Federal Communications Commission
Annual backlog, FY2008–FY2025
Pending requests at end of each fiscal year (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2025). Federal fiscal year runs Oct 1 – Sept 30, named for the year it ends.
Dashed verticals mark presidential inaugurations.
Recent quarterly activity
Last 22 quarters of received, processed, and backlog. Most recent: FY2026 Q2 (Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026).
10 oldest pending requests, end of FY2025 (Sept 30, 2025)
Agencies report days pending in working days, counted from the day the request was received; the years column converts to calendar years. The longer this list runs, the more litigation-ripe the agency’s backlog.
| Rank | Date received | Working days pending | Years pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2021-09-15 | 1,000 | 4.0 |
| #2 | 2022-08-03 | 782 | 3.2 |
| #3 | 2023-01-18 | 672 | 2.7 |
| #4 | 2023-01-18 | 672 | 2.7 |
| #5 | 2023-03-01 | 643 | 2.6 |
| #6 | 2023-09-15 | 505 | 2.0 |
| #7 | 2023-10-20 | 481 | 1.9 |
| #8 | 2023-12-09 | 449 | 1.8 |
| #9 | 2023-12-26 | 439 | 1.8 |
| #10 | 2024-03-27 | 376 | 1.5 |
Exemption invocations, FY2025 (Oct 1, 2024 – Sept 30, 2025)
How often each FOIA exemption (b1–b9) was invoked when redacting or denying records. Exemption 5 (deliberative process, attorney-client) is highlighted — it’s the most-fought exemption in FOIA litigation.
FOIA staffing, FY2025 (Oct 1, 2024 – Sept 30, 2025)
Annual report history
| FY | Received | Processed | Pending end |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 1,258 | 1,098 | 264 |
| FY2024 | 977 | 984 | 104 |
| FY2023 | 586 | 535 | 116 |
| FY2022 | 523 | 508 | 65 |
| FY2021 | 534 | 537 | 49 |
| FY2020 | 572 | 579 | 52 |
| FY2019 | 700 | 703 | 59 |
| FY2018 | 820 | 848 | 59 |
| FY2017 | 902 | 867 | 85 |
| FY2016 | 836 | 893 | 50 |
| FY2015 | 785 | 745 | 107 |
| FY2014 | 679 | 673 | 67 |
| FY2013 | 571 | 574 | 61 |
| FY2012 | 501 | 478 | 67 |
| FY2011 | 590 | 594 | 48 |
| FY2010 | 593 | 598 | 52 |
| FY2009 | 651 | 659 | 57 |
| FY2008 | 745 | 730 | 65 |
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