Office of Personnel Management
OPM 71: Request Leave or Approved Absence
Prepare your federal leave request with clear questions.
What is OPM 71 used for?
Choose the types of time off, enter dates and hours, and review the official PDF. Sign and send it using your agency’s instructions.
Prepare an accurate leave request for supervisor review.
Your agency decides how to submit the request and whether leave is approved.
Time, difficulty & who this form is for
Average time
About 5–10 minutes
Difficulty
moderate
Best for
Federal employees whose agency uses OPM 71.
What do I need before I start?
- Your employee number or last four SSN digits
- Your employer and organizational unit
- The leave types, dates, times, and work hours requested
- Your agency’s submission instructions
How the walkthrough is organized
Your work details
Identify you and your employer.
Your time off
Choose leave types and enter only the dates and hours you need.
Review and send
Review and sign the official PDF, then send it to your designated agency recipient.
What happens after I complete it?
Review the completed PDF, sign and date it yourself, and send it through your agency's approved process. Use a drawn signature only if your agency accepts it; otherwise print and sign by hand. Keep a copy and confirm receipt and the approval decision.
Where it goes
The recipient and delivery process supplied by your supervisor or personnel office. OPM 71 gives no single mailing address.
Downloading does not submit the form or confirm acceptance.