OPM Launches Online Service for Former Federal Employees to Access Personnel Records

WASHINGTON, DC — The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) today announced the launch of the electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) Document Request Service (DRS), a secure online portal that enables eligible former federal employees to request and receive copies of their official personnel records electronically—eliminating a manual process that previously often required paper forms, agency requests, or a request to the National Personnel Records Center.

Federal personnel records, including SF-50s and related employment documents, are often needed to verify federal service, support retirement and benefits claims, document career history, and assist with security clearance processing. Until now, obtaining these records could require contacting a former employing agency or submitting a records request with processing times that often extended for weeks or months.

“OPM is committed to modernizing the way the federal government serves its workforce,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said. “The new Document Request Service replaces an outdated, paper-based process with a secure, efficient solution that gives former federal employees faster access to the records they need while improving customer service and reducing administrative burden.”

Users access the Document Request Service through Login.gov, complete a one-time identity verification, and submit a brief online request. Once processed, they receive a secure email containing a time-limited download link to a password-protected ZIP file with their complete eOPF Employment Folder.

The DRS is available to separated federal employees whose records are maintained in eOPF, as well as current federal employees whose agencies do not provide government-furnished equipment to access their own personnel records. Current employees with access to the eOPF application should continue to retrieve their records directly through that system.

The launch of the Document Request Service is part of OPM’s broader effort to modernize federal human resources systems, improve customer service, and reduce reliance on manual, paper-based processes across the federal government. Additional information, including a user guide, is available at Documents Request Service – eOPF Resource Center.