What Is DoDI 5230.24? Statements, Reason Codes, and Marking

DoD Instruction 5230.24 is the Defense Department’s governing policy for controlling access to unclassified technical data. It requires every DoD technical document to carry one of six lettered distribution statements, each defining exactly who is authorized to receive the material. The instruction applies across all military branches, defense agencies, and contractors, and it covers everything from engineering drawings and test results to software documentation and technical manuals.

What Technical Information the Policy Covers

The instruction applies to “technical information,” which the Defense Department defines as data related to research, development, test and evaluation, engineering, acquisition, and sustainment activities. That includes test results, engineering drawings, mathematical models, software documentation, technical manuals for operating or maintaining defense systems, and any scientific data describing how military hardware works or performs.

Administrative documents, financial reports, and other non-technical records fall outside its scope. If a document contains no research, engineering, acquisition, or sustainment content, it does not need a distribution statement under DoDI 5230.24. People sometimes assume every restricted DoD document is governed by this instruction, but it targets a specific category of technical output.

The Six Distribution Statements

Every DoD technical document must carry one of six distribution statements. The original creators of the document are responsible for choosing the correct one.

Statement A — Approved for public release with unlimited distribution. Anyone can access the document. This is the only statement that permits release to the general public.
Statement B — Distribution limited to U.S. Government agencies only. The specific reason for the restriction and the date it was applied must appear alongside the statement, and other requests go through the controlling DoD office.
Statement C — Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies and their contractors, allowing companies working under government contracts to access the data for project-related purposes.
Statement D — Distribution limited to the Department of Defense and U.S. DoD contractors only. Narrower than Statement C because it excludes federal agencies outside DoD.
Statement E — Distribution authorized to DoD Components only. Only military personnel and civilian employees of the Defense Department can access the material. Contractors are excluded.
Statement F — No further distribution without explicit approval from the controlling DoD office or higher DoD authority. The controlling office must respond to release requests within 30 days.

One default rule catches unmarked material. Any technical document delivered to the Defense Technical Information Center or another DoD information repository without a distribution statement is automatically assigned Statement E, restricting it to DoD Components until the controlling office assigns the correct marking.¹

Reason Codes That Justify a Restriction

Choosing any statement more restrictive than A requires pairing it with one of 14 authorized justification categories, which appear on the document alongside the statement letter:

Controlled Technical Information — unclassified technical data subject to access and dissemination controls.
Contractor Performance Evaluation — data evaluating how a contractor performed on a defense project.
Critical Technology — information disclosing technologies with military or space application that appear on critical technology lists.
Direct Military Support — data that could reveal details about direct military operations. Limited to Statement E.
Export Controlled — technical data that cannot be exported without a license under the Arms Export Control Act or the Export Control Reform Act.
Foreign Government Information — data provided by or produced with a foreign government that carries dissemination restrictions.
International Agreements — information restricted by the terms of an international treaty or agreement.
Operations Security — data whose disclosure could compromise operational planning or execution.
Patents and Inventions — information related to patent applications or inventions not yet publicly disclosed.
Proprietary Business Information — intellectual property and trade secrets belonging to private companies collaborating with DoD.
Small Business Innovation Research — data generated under the SBIR program with limited distribution protections.
Software Documentation — source code, design documents, or technical specifications for defense software.
Test and Evaluation — results from testing defense systems that could reveal capabilities or vulnerabilities.
Vulnerability Information — data identifying security weaknesses in defense systems.

Not every reason code works with every statement. The instruction includes a matrix specifying which categories are authorized for Statements B, C, D, and E. Direct Military Support is limited to Statement E. Export Controlled and Critical Technology can pair with any of Statements B through E. Statement F can be used with any category when the controlling office determines the tightest possible restriction is warranted.¹

How the Marking Must Appear

The controlling DoD office — the organization that created or oversees the document — is responsible for assigning the statement and must be clearly identified on the document itself so recipients know who to contact.

The marking must include three elements: the distribution statement letter and its full text, the justification category, and the date the determination was made. On hard-copy documents, that block must appear on the first page or front cover. It is also required on Standard Form 298, the Report Documentation Page, when that form accompanies the document. On digital files or any medium where a cover page isn’t practical, the statement must be placed in the most obvious position possible. Oral presentations and voice recordings must state the restriction verbally.¹

Documents containing export-controlled technical data must also carry a specific warning: “WARNING — This document contains technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., Sec 2751, et seq.) or the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (Title 50, U.S.C., Chapter 58, Sec. 4801-4852). Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties.”² This warning applies only to documents carrying Statements B through F. A Statement A document never needs it, since unrestricted distribution means there is no export restriction to flag.

Once marked, documents go to the Defense Technical Information Center. DTIC uses the distribution markings to control access through its R&E Gateway, which requires active CAC, PIV, or ECA credentials to enter. Only verified military personnel, civilian DoD employees, and authorized support contractors can search and retrieve restricted documents through that system.

Requesting Access If You’re Outside the Authorized Audience

Every distribution statement from B through F carries the same instruction: “Other requests for this document must be referred to [controlling DoD office].” If you need a document you aren’t already authorized to receive, contact the office named on the document and explain why. Only the controlling DoD office or a higher DoD authority can approve distribution beyond what the statement permits.¹

Statement F has the strictest access process and a built-in accountability mechanism. The controlling office must respond within 30 days. If the office either agrees to release the document or simply fails to respond within that window, the information may be released to DoD Components under Statement E, and the release must be documented. That deadline prevents documents from being locked away indefinitely because an office is unresponsive.

Contractor Access and DD Form 2345

Private companies working on defense contracts frequently need access to restricted technical data, and that access is not automatic. When export-controlled data marked with Statement C or D is shared with a contractor, the releasing office must first verify that the contractor holds a current, valid DD Form 2345 — the Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement — certifying eligibility to receive controlled technical data.³

To obtain certification, a company provides its legal name matching its CAGE registration, its CAGE code, and a description of its business activity detailed enough for the government to determine whether the requested data relates to that work, including whether the activity involves items on the United States Munitions List or Commerce Control List. The company must designate a Data Custodian who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and physically resides in the country of certification. The company confirms that it is not debarred or suspended from government contracts, has not violated U.S. export control laws, and has not previously had a certification revoked. The same requirements apply to every individual who will access the data. U.S. applicants must also indicate whether they are registered with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Review and Downgrading

Distribution statements are not permanent. The instruction requires each controlling DoD office to maintain a process for reviewing the technical information it oversees and expanding availability when conditions allow. When the original reason for restricting a document no longer applies, the office must obtain a public-release determination, assign Statement A, cancel the previous statement, and notify DTIC and all known holders.¹

Statement F documents carry an additional requirement: a mandatory review every five years to determine whether a wider audience is now appropriate. That cycle prevents the most restrictive category from becoming a default. Any change to classification markings, distribution statements, or export-control warnings must be communicated promptly to DTIC, other repositories, and all known authorized holders. Unauthorized removal of or tampering with a distribution marking is prohibited. Only the controlling DoD office can change or remove one.

How It Fits With Controlled Unclassified Information

DoDI 5230.24 aligns with the broader Controlled Unclassified Information framework. The instruction specifically requires DoD Components to assign distribution statements to all unclassified Controlled Technical Information, meaning technical data subject to access, use, reproduction, modification, or dissemination controls. CUI marking procedures themselves follow DoDI 5200.48 and 32 CFR Part 2002, and the distribution statement works alongside the CUI designation indicator on the document.¹

In practice, a document can carry both a CUI banner and a distribution statement. The CUI marking tells the handler what category of controlled information is inside and how to safeguard it; the distribution statement tells them who can receive it. Both markings serve different purposes, and both are mandatory when they apply.

Penalties for Violating Distribution Controls

Unauthorized release of restricted technical data can trigger both criminal and civil consequences, especially when the data is subject to export controls under the Arms Export Control Act. Criminal violations carry penalties of up to $1,000,000 in fines and up to 20 years of imprisonment per violation for anyone who willfully exports defense articles or technical data without authorization.⁴

On the civil side, the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs can impose penalties of up to $1,271,078 per violation, or twice the value of the underlying transaction, whichever is greater.⁵ Civil and criminal penalties can be imposed together. A single unauthorized disclosure to a foreign national could constitute both an export control violation and a breach of the distribution restrictions, compounding the exposure for everyone in the chain. That’s why the marking decision at the point of creation is the one that matters most: a mismarked document that reaches the wrong hands creates liability all the way down.

1
Department of Defense. DoD Instruction 5230.24 – Distribution Statements on Technical Information
2
DoD CUI Program. Export Controlled
3
Department of Defense (WHS). DD Form 2345 Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 USC 2778 – Control of Arms Exports and Imports
5
eCFR. 22 CFR Part 127 – Violations and Penalties