[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 6]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR2001.21]

[Page 472-475]
 
                        TITLE 32-NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
CHAPTER XX--INFORMATION SECURITY OVERSIGHT OFFICE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND 
                         RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 2001_CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart B_Identification and Markings
 
Sec. 2001.21  Original classification [1.6(a)].

    (a) Primary markings. On the face of each originally classified 
document, regardless of the media, the original classification authority 
shall apply the following markings.
    (1) Classification authority. The name or personal identifier, and 
position title of the original classification authority shall appear on 
the ``Classified By'' line. An example might appear as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

    or

Classified By: IDIMNO1, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good 
Works, Office of Administration

    (2) Agency and office of origin. If not otherwise evident, the 
agency and office of origin shall be identified and follow the name on 
the ``Classified By'' line. An example might appear as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5 Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration.

    (3) Reason for classification. The original classification authority 
shall identify the reason(s) for the decision to classify. The original 
classification authority shall include, at a minimum, a

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brief reference to the pertinent classification category(ies), or the 
number 1.4 plus the letter(s) that corresponds to that classification 
category in section 1.4 of the Order.
    (i) These categories, as they appear in the Order, are as follows:
    (A) Military plans, weapons systems, or operations;
    (B) Foreign government information;
    (C) Intelligence activities (including special activities), 
intelligence sources or methods, or cryptology;
    (D) Foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, 
including confidential sources;
    (E) Scientific, technological, or economic matters relating to the 
national security, which includes defense against transnational 
terrorism;
    (F) United States Government programs for safeguarding nuclear 
materials or facilities;
    (G) Vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations, 
infrastructures, projects, plans, or protection services relating to the 
national security, which includes defense against transnational 
terrorism; or
    (H) Weapons of mass destruction.
    (ii) An example might appear as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

Reason: Vulnerabilities or capabilities of plans relating to the 
national security
    or

Reason: 1.4(g)

    (iii) When the reason for classification is not apparent from the 
content of the information, e.g., classification by compilation, the 
original classification authority shall provide a more detailed 
explanation of the reason for classification.
    (4) Declassification instructions. The duration of the original 
classification decision shall be placed on the ``Declassify On'' line. 
The original classification authority will apply one of the following 
instructions:
    (i) The original classification authority will apply a date or event 
for declassification that corresponds to the lapse of the information's 
national security sensitivity, that is less than 10 years from the date 
of the original decision. When linking the duration of classification to 
a specific date or event, mark that date or event as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

Reason: 1.4(g)

Declassify On: October 14, 2004

    or

Declassify On: Completion of Operation

    (ii) When a specific date or event within 10 years cannot be 
established, the original classification authority will apply the date 
that is 10 years from the date of the original decision. For example, on 
a document that contains information classified on October 14, 2003, 
mark the ``Declassify On'' line as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

Reason: 1.4(g)

Declassify On: October 14, 2013

    (iii) Upon the determination that the information must remain 
classified beyond 10 years, the original classification authority will 
apply a date not to exceed 25 years from the date of the original 
decision. For example, on a document that contains information 
classified on October 10, 2003, mark the ``Declassify On'' line as:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

Reason: 1.4(g)

Declassify On: October 10, 2028

    (b) Overall marking. The highest level of classified information 
contained in a document shall appear in a way that will distinguish it 
clearly from the informational text.
    (1) Conspicuously place the overall classification at the top and 
bottom of the outside of the front cover (if any), on the title page (if 
any), on the first page, and on the outside of the back cover (if any).
    (2) For documents containing information classified at more than one 
level, the overall marking shall be the highest level. For example, if a 
document contains some information marked ``Secret'' and other 
information marked ``Confidential,'' the overall marking would be 
``Secret.''

