Welcome to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Freedom of Information Act Public Access Portal.
ATF is a law enforcement agency in the United States’ Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products. We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement, and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.
This portal allows members of the public to access frequently requested records, submit a FOIA request, and check the status of their outstanding request(s).
Login or Create PAL Account
You can create a PAL account by clicking the Register link in the top right corner of the screen and providing the required information. Once registered you can login by clicking the Sign In link in the top right corner of the screen and signing into your account with your login credentials.
Note: You will receive registration links and relevant correspondences related to your requests from noreply@ains.com. Please add this address to your contact list. If you do not receive an expected email, please check your junk or spam folder before reporting an issue.
Submit or Check the Status of a FOIA or Privacy Act Request Online
Register to create an online account or Sign In to your existing account, to submit a FOIA or Privacy Act request. As you navigate the request submission steps please follow all prompts, look for red system warnings, and make sure that all required fields are completed. The ability to check the status details of a request, send a message to the assigned specialist, or retrieve records delivered electronically becomes available once signed in.
View Frequently Requested Records
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was enacted in 1966 to allow individual citizens to request access to government records. Many documents concerning the activity of ATF is available in the FOIA Library without a Freedom of Information Act request. Additionally, this information may also be available in the FOIA Reading Room. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or issues concerning the submission of a request.