Public Records by State
Laws, deadlines, fees, and key online databases for all 50 U.S. states — with links to complete research guides.
50State Guides
11States with No Deadline
7States with Residency Restrictions
3Days — Fastest Response (LA, VT, AR, GA, KS, KY, MO, CO)
| State | Law Name | Response Deadline | Fee Rules | Key Online Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaSoutheast | Open Records Act§§ 36-12-40 et seq. | No Deadline | Reasonable costs; no statutory cap | alacourt.gov |
| AlaskaWest | Alaska Public Records Act (APRA)AS §§ 40.25.100–40.25.295 | 10 Working Days | Copy fees only; 5 hr/month free staff time | courts.alaska.gov (CourtView) |
| ArizonaSouthwest | Public Records LawA.R.S. §§ 39-121 et seq. | No Deadline | Reasonable costs; no search fees for non-commercial | AZ Public Access (courts) |
| ArkansasSoutheast | Freedom of Information Act (AFOIA)A.C.A. §§ 25-19-101 et seq. | 3 Working Days | Actual copying costs; no search fees | caseinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov |
| CaliforniaWest | California Public Records Act (CPRA)Cal. Gov. Code §§ 7920–7931 | 10 Days (response) | Direct copying costs only; no search fees | courts.ca.gov |
| ColoradoWest | Colorado Open Records Act (CORA)C.R.S. §§ 24-72-200 et seq. | 3 Working Days | $0.25/page; research/retrieval capped at $30/hr | courts.state.co.us |
| ConnecticutNortheast | Freedom of Information Act (CT FOIA)C.G.S. §§ 1-200 et seq. | 4 Business Days | $0.25/page standard; FOIC enforces fee disputes | civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov |
| DelawareNortheast | Freedom of Information Act (DE FOIA)29 Del. C. §§ 10001–10008 | 15 Business Days | First 20 pages free; $0.10/page after; 2 hr free staff time | CourtConnect (courts.delaware.gov) |
| FloridaSoutheast | Public Records Law (“Sunshine Law”)Fla. Stat. Ch. 119 | No Deadline (prompt) | $0.15/page; attorney fees if suit needed to obtain records | myflcourtaccess.flcourts.gov |
| GeorgiaSoutheast | Open Records Act (GORA)O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-70 et seq. | 3 Business Days | $0.10/page; no search fees for non-commercial; AG enforces | Georgia Courts eFiling |
| HawaiiWest | Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA)H.R.S. Ch. 92F | 10 Business Days | First $30 waived (all); first $60 waived (media/public interest) | courts.state.hi.us (eCourt Kōkua) |
| IdahoWest | Public Records ActIdaho Code §§ 74-101–74-127 | 3–10 Days (residents); 21–35 days (nonresidents) | First 2 hr + 100 pages free; no legal review charges | iCourt Portal (icourt.idaho.gov) |
| IllinoisMidwest | Freedom of Information Act (IL FOIA)5 ILCS 140/1 et seq. | 5 Business Days | First 50 pages free; $0.15/page after; no search fees; PAC enforces | illinoiscourts.gov |
| IndianaMidwest | Access to Public Records Act (APRA)Ind. Code §§ 5-14-3-1 et seq. | Reasonable Time (no set deadline) | Actual copying costs; no search fees; Public Access Counselor | MyCase (Indiana courts) |
| IowaMidwest | Open Records Act (Iowa Sunshine Law)Iowa Code Ch. 22 | Prompt (no set deadline) | Actual costs; no search fees; waiver available | iowacourts.gov |
| KansasMidwest | Open Records Act (KORA)K.S.A. §§ 45-215 et seq. | 3 Business Days | Actual costs; $0.25/page cap | kscourts.org |
| KentuckySoutheast | Open Records Act (KY ORA)KRS §§ 61.870–61.884 | 3 Business Days | $0.10/page; AG issues binding opinions on disputes | kcoj.kycourts.net |
| LouisianaSoutheast | Public Records LawLa. Rev. Stat. §§ 44:1 et seq. | 3 Business Days | Actual costs; attorney fees + $100/day damages for violations | lasc.org (Louisiana courts) |
| MaineNortheast | Freedom of Access Act (FOAA)1 M.R.S. §§ 400–414 | 5 Days (acknowledge) | First 2 hr free; $25/hr after; no electronic copy fees | courts.maine.gov |
