State FOIA Laws Compared
Side-by-side comparison of public records laws across all 50 states — response deadlines, copy fees, search fee rules, residency requirements, and enforcement mechanisms. Click any column header to sort.
| State & Law | Response Deadline | Copy Fee / Page | Search Fees | Residency Required | Enforcement & Damages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaOpen Records Act | No Deadline | Reasonable cost | Allowed; no cap | No | CourtsCivil suit; attorney fees possible |
| AlaskaAlaska Public Records Act | 10 Working Days | Actual cost | Free ≤5 hr/month; charged after | No | Superior CourtInjunction; attorney fees possible |
| ArizonaPublic Records Law | No Deadline | Actual cost | Non-commercial: no search fees | No | Superior CourtMandamus; attorney fees |
| ArkansasFreedom of Information Act | 3 Working Days | Actual copy cost | No search fees | No | Circuit CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| CaliforniaