Federal agencies, by FOIA backlog

The 50 largest federal FOIA filers, ranked by pending requests at the end of FY2024 (Sept 30, 2024) — the most recent year for which annual data has been published. Tap any agency for its full history. The sparkline shows 17 years of annual backlog (FY2008–FY2024); for current quarterly figures, see the home page.

1Department of Homeland Security
Pending FY24
220,129
YoY
+10.6%
2Department of Defense
Pending FY24
33,852
YoY
+13.8%
3Department of Justice
Pending FY24
26,919
YoY
-46.4%
4U.S. Department of State
Pending FY24
25,451
YoY
+5.5%
5Department of Health and Human Services
Pending FY24
15,778
YoY
+21.8%
6Department of Transportation
Pending FY24
9,841
YoY
+34.2%
7Department of Agriculture
Pending FY24
6,386
YoY
+132.2%
8Central Intelligence Agency
Pending FY24
5,494
YoY
+36.6%
9National Archives and Records Administration
Pending FY24
5,107
YoY
-20.3%
10Department of the Interior
Pending FY24
5,073
YoY
+2.3%
11Department of the Treasury
Pending FY24
3,840
YoY
+17.5%
12Department of Education
Pending FY24
3,603
YoY
+66.7%
13Department of Labor
Pending FY24
3,344
YoY
+40.0%
14Department of Veterans Affairs
Pending FY24
2,684
YoY
-72.1%
15Department of Energy
Pending FY24
2,413
YoY
+75.2%
16Environmental Protection Agency
Pending FY24
2,211
YoY
+25.1%
17Department of Commerce
Pending FY24
1,885
YoY
+47.2%
18Social Security Administration
Pending FY24
1,689
YoY
+265.6%
19Securities and Exchange Commission
Pending FY24
1,262
YoY
-12.1%
20Office of Management and Budget
Pending FY24
1,064
YoY
+89.0%
21Department of Housing and Urban Development
Pending FY24
1,012
YoY
+29.9%
22Small Business Administration
Pending FY24
925
YoY
-23.2%
23National Science Foundation
Pending FY24
853
YoY
+24.7%
24Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Pending FY24
801
YoY
+16.6%
25U.S. Agency for International Development
Pending FY24
728
YoY
+68.5%
26Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Pending FY24
708
YoY
-59.2%
27General Services Administration
Pending FY24
594
YoY
+10.0%
28United States Postal Service
Pending FY24
560
YoY
+69.7%
29Consumer Product Safety Commission
Pending FY24
358
YoY
+30.7%
30Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Pending FY24
333
YoY
+87.1%
31Office of Personnel Management
Pending FY24
325
YoY
+119.6%
32Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Pending FY24
325
YoY
+170.8%
33National Labor Relations Board
Pending FY24
306
YoY
+436.8%
34National Transportation Safety Board
Pending FY24
281
YoY
+100.7%
35U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Pending FY24
245
YoY
+44.1%
36Office of the National Cyber Director
Pending FY24
223
YoY
—
37Office of Science and Technology Policy
Pending FY24
210
YoY
+19.3%
38Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Pending FY24
195
YoY
+261.1%
39National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Pending FY24
182
YoY
+124.7%
40Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
Pending FY24
163
YoY
+191.1%
41Merit Systems Protection Board
Pending FY24
148
YoY
+25.4%
42Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Pending FY24
147
YoY
+444.4%
43Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Pending FY24
139
YoY
-44.0%
44Federal Housing Finance Agency
Pending FY24
126
YoY
+82.6%
45U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
Pending FY24
125
YoY
+40.4%
46United States International Trade Commission
Pending FY24
120
YoY
+471.4%
47Federal Trade Commission
Pending FY24
113
YoY
+17.7%
48Federal Reserve System
Pending FY24
112
YoY
+31.8%
49United States International Boundary and Water Commission
Pending FY24
110
YoY
+96.4%
50Council on Environmental Quality
Pending FY24
106
YoY
+202.9%

Rank	Agency	Pending FY2024	Pending FY2023	YoY change
1	Department of Homeland Security	220,129	199,085	+10.6%
2	Department of Defense	33,852	29,735	+13.8%
3	Department of Justice	26,919	50,238	-46.4%
4	U.S. Department of State	25,451	24,119	+5.5%
5	Department of Health and Human Services	15,778	12,953	+21.8%
6	Department of Transportation	9,841	7,335	+34.2%
7	Department of Agriculture	6,386	2,750	+132.2%
8	Central Intelligence Agency	5,494	4,021	+36.6%
9	National Archives and Records Administration	5,107	6,410	-20.3%
10	Department of the Interior	5,073	4,958	+2.3%
11	Department of the Treasury	3,840	3,268	+17.5%
12	Department of Education	3,603	2,161	+66.7%
13	Department of Labor	3,344	2,388	+40.0%
14	Department of Veterans Affairs	2,684	9,614	-72.1%
15	Department of Energy	2,413	1,377	+75.2%
16	Environmental Protection Agency	2,211	1,767	+25.1%
17	Department of Commerce	1,885	1,281	+47.2%
18	Social Security Administration	1,689	462	+265.6%
19	Securities and Exchange Commission	1,262	1,436	-12.1%
20	Office of Management and Budget	1,064	563	+89.0%
21	Department of Housing and Urban Development	1,012	779	+29.9%
22	Small Business Administration	925	1,204	-23.2%
23	National Science Foundation	853	684	+24.7%
24	Office of the Director of National Intelligence	801	687	+16.6%
25	U.S. Agency for International Development	728	432	+68.5%
26	Equal Employment Opportunity Commission	708	1,734	-59.2%
27	General Services Administration	594	540	+10.0%
28	United States Postal Service	560	330	+69.7%
29	Consumer Product Safety Commission	358	274	+30.7%
30	Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation	333	178	+87.1%
31	Office of Personnel Management	325	148	+119.6%
32	Nuclear Regulatory Commission	325	120	+170.8%
33	National Labor Relations Board	306	57	+436.8%
34	National Transportation Safety Board	281	140	+100.7%
35	U.S. Election Assistance Commission	245	170	+44.1%
36	Office of the National Cyber Director	223	0	—
37	Office of Science and Technology Policy	210	176	+19.3%
38	Consumer Financial Protection Bureau	195	54	+261.1%
39	National Aeronautics and Space Administration	182	81	+124.7%
40	Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency	163	56	+191.1%
41	Merit Systems Protection Board	148	118	+25.4%
42	Advisory Council on Historic Preservation	147	27	+444.4%
43	Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board	139	248	-44.0%
44	Federal Housing Finance Agency	126	69	+82.6%
45	U.S. International Development Finance Corporation	125	89	+40.4%
46	United States International Trade Commission	120	21	+471.4%
47	Federal Trade Commission	113	96	+17.7%
48	Federal Reserve System	112	85	+31.8%
49	United States International Boundary and Water Commission	110	56	+96.4%
50	Council on Environmental Quality	106	35	+202.9%

Source: FOIA.gov bulk Annual Report CSVs, FY2008–FY2024 (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2024). 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’s second inauguration (Jan 20, 2025) lands in FY2025 — shown on the home page.

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