmitted for declassification review until two years from the date of an agency's final determination. The two-year rule applies regardless of whether the agency reviewed the document as a mandatory declassification review in accordance with Section 3.5 of Executive Order 13526 or as a systematic declassification review in accordance with Section 3.4 the Order.
- Only those requesters identified at the time the Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request is submitted for agency review will have the right to appeal an agency’s final determination.
Learn more about Declassification of Presidential and Vice Presidential Collections