36 CFR § 1270.38 - Public access to Presidential records.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t36/s1270.38"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "36 CFR § 1270.38 - Public access to Presidential records."
title_number: 36
title_name: "Parks, Forests, and Public Property"
section_number: "1270.38"
section_name: "Public access to Presidential records."
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION"
subchapter_number: "E"
subchapter_name: "PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS"
part_number: "1270"
part_name: "PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "44 U.S.C. 2201-2209."
regulatory_source: "82 FR 26589, June 8, 2017, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1270"
---


# 1270.38 Public access to Presidential records.

Public access to Presidential records generally begins five years after the President leaves office, and is administered through the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), as modified by the Presidential Records Act (44 U.S.C. 2204(c)).