How to Find Government Information Online

Do you hate waiting on line or, worse yet, hanging out on hold? Are you tired of filling out forms or talking to bored bureaucrats? Try getting your government information online instead.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Telephones
• Internet Access
• Computers

1. Determine what information you need - or at least take a guess. A phone call may help you figure out what information or forms you need.
2. Determine if you need information from the federal, state or local level. If you are not sure, start at the federal level and work your way down. Again, a phone call may help you narrow your search parameters.
3. Go to a search engine like Yahoo! or Google and type in relevant keywords like "government," the name of your state, county, or city, and the type of form or information you need ("tax return," "driver's license application," etc.).
4. Review the search results, looking for URLs that end in ".gov" - that is the official extension for government websites.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't find what you're looking for, contact your federal, state or local officials by e-mail, phone or snail mail and ask that they consider providing more online information.
• Check your yellow pages to get names and addresses of officials.
• Check to see when the site was last updated to be sure you are getting the most current information.
• Call if you have additional questions or if you can't find what you are looking for online.
• Many sites allow you to pay your bills, taxes and even fines online, provided that you have a credit or debit card.
• Many sites provide forms in downloadable PDF files. You can print them out, complete them and mail them in - all from the comfort of your home.
• Your online search may not get you all of the information you want or need, but it will certainly give you a head start.
• Make sure the site you are using is authorized by the government. Check the "About This Organization" section of the site in question.
• You may be charged an additional fee to pay your bills or taxes online.