FOI processing period calculator
05 May 2025| 
Molly is an experienced administrative law practitioner, who specialises in Information Law (Information Release, Privacy and Freedom of Information (FOI)).
Chantal is a government law specialist with more than 10 years' experience providing specialist legal advice to the Commonwealth, State and local government. Her experience ranges from major procurement and tendering projects to advising on administrative law matters. She understands the pressures that government departments face from her recent in-house experience as the Deputy General Counsel of the NSW Police Force.
In 2011, Chantal was recognised by the Law Society of New South Wales as an Accredited Specialist in Government and Administrative Law.
The OAIC’s Freedom of Information Processing Period Calculator is an interactive tool created in Excel. It is designed to help Freedom of Information practitioners calculate the period required to process access requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI Act). You can download the calculator here.
As noted on the OAIC website, the calculator considers various factors that can influence the default processing period outlined in s 15(5)(b) of the FOI Act, including:
- Request consultation processes (s 24AB(8))
- Decisions to impose charges (s 31(2))
- Requirements to consult with a state, business, individual (s 15(6)), or a foreign entity (s 15(7))
- Extensions of time agreed upon with the applicant (s 15AA), and
- Extensions of time granted by the OAIC (ss 15AB, 15AC, 51DA).
For guidance on how these circumstances affect the processing period, refer to Part 3 of the FOI Guidelines.