| MarylandNortheast | Public Information Act (MPIA)Md. Code, GP §§ 4-101 et seq. | 10 Business Days | $0.20/page; first 2 hr free; waiver for public interest; OAG enforces | Maryland Judiciary Case Search |
| MassachusettsNortheast | Public Records LawM.G.L. Ch. 66, § 10 | 10 Business Days | $0.05/page; no search/retrieval fees for state agencies | masscourts.org |
| MichiganMidwest | Freedom of Information Act (MI FOIA)M.C.L. §§ 15.231 et seq. | 5 Business Days | Actual costs; fee waiver available | courts.michigan.gov |
| MinnesotaMidwest | Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA)Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 | Immediate / as soon as possible | Actual costs; $0.25/page; OAH hears appeals | mncourts.gov |
| MississippiSoutheast | Public Records ActMiss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-1 et seq. | 7 Working Days | Actual costs; AG enforces | courts.ms.gov |
| MissouriMidwest | Sunshine LawRSMo Ch. 610 | 3 Business Days (acknowledge) | Actual costs; free for news media/public interest; AG enforces with civil fines | Case.net (courts.mo.gov) |
| MontanaWest | Public Records Law (Constitutional)Mont. Const. Art. II § 9; MCA §§ 2-6-1001+ | 5 Days (select officers, eff. fall 2025) | 1 hr free; $25/hr max (HB 100, eff. Oct. 2025) | courts.mt.gov |
| NebraskaMidwest | Public Records StatutesNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712 et seq. | No Mandatory Deadline | LB 43 (2024): 8 hr free; no review-time charges for NE residents/media | JUSTICE (justice.nebraska.gov) |
| NevadaWest | Public Records ActNRS Ch. 239 | 5 Business Days | Actual costs; no excessive fees | nevadacourts.gov |
| New HampshireNortheast | Right-to-Know LawRSA Ch. 91-A | Immediate (5-day fallback) | No search fees ever; copies at actual cost only | Case Access Portal (nhecourt.us) |
| New JerseyNortheast | Open Public Records Act (OPRA)N.J.S.A. §§ 47:1A-1 et seq. | 7 Business Days | $0.05/page standard; GRC enforces; attorney fees available | njcourts.gov/public |
| New MexicoSouthwest | Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA)NMSA 1978, §§ 14-2-1 et seq. | 15 Calendar Days (3-day trigger) | No search fees ever; $1/page copy cap; AG + DAs can sue; $100/day damages | caselookup.nmcourts.gov |
| New YorkNortheast | Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)N.Y. Pub. Off. Law §§ 84–90 | 5 Business Days (acknowledge) | $0.25/page; no search fees; Committee on Open Government advisory | NYSCEF / eCourts |
| North CarolinaSoutheast | Public Records LawN.C.G.S. Ch. 132 | No Deadline (promptly) | Actual costs; no excessive fees; AG enforces | nccourts.gov |
| North DakotaMidwest | Open Records LawN.D.C.C. §§ 44-04-17.1 et seq. | Reasonable time (no set deadline) | First hour free; $0.25/page cap | NDCRI (ndcourts.gov) |
| OhioMidwest | Public Records ActOhio Rev. Code § 149.43 | Prompt (no set deadline) | Actual costs; Court of Claims and Clerk of Courts enforce | ohiocourts.gov |
| OklahomaSouthwest | Open Records Act (ORA)51 O.S. §§ 24A.1–24A.34 | Prompt, Reasonable (no set deadline) | $0.25/page copy cap; no search fees for public interest | OSCN (oscn.net) — all 77 counties free |
| OregonWest | Public Records LawORS Ch. 192 | 5 Business Days | Actual costs; fee waiver for media/public interest | Oregon eCourt Public Access |
| PennsylvaniaNortheast | Right-to-Know Law (RTKL)65 Pa. C.S. §§ 67.101 et seq. | 5 Business Days | $0.25/page; OOR hears appeals; 30-day appeal deadline | UJS Portal (pacourts.us) |
| Rhode IslandNortheast | Access to Public Records Act (APRA)R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 38-2-1 et seq. | 10 Business Days (+ 20-day extension) | $0.15/page; $15/hr cap; AG enforces | courts.ri.gov |
| South CarolinaSoutheast | Freedom of Information Act (SC FOIA)S.C. Code Ann. §§ 30-4-10 et seq. | 5 Business Days (acknowledge) | Actual costs; no search fee for non-commercial | Public Index (sccourts.org) |
