Google Preservation and Emergency Requests: Police Guide, Template

When an investigator needs Gmail, Google Account or YouTube records frozen before a warrant is signed, or needs account information urgently because someone's life may be at risk, two separate Google routes matter: the preservation request and the emergency disclosure request. This guide sets out only what Google itself publishes about each, adds what the federal statute says, and gives you a template to adapt for each. It does not repeat the full process for obtaining records, which is covered in our Google and Gmail law enforcement data request guide.

Who can use these routes

These routes are for authorised law enforcement and government only. Google describes LERS as a system where a verified law enforcement agent can submit a legal request for user data, view its status and download Google's response, and says it is for a sworn law enforcement agent or other government official authorised to issue legal process in connection with an official investigation. Requesting an account means entering an official government-issued email address and attesting to that status. Google's Transparency Report help page also says that, consistent with California AB 1242, it asks US state law enforcement officials to attest that their requests for user data do not pertain to certain abortion-related investigations as set forth in that law.

If you are a victim, a relative or a journalist, you cannot use LERS. Google states that it requires valid legal process before producing information to a government agency, even where the request is made on the account holder's behalf, absent an emergency. Report the crime to police instead; our cybercrime help hub lists the route country by country.

Preservation requests: what Google publishes

Google's Transparency Report help page defines a preservation request as an agency asking Google to set aside a copy of specific information while the agency applies for legal process to compel its disclosure. Google adds that preservation applies only to information it has at the time of the request, not information that may be generated in the future, and that it does not disclose any user information in response to a preservation request. If the agency later returns with a legal order, the disclosure is counted under the relevant legal process category.

What Google's public pages do not state: the identifiers it accepts for a preservation request, how long it keeps preserved data, whether a preservation can be extended, whether the account holder is told about a preservation, and which LERS request type to choose. Those details are not on the pages we read. Check the options inside your LERS account, and do not assume a period beyond the statute.

What the statute says: 90 days, renewable once

Under 18 U.S.C. § 2703(f)(1), a provider of electronic communication or remote computing service, "upon the request of a governmental entity, shall take all necessary steps to preserve records and other evidence in its possession pending the issuance of a court order or other process." Under § 2703(f)(2), the records "shall be retained for a period of 90 days, which shall be extended for an additional 90-day period upon a renewed request by the governmental entity." This is the statute's rule, and the wording is unchanged in the US Code as published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-124 (15 October 2026); neither § 2702 nor § 2703 has been amended since 2018. Google's own pages do not restate it, so diarise the dates yourself and submit any renewal before the first 90 days end.

Which Google entity holds the account matters. Google says the way it responds depends on the service provider: for most services either Google LLC (a US company under US law) or Google Ireland Limited (an Irish company under Irish law), and the Terms of Service identify which applies. Google LLC may answer requests from authorities outside the US where consistent with US law, the law of the requesting country, international norms and Google's policies; for Google Ireland, Irish law and applicable EU law are considered. Foreign agencies should check the provider entity before choosing a route.

Emergency disclosure requests: what Google publishes

Google's government requests policy says that if it reasonably believes it can prevent someone from dying or from suffering serious physical harm, it may provide information to a government agency, giving as examples bomb threats, school shootings, kidnappings, suicide prevention and missing persons cases. It also says it still considers these requests in light of applicable laws and its policies. The Transparency Report help page describes an emergency disclosure request as one where a person may be in serious physical danger and an agency asks Google to voluntarily disclose information needed to prevent the emergency.

The federal statute is the source of the exception. Section 2702(b)(8) permits a provider to disclose the contents of communications, and § 2702(c)(4) permits disclosure of customer records, to a governmental entity "if the provider, in good faith, believes that an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires disclosure without delay" of the relevant information. The text uses "may": disclosure is permitted, not mandated. Google makes no promise of speed or outcome on its public pages, and neither should your request.

Forms and contacts. Google's public policy page, Transparency Report help page and LERS sign-up pages name no emergency form, email address or phone line. A PDF titled "Google LLC Emergency Disclosure Request", hosted on Google Cloud Storage, circulates among investigators and lists its own submission routes, including LERS for account holders. We could not find it linked from any public Google page, so we do not reproduce its contact details. If you hold a LERS account, start there, and confirm any form or address against what Google shows you inside LERS before relying on it.

Notice: Google says it emails the user before disclosing information (or the account administrator, if the account is managed by an organization), except where legally prohibited, and that it might not give notice in emergencies such as threats to a child's safety or to someone's life, giving notice later if it learns the emergency has passed. Google may also skip notice if the account has been disabled or hijacked.

Template: preservation request

Adapt to your agency's format and the fields LERS asks for; not legal advice. Square brackets are placeholders.

