Techniques for evaluating authorization requests using cached policy data are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a thick client receives an authorization request. The thick client evaluates the authorization request, based on partial contextual information associated with the authorization request and a local policy data cache, to generate a preliminary authorization response. The preliminary authorization response includes one of (a) denial of the authorization request and (b) non-denial of the authorization request. Responsive to the preliminary authorization response including non-denial of the authorization request, the thick client submits complete contextual information associated with the authorization request to an authorization service. The authorization service provides a final authorization result, which the thick client uses to grant or deny the authorization request.