[[Page 474]]

    (3) Each interior page of a classified document shall be marked at 
the top and bottom either with the highest level of classification of 
information contained on that page, including the designation 
``Unclassified'' when it is applicable, or with the highest overall 
classification of the document.
    (c) Portion marking. Each portion of a document, ordinarily a 
paragraph, but including subjects, titles, graphics and the like, shall 
be marked to indicate its classification level by placing a 
parenthetical symbol immediately preceding or following the portion to 
which it applies.
    (1) To indicate the appropriate classification level, the symbols 
``(TS)'' for Top Secret, ``(S)'' for Secret, ``(C)'' for Confidential, 
and ``(U)'' for Unclassified shall be used.
    (2) Each classified portion of a document marked exempt from 
automatic declassification shall be exempted unless the original 
classification authority indicates otherwise on the document.
    (3) An agency head or senior agency official may request a waiver 
from the portion marking requirement for a specific category of 
information. Such a request shall be submitted to the Director of ISOO 
and should include the reasons that the benefits of portion marking are 
outweighed by other factors. Statements citing administrative burden 
alone will ordinarily not be viewed as sufficient grounds to support a 
waiver.
    (d) Classification extensions. (1) An original classification 
authority may extend the duration of classification for up to 25 years 
from the date of the information's origin for information contained in 
records determined to be permanently valuable.
    (2) The ``Declassify On'' line shall be revised to include the new 
declassification instructions, and shall include the identity of the 
person authorizing the extension and the date of the action.
    (3) The office of origin shall make reasonable attempts to notify 
all holders of such information. Classification guides shall be updated 
to reflect such revisions.
    (4) An example of an extended duration of classification may appear 
as follows for a document dated December 1, 2003 with a declassification 
date of December 1, 2015:

Classified By: David Smith, Chief, Division 5, Department of Good Works, 
Office of Administration

Reason: 1.4(g)

Declassify On: Classification extended on December 1, 2005, until 
December 1, 2028, by David Jones, Chief, Division 5

    (e) Marking information exempted from automatic declassification at 
25 years. (1) When an agency head or senior agency official exempts 
permanently valuable information from automatic declassification at 25 
years, the ``Declassify On'' line shall be revised to include the symbol 
``25X'' plus a brief reference to the pertinent exemption category(ies) 
or the number(s) that corresponds to that category(ies) in section 
3.3(b) of the Order. Other than when the exemption pertains to the 
identity of a confidential human source, or a human intelligence source, 
the revised ``Declassify On'' line shall also include the new date or 
event for declassification. The marking for an exemption for the 
identity of a confidential human source or a human intelligence source 
shall be ``25X1-human.'' This marking denotes that this specific 
information is not subject to automatic declassification.
    (2) The pertinent exemptions, using the language of section 3.3(b) 
of the Order, are:

    25X1: reveal the identity of a confidential human source, or a human 
intelligence source, or reveal information about the application of an 
intelligence source or method;
    25X2: reveal information that would assist in the development or use 
of weapons of mass destruction;
    25X3: reveal information that would impair U.S. cryptologic systems 
or activities;
    25X4: reveal information that would impair the application of state-
of-the-art technology within a U.S. weapon system;
    25X5: reveal actual U.S. military war plans that remain in effect;
    25X6: reveal information, including foreign government information, 
that would seriously and demonstrably impair relations between the 
United States and a foreign government, or seriously and demonstrably 
undermine ongoing diplomatic activities of the United States;
    25X7: reveal information that would clearly and demonstrably impair 
the current ability of United States Government officials to protect the 
President, Vice President, and

[[Page 475]]

other protectees for whom protection services, in the interest of the 
national security, are authorized;
    25X8: reveal information that would seriously and demonstrably 
impair current national security emergency preparedness plans or reveal 
current vulnerabilities of systems, installations, infrastructures, or 
projects relating to the national security; or
    25X9: violate a statute, treaty, or international agreement.

    (3) The pertinent portion of the marking would appear as:

Declassify On: 25X-State-of-the-art technology within a U.S. weapon 
system, October 1, 2020

    or

Declassify On: 25X4, October 1, 2020

    (4) Documents should not be marked with a ``25X'' marking until the 
agency has been informed that the President or the Interagency Security 
Classification Appeals Panel concurs with the proposed exemption. 
Agencies that have submitted proposed exemptions or a declassification 
guide to the ISCAP may mark documents with ``25X'' categories, while 
waiting for ISCAP concurrence, unless otherwise notified by the Panel's 
Executive Secretary.
    (5) Agencies need not apply a ``25X'' marking to individual 
documents contained in a file series exempted from automatic 
declassification under section 3.3(c) of the Order until the individual 
document is removed from the file.