Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Welcome to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) FOIA Homepage. It is OCC policy to make the fullest possible disclosure of information without unjustifiable expense or unnecessary delay to any requester. Before making a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), please make sure the information you seek is not already available on the OCC's Web site.
The FOIA, 5 USC 552, makes it possible to obtain Federal agency records, unless the records (or any portion thereof) are protected from disclosure by one of the FOIA's nine exemptions or by one of its three special law enforcement record exclusions. The OCC's disclosure regulation is located at 12 CFR 4. As a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury, the OCC also complies with Treasury regulations. For further information about the Department of the Treasury's disclosure requirements, visit the Department of the Treasury FOIA site.
How to Make a FOIA Request
When requesting records from the OCC, keep the following tips in mind. Requests should—
- be in writing, signed by the person making the request, and state that the request is being made pursuant to the FOIA, 5 USC 552.
- be mailed or delivered to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Disclosure Officer, Mailstop 3-2, Washington, DC 20219; faxed to (202) 874-5274; or e-mailed to FOIA-PA@occ.treas.gov. Requests should be filed by any one of these methods. Please do not send the same request via different methods (e.g., mail and by fax).
- fully describe the records you seek. The FOIA provides access to records; it is not a way to answer open-ended questions.
- provide a full mailing address and telephone number so that we can contact you if we need additional information. We will also use the mailing address to contact you with our decision as to whether or not your request will be granted.
- specify whether you want copies of the requested materials or whether you would like to make other arrangements to review the records.
- contain an agreement to pay fees associated with processing your request. If your request could potentially produce a huge amount of responsive documents, you will be notified. Some requests may require prepayment.
Upon receipt of the request, the OCC will send an acknowledgment letter that summarizes the request, provides a case number, assigns an approximate due date, identifies the staff member assigned to the case, and gives the fee schedule associated with processing FOIA requests.
Time Frames
The 1996 amendments to the FOIA require agencies to determine if agency records can be released within 20 working days from the date the request was received in the office responsible for responding to such requests. The amendments also do away with the "first in, first out" concept and allow for multiple tracks for processing. Typically, the OCC responds to all requests within 10 working days. If the OCC requires additional time, appropriate negotiations are made with the requester.
If you have questions, call (202) 874-4700, or send an e-mail to FOIA-PA@occ.treas.gov.
Fees
The FOIA identifies three categories of FOIA requesters:
- Commercial Use Requesters who seek information for a use or purpose that furthers commercial, trade, or profit interests. These requesters are billed to recover the full direct costs of searching for, reviewing, and duplicating the records sought.
- Educational, Noncommercial Scientific Institution Requesters and Representatives of the News Media — who are not seeking records for commercial use, or who represent the news media and are actively gathering information for an entity that is organized and operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. These requesters are billed for duplication costs. The first 100 pages are free.
- Others — who do not fit into one of the above categories. These requesters are billed to recover the full direct cost of searching for and duplicating records. The first 100 pages and the first two hours of search time are free.
The OCC publishes its FOIA fees as part of its normal Notice of Fees Issuance, which is published and distributed annually. The current charges are $35.00 per hour and $0.20 per page. Please note that the FOIA charges also apply to requests handled by staff in the OCC's Public Information Room.
Popular FOIA Requests
Popular FOIA documents are those that have been the subject of previous requests and appear to be of broad public interest. To view these documents, please visit the Popular FOIA Requests page on the OCC's public Web site.
Certified Documents
The certification process involves a search of files maintained in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Particular attention is given to structural changes brought about by mergers, purchase and assumption transactions, consolidations, corporate title changes, amendments to articles of association, and the establishment of branches. Each request for a certification requires locating a particular bank's file, researching that file for requested documents, removing and duplicating the documents, and preparing the certification, which carries the seal of the Comptroller's Office and the signature of the Comptroller.
Because of the extensive research required to identify and prepare documents for certification, the OCC is unable to meet unreasonably short deadlines. The OCC will process most certification requests within 10 business days from the date it receives the request.
Submit requests for certified documents to
Comptroller of the Currency
ATTN: Manager, Disclosure Officer
Communications Division
Mail Stop 3-2
Washington, DC 20219
Charges are $100 per certificate. Duplicates are $10 each. Prepayment is required. Requesters will receive faster service if they include the OCC charter number of the bank.
Requests by telephone are not accepted. Verbal confirmation of an institution's corporate existence is not provided.