Overview of Executive Order 13166

On August 11, 2000, the President signed Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency" (HTML or  PDF). The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them.  It is expected that agency plans will provide for such meaningful access consistent with, and without unduly burdening, the fundamental mission of the agency.  The Executive Order also requires that the Federal agencies work to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance provide meaningful access to their LEP applicants and beneficiaries.

To assist Federal agencies in carrying out these responsibilities, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a Policy Guidance Document, "Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - National Origin Discrimination Against Persons With Limited English Proficiency" (2002 LEP Guidance). This LEP Guidance sets forth the compliance standards that recipients of Federal financial assistance must follow to ensure that their programs and activities normally provided in English are accessible to LEP persons and thus do not discriminate on the basis of national origin in violation of Title VI's prohibition against national origin discrimination.

The Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS) is responsible for governmentwide coordination with respect to Executive Order 13166. FCS serves as the federal repository for the internal implementation plans that each federal agency is required to develop, to ensure meaningful access to its own federally conducted programs and activities, and it also reviews and approves each funding agency’s external LEP guidance for its recipients. As the Department of Justice prepared its own plan, FCS reviewed and approved each component’s submission. Further, FCS developed the Department’s external guidance for its own recipients. FCS has initiated an aggressive program of intra- and inter-agency consultations and actively solicits comments and suggestions from representatives of recipient and LEP individuals on how to identify and address the needs of LEP individuals under Executive Order 13166 in an effective and cost-effective manner.

Common Language Access Questions, Technical Assistance, and Guidance for Federally Conducted and Federally Assisted Programs (PDF)- August 15, 2011

Language Access Assessment and Planning Tool for Federally Conducted and Federally Assisted Programs (PDF)- May 9, 2011, Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice

Memo to Federal Agencies Reaffirming the Mandates of Executive Order 13166 from Attorney General Eric Holder- February 17, 2011

Language Access Guidance Letter to State Courts from Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez - August 17, 2010

Language Access Obligations under Executive Order 13166 Memorandum to Heads and Department Components from Attorney General Eric Holder - June 28, 2010

Deputy Assistant Attorney General King Letter to State Court Administrators Regarding Language Services to Persons wtih Limited English Proficiency - December 1, 2003

Assistant Attorney General Boyd letter to recipients of DOJ assistance offering assistance in implementing LEP guidance- December 13, 2002

Assistant Attorney General Boyd Memorandum to Heads of Federal Agencies, General Counsels, and Civil Rights Directors concerning Tools to Ensure Implementation and Understanding of Executive Order 13166 - November 12, 2002

Assistant Attorney General Boyd Memorandum to Heads of Federal Agencies, General Counsels, and Civil Rights Directors regarding Executive Order 13166- July 8, 2002

Department of Justice Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons- June 18, 2002

Assistant Attorney General Boyd Memorandum to Heads of Federal Grants Agencies, General Counsels and Civil Rights Directors on Executive Order 13166 - January 11, 2002

October 26, 2001 - Assistant Attorney General Boyd Memorandum on Executive Order 13166- October 26, 2001

Commonly Asked Questions and Answers Regarding Executive Order 13166: Providing Meaningful Access to Individuals Who Are Limited English Proficient to Federally Assisted and Federally Conducted Programs And Activities

Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency - August 11, 2000

Other Links

Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Division, EO 13166 Page