| South DakotaMidwest | Public Records LawS.D.C.L. Ch. 1-27 | 10 Business Days | Actual costs; OHE administrative appeals | UJS Portal (sdcourts.com) |
| TennesseeSoutheast | Public Records Act (TPRA)T.C.A. §§ 10-7-503 et seq. | Prompt (7-day rule for large requests) | $0.15/page; Open Records Counsel assists | tncourts.gov |
| TexasSouthwest | Public Information Act (PIA)Tex. Gov. Code Ch. 552 | 10 Business Days | $0.10/page; OAG issues binding decisions on exemptions | txcourts.gov |
| UtahWest | Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA)Utah Code §§ 63G-2-101 et seq. | 5 Business Days | Actual costs; tiered appeal process; State Records Committee | Utah Court Xchange |
| VermontNortheast | Public Records Act1 V.S.A. §§ 315–320 | 2 Business Days (notice); 10-day production | 30 min free; $0.33/min staff time; no electronic copy fees | vermontjudiciary.org |
| VirginiaSoutheast | Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA)Va. Code §§ 2.2-3700 et seq. | 5 Working Days | Actual costs; FOI Advisory Council; attorney fees available | Case Information (vacourts.gov) |
| WashingtonWest | Public Records Act (PRA)RCW Ch. 42.56 | 5 Business Days | $0.15/page; $100/day per record withheld — strongest damages in US | WA Courts Docket Access |
| West VirginiaSoutheast | Freedom of Information Act (WV FOIA)W. Va. Code §§ 29B-1-1 et seq. | 5 Business Days | No search/retrieval fees; reproduction costs only | courtswv.gov |
| WisconsinMidwest | Open Records LawWis. Stat. §§ 19.31 et seq. | Prompt (no set deadline) | Actual costs; free for brief responses; attorney fees available | WCCA (wcca.wicourts.gov) |
| WyomingWest | Public Records Act (WPRA)Wyo. Stat. §§ 16-4-201–205 | Reasonable Time (no set deadline) | No statutory fee cap; Ombudsman can waive fees | courts.wyo.gov |
No states match your search. Try a different term or clear the filters.
Deadline:
≤5 Days
6–15 Days
No Deadline
Notable Comparisons Across All 50 States
No Search Fees — Strongest Protections
- New Hampshire — No search fees ever; copies at actual cost only
- New Mexico — No search fees, no review fees; $1/page copy cap
- West Virginia — No search or retrieval fees; reproduction only
- Illinois — First 50 pages free; no search/retrieval fees
- Arkansas — No search fees; actual copying costs only
Strongest Enforcement / Damages
- Washington — $100/day per record withheld; highest in US
- New Mexico — $100/day + attorney fees; AG/DA can sue
- Louisiana — $100/day + attorney fees
- Hawaii — OIP binding opinions; no litigation needed first
- Connecticut — FOIC issues binding orders; agency fines
Fastest Response Deadlines
- Minnesota — Immediate / as soon as reasonably possible
- New Hampshire — Immediacy standard; no delay permitted
- Vermont — 2 business days notice required
- AR, CO, GA, KS, KY, LA, MO — 3 business/working days
States with No Response Deadline
- Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming
- Nebraska — no mandatory deadline
Dedicated Oversight Agencies
- Hawaii — Office of Information Practices (OIP)
- Connecticut — Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC)
- New Jersey — Government Records Council (GRC)
- Illinois — Public Access Counselor (PAC)
- Indiana — Public Access Counselor
- Pennsylvania — Office of Open Records (OOR)
- Utah — State Records Committee
Citizenship / Residency Restrictions
- Delaware — Citizen only (often waived in practice)
- Alabama — Citizen requirement in statute
- Virginia — Virginia citizen or entity requirement
- Tennessee — Tennessee citizen requirement
- Most states (42+) — Any person; no residency required
This reference table is provided for informational purposes only. Response deadlines, fee rules, and online portal URLs are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant government agency. Last reviewed March 2026.