Federal agencies, by FOIA backlog

The 50 largest federal FOIA filers, ranked by pending requests at the end of FY2025 (Sept 30, 2025) — the most recent year for which annual data has been published. Tap any agency for its full history. The sparkline shows 18 years of annual backlog (FY2008–FY2025); for current quarterly figures, see the home page.

1Department of Homeland Security
Pending FY25
245,572
YoY
+11.6%
2Department of Defense
Pending FY25
40,606
YoY
+20.0%
3Department of Justice
Pending FY25
40,083
YoY
+48.9%
4U.S. Department of State
Pending FY25
32,369
YoY
+27.2%
5Department of Health and Human Services
Pending FY25
23,281
YoY
+47.6%
6Department of Transportation
Pending FY25
13,375
YoY
+35.9%
7Central Intelligence Agency
Pending FY25
7,055
YoY
+28.4%
8Department of Agriculture
Pending FY25
5,669
YoY
-11.2%
9National Archives and Records Administration
Pending FY25
5,393
YoY
+5.6%
10Department of the Interior
Pending FY25
5,353
YoY
+5.5%
11Department of Veterans Affairs
Pending FY25
4,998
YoY
+86.2%
12Department of Education
Pending FY25
4,953
YoY
+37.5%
13Department of Labor
Pending FY25
4,300
YoY
+28.6%
14Department of the Treasury
Pending FY25
3,801
YoY
-1.0%
15Department of Energy
Pending FY25
2,656
YoY
+10.1%
16Office of Management and Budget
Pending FY25
2,351
YoY
+121.0%
17Environmental Protection Agency
Pending FY25
2,234
YoY
+1.0%
18Department of Commerce
Pending FY25
2,162
YoY
+14.7%
19Office of Personnel Management
Pending FY25
1,764
YoY
+442.8%
20Department of Housing and Urban Development
Pending FY25
1,340
YoY
+32.4%
21Securities and Exchange Commission
Pending FY25
1,267
YoY
+0.4%
22Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Pending FY25
1,250
YoY
+56.1%
23U.S. Agency for International Development
Pending FY25
1,161
YoY
+59.5%
24General Services Administration
Pending FY25
1,124
YoY
+89.2%
25Social Security Administration
Pending FY25
1,013
YoY
-40.0%
26Small Business Administration
Pending FY25
835
YoY
-9.7%
27National Science Foundation
Pending FY25
608
YoY
-28.7%
28United States Postal Service
Pending FY25
514
YoY
-8.2%
29Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Pending FY25
465
YoY
+138.5%
30Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Pending FY25
446
YoY
-37.0%
31National Transportation Safety Board
Pending FY25
373
YoY
+32.7%
32Consumer Product Safety Commission
Pending FY25
325
YoY
-9.2%
33Office of Science and Technology Policy
Pending FY25
287
YoY
+36.7%
34U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Pending FY25
285
YoY
+16.3%
35Federal Communications Commission
Pending FY25
264
YoY
+153.8%
36Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Pending FY25
256
YoY
-23.1%
37Office of the National Cyber Director
Pending FY25
232
YoY
+4.0%
38National Labor Relations Board
Pending FY25
232
YoY
-24.2%
39Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Pending FY25
209
YoY
+42.2%
40National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Pending FY25
195
YoY
+7.1%
41Merit Systems Protection Board
Pending FY25
171
YoY
+15.5%
42Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Pending FY25
168
YoY
-48.3%
43Federal Trade Commission
Pending FY25
141
YoY
+24.8%
44United States International Trade Commission
Pending FY25
140
YoY
+16.7%
45Tennessee Valley Authority
Pending FY25
138
YoY
+150.9%
46Federal Housing Finance Agency
Pending FY25
135
YoY
+7.1%
47Council on Environmental Quality
Pending FY25
127
YoY
+19.8%
48U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad
Pending FY25
117
YoY
+39.3%
49U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
Pending FY25
115
YoY
-8.0%
50Federal Reserve System
Pending FY25
107
YoY
-4.5%

Rank	Agency	Pending FY2025	Pending FY2024	YoY change
1	Department of Homeland Security	245,572	220,129	+11.6%
2	Department of Defense	40,606	33,852	+20.0%
3	Department of Justice	40,083	26,919	+48.9%
4	U.S. Department of State	32,369	25,451	+27.2%
5	Department of Health and Human Services	23,281	15,778	+47.6%
6	Department of Transportation	13,375	9,841	+35.9%
7	Central Intelligence Agency	7,055	5,494	+28.4%
8	Department of Agriculture	5,669	6,386	-11.2%
9	National Archives and Records Administration	5,393	5,107	+5.6%
10	Department of the Interior	5,353	5,073	+5.5%
11	Department of Veterans Affairs	4,998	2,684	+86.2%
12	Department of Education	4,953	3,603	+37.5%
13	Department of Labor	4,300	3,344	+28.6%
14	Department of the Treasury	3,801	3,840	-1.0%
15	Department of Energy	2,656	2,413	+10.1%
16	Office of Management and Budget	2,351	1,064	+121.0%
17	Environmental Protection Agency	2,234	2,211	+1.0%
18	Department of Commerce	2,162	1,885	+14.7%
19	Office of Personnel Management	1,764	325	+442.8%
20	Department of Housing and Urban Development	1,340	1,012	+32.4%
21	Securities and Exchange Commission	1,267	1,262	+0.4%
22	Office of the Director of National Intelligence	1,250	801	+56.1%
23	U.S. Agency for International Development	1,161	728	+59.5%
24	General Services Administration	1,124	594	+89.2%
25	Social Security Administration	1,013	1,689	-40.0%
26	Small Business Administration	835	925	-9.7%
27	National Science Foundation	608	853	-28.7%
28	United States Postal Service	514	560	-8.2%
29	Consumer Financial Protection Bureau	465	195	+138.5%
30	Equal Employment Opportunity Commission	446	708	-37.0%
31	National Transportation Safety Board	373	281	+32.7%
32	Consumer Product Safety Commission	325	358	-9.2%
33	Office of Science and Technology Policy	287	210	+36.7%
34	U.S. Election Assistance Commission	285	245	+16.3%
35	Federal Communications Commission	264	104	+153.8%
36	Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation	256	333	-23.1%
37	Office of the National Cyber Director	232	223	+4.0%
38	National Labor Relations Board	232	306	-24.2%
39	Advisory Council on Historic Preservation	209	147	+42.2%
40	National Aeronautics and Space Administration	195	182	+7.1%
41	Merit Systems Protection Board	171	148	+15.5%
42	Nuclear Regulatory Commission	168	325	-48.3%
43	Federal Trade Commission	141	113	+24.8%
44	United States International Trade Commission	140	120	+16.7%
45	Tennessee Valley Authority	138	55	+150.9%
46	Federal Housing Finance Agency	135	126	+7.1%
47	Council on Environmental Quality	127	106	+19.8%
48	U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad	117	84	+39.3%
49	U.S. International Development Finance Corporation	115	125	-8.0%
50	Federal Reserve System	107	112	-4.5%

Source: FOIA.gov bulk Annual Report CSVs, FY2008–FY2025 (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2025). Agency-level totals only. “All agencies” meta-row excluded. Vertical dashed lines on the sparkline mark presidential inaugurations: Obama (Jan 20, 2009), Trump 1 (Jan 20, 2017), Biden (Jan 20, 2021), Trump 2 (Jan 20, 2025).

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