Rule 36.Requests for Admission

Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 36 lets a party serve written requests asking another to admit facts, the application of law to fact, or the genuineness of documents; a matter is admitted unless the party answers or objects within 30 days, and an admission is conclusively established.

Full Text of Rule 36

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Scope and Procedure.

(1) Scope. A party may serve on any other party a written request to admit, for purposes of the pending action only, the truth of any matters within the scope of Rule 26(b)(1) relating to:

(A) facts, the application of law to fact, or opinions about either; and

(B) the genuineness of any described documents.

(2) Form; Copy of a Document. Each matter must be separately stated. A request to admit the genuineness of a document must be accompanied by a copy of the document unless it is, or has been, otherwise furnished or made available for inspection and copying.

(3) Time to Respond; Effect of Not Responding. A matter is admitted unless, within 30 days after being served, the party to whom the request is directed serves on the requesting party a written answer or objection addressed to the matter and signed by the party or its attorney. A shorter or longer time for responding may be stipulated to under Rule 29 or be ordered by the court.

(4) Answer. If a matter is not admitted, the answer must specifically deny it or state in detail why the answering party cannot truthfully admit or deny it. A denial must fairly respond to the substance of the matter; and when good faith requires that a party qualify an answer or deny only a part of a matter, the answer must specify the part admitted and qualify or deny the rest. The answering party may assert lack of knowledge or information as a reason for failing to admit or deny only if the party states that it has made reasonable inquiry and that the information it knows or can readily obtain is insufficient to enable it to admit or deny.

(5) Objections. The grounds for objecting to a request must be stated. A party must not object solely on the ground that the request presents a genuine issue for trial.

(6) Motion Regarding the Sufficiency of an Answer or Objection. The requesting party may move to determine the sufficiency of an answer or objection. Unless the court finds an objection justified, it must order that an answer be served. On finding that an answer does not comply with this rule, the court may order either that the matter is admitted or that an amended answer be served. The court may defer its final decision until a pretrial conference or a specified time before trial. Rule 37(a)(5) applies to an award of expenses.

(b) Effect of an Admission; Withdrawing or Amending It. A matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established unless the court, on motion, permits the admission to be withdrawn or amended. Subject to Rule 16(e), the court may permit withdrawal or amendment if it would promote the presentation of the merits of the action and if the court is not persuaded that it would prejudice the requesting party in maintaining or defending the action on the merits. An admission under this rule is not an admission for any other purpose and cannot be used against the party in any other proceeding.

End

Amendment History

(Amended December 27, 1946, effective March 19, 1948; March 30, 1970, effective July 1, 1970; March 2, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; April 22, 1993, effective December 1, 1993; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

Requests for admission narrow a case by locking in what is not disputed. A party may ask another to admit, for purposes of the action, the truth of facts, the application of law to fact, or the genuineness of described documents.

Timing matters: a matter is admitted automatically unless, within 30 days, the party serves a written answer or objection. An answer must admit, specifically deny, or explain in detail why the party cannot truthfully admit or deny. Anything admitted — or deemed admitted by silence — is conclusively established for the case unless the court permits the admission to be withdrawn or amended, and it cannot be used against the party in any other proceeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a request for admission?

A written request asking another party to admit the truth of a fact, the application of law to fact, or the genuineness of a document, to take it out of dispute for the case (Rule 36(a)).

What happens if you do not respond to requests for admission?

Each unanswered request is automatically admitted after 30 days, and the admission is conclusively established for the case (Rule 36(a)(3)).

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 36), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 36Fed. R. Civ. P. 36requests for admissionRFAdeemed admitted