[AGENCY NAME]
[AGENCY ADDRESS]
Date: [DATE]

To: Google LLC (submitted through the Law Enforcement Request System)
Subject: Request to preserve records, 18 U.S.C. section 2703(f)

Agency case number: [CASE NUMBER]
Requesting officer: [NAME, TITLE/RANK]
Official email: [OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT EMAIL]
Telephone: [OFFICE PHONE]

1. Account(s) to preserve:
   Account identifier: [FULL ACCOUNT EMAIL ADDRESS]
   Other identifiers held: [PHONE NUMBER / YOUTUBE CHANNEL URL OR ID / NONE]
   Service(s): [GMAIL / GOOGLE ACCOUNT / YOUTUBE / OTHER]

2. Request: Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 2703(f), this agency requests that you take all necessary steps to preserve records and other evidence in your possession relating to the account(s) above, as they exist on the date you receive this request, including [SUBSCRIBER REGISTRATION INFORMATION / SIGN-IN IP ADDRESSES AND TIMESTAMPS / NON-CONTENT RECORDS / STORED CONTENT], covering [START DATE] to [END DATE].

3. Status of legal process: The agency is seeking [SEARCH WARRANT / COURT ORDER UNDER 18 U.S.C. 2703(d) / SUBPOENA] for these records and will serve it on you when issued.

4. Notice: [A COURT ORDER PROHIBITING NOTICE IS ATTACHED, REFERENCE: ____ / NO NON-DISCLOSURE ORDER HAS BEEN ISSUED]

5. Extension: If this preservation needs to be renewed, the agency will submit a renewed request before the first period ends.

Please confirm receipt to [OFFICIAL EMAIL].

Signed: [NAME, TITLE/RANK], [DATE]

Template: emergency disclosure request

Adapt to your agency's format and the fields LERS asks for; not legal advice. Keep the data requested as narrow as the emergency requires.

[AGENCY NAME]
Date and time of request: [DATE, TIME, TIME ZONE]

To: Google LLC (submitted through the Law Enforcement Request System)
Subject: Emergency disclosure request, 18 U.S.C. sections 2702(b)(8) and 2702(c)(4)

Agency case number: [CASE NUMBER]
Requesting officer: [NAME, TITLE/RANK], [OFFICIAL EMAIL], [OFFICE PHONE], [MOBILE PHONE]
Supervisor (optional): [NAME, TITLE, OFFICIAL EMAIL, PHONE]

1. Nature of the emergency: [DESCRIBE THE DANGER OF DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY, E.G. MISSING PERSON, KIDNAPPING, SUICIDE THREAT]
2. Person(s) at risk: [DESCRIPTION OR INITIALS; NO UNNECESSARY PERSONAL DETAIL]
3. Why disclosure is needed without delay: [WHAT MAKES THE DANGER URGENT AND WHEN YOU BECAME AWARE]
4. How the information will help: [HOW THE DATA WILL HELP LOCATE OR PROTECT THE PERSON]
5. Account identifier: [FULL ACCOUNT EMAIL ADDRESS / OTHER IDENTIFIER]
6. Information requested (narrowest set that addresses the emergency): [E.G. RECENT SIGN-IN IP ADDRESSES AND TIMESTAMPS / SUBSCRIBER REGISTRATION INFORMATION / SPECIFIC CONTENT]
7. Legal basis: I am an authorised [OFFICER/OFFICIAL] and request voluntary disclosure under 18 U.S.C. sections 2702(b)(8) and 2702(c)(4). I understand that any disclosure is at the provider's discretion. Formal legal process will follow: [WARRANT/ORDER/SUBPOENA, EXPECTED DATE].

Signed: [NAME, TITLE/RANK]

Common mistakes

• Expecting preservation to capture future activity. Google says preservation covers only information it has at the time of the request.
• Expecting data from a preservation request. Google says it does not disclose user information in response to one; you still need legal process.
• Relying on the victim's consent. Google says it requires valid legal process even when a request is made on the account holder's behalf, absent an emergency.
• Assuming the wrong Google entity. Google LLC and Google Ireland Limited follow different law; the Terms of Service identify the provider for the service.
• Letting the statutory period lapse. The statute's 90 days is renewable once by a renewed request, so diarise the end date.

Related

• Google and Gmail law enforcement data request guide (full process for records)
• Overview of platform law enforcement request guides
• Police data-request directory and the US investigator handbook

Sources

• Google Law Enforcement Request System and its account request page
• Google: How Google handles government requests for user information
• Google Transparency Report help: Requests for user information FAQs
• 18 U.S.C. § 2703 (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
• 18 U.S.C. § 2702 (GovInfo, 2024 edition); current text: US Code, Office of the Law Revision Counsel (current through Public Law 119-124)

For other platforms see the police data-request directory, and if you are a victim rather than an investigator, start with the country-by-country cybercrime help hub. This guide summarises public sources as read on 24 October 2026; confirm current requirements inside LERS before relying on them. It is not legal advice.