The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has rolled out a new self-service tool that lets former federal employees request their official personnel records online instead of relying on paper forms or lengthy manual requests. The tool, called the Document Request Service (DRS), is part of OPM’s electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) system and went live in early August 2026.
If you’re retired, or you separated from federal service without saving a complete copy of your personnel file, this is worth knowing about. For many former federal employees, it replaces what was previously a paper-based records request process that could take weeks or even months.
What the Document Request Service Does
The DRS lets eligible former federal employees request an electronic copy of their eOPF Employment Folder, including SF-50s (Notification of Personnel Action) and the official personnel documents maintained within the eOPF system.
Your eOPF typically contains documents that record your federal career, including appointments, promotions, within-grade increases, pay changes, awards, transfers and separations. Depending on your employment history, it may also include benefits forms, veterans’ preference documentation and other official personnel records maintained by your agency. (If you’re still working, our checklist for what to review in your OPF before retirement covers the specific items worth double-checking while you still have easy access to HR.)
These records commonly come up when you need to:
- Verify your federal service history
- Support a retirement or benefits claim
- Document your career for a resume or job application
- Assist with a security clearance review
- Verify prior federal employment or service dates
Before DRS, many former employees obtained copies of their personnel records through their former agency’s human resources office or the National Personnel Records Center. Depending on the circumstances, that process often involved a significantly longer wait before records were received.
How It Works
- Access the Document Request Service through Login.gov and complete a one-time identity verification.
- Submit a brief online request for your records.
- Receive a secure email from OPM containing a time-limited download link to a password-protected ZIP file with your eOPF Employment Folder.
A couple of practical notes worth knowing before you request: the download link expires 24 hours after it’s sent, so be ready to act on it once it arrives. And if you just separated, OPM recommends waiting at least 30 days before submitting a request — final separation paperwork, like your last SF-50, isn’t always posted to eOPF right away, and requesting too soon can produce an incomplete file.
Who Can Use It
- Separated federal employees whose personnel records are maintained in eOPF, including most retirees.
- Current federal employees who do not have government-furnished equipment (GFE) or secure network access to reach eOPF directly.
That second category is narrower than it might sound. If your agency already gives you access to eOPF through a government-issued computer or secure network — which is the case for most current federal employees — you are not eligible for DRS and should continue accessing your records through eOPF the normal way. DRS is meant for people who have no other route to their own file: mainly separated employees, plus the smaller group of current employees whose agencies don’t provide that access.
Why This Matters if You’re Already Retired
Many retirees never keep a complete copy of their official personnel file, and it’s easy to assume you won’t need it once your retirement is underway. But questions about prior service dates, survivor benefits, veterans’ preference documentation or other personnel actions can resurface years later. Having your official records readily available can make those situations much easier to resolve — we’ve written before about why keeping your personnel file up-to-date matters, and the same reasoning applies even after you’ve retired.
Until now, obtaining a complete copy often meant digging through old paperwork or submitting a formal records request and waiting for the file to arrive. The DRS makes that process considerably easier. If you’ve been meaning to obtain a copy of your official personnel records, this may be a good time to download them and keep them with your other important retirement documents.
The Bigger Picture
OPM Director Scott Kupor described the launch as part of the agency’s broader effort to modernize federal human resources services by replacing paper-based processes with faster, more secure digital tools. The announcement follows several other modernization initiatives, including OPM’s transition toward fully digital retirement application processing.
While retirement processing continues to face backlogs despite those modernization efforts, the new Document Request Service represents a meaningful improvement in one specific area by making personnel records more accessible to former federal employees.
How to Get Started
You’ll need a Login.gov account to use the service.
Additional information: eOPF Resource Center – Document Request Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Document Request Service if I retired years ago?
In many cases, yes. If your records are stored in eOPF, you may be able to request them through the online service regardless of how long ago you retired. If your records were never converted into eOPF, you may need to request them through the National Personnel Records Center. National Archives
Is there a fee to request my personnel records?
OPM has not announced a fee for eligible users to request and download their eOPF Employment Folder electronically.
What documents are included in an eOPF Employment Folder?
Your eOPF typically includes SF-50s and other official personnel documents such as appointments, promotions, pay changes, awards, transfers, separations, veterans’ preference documentation and certain benefits-related forms.
How will I receive my records?
OPM sends a secure email with a time-limited download link to a password-protected ZIP file.
What if I still work for the federal government?
If your agency already provides eOPF access through government-issued equipment or a secure network, continue using that system — you are not eligible for DRS. DRS is only available to current employees who lack that access, in addition to former employees.
Where can I learn more?
eOPF Resource Center | OPM.gov
Source: Office of Personnel Management news release, August 4, 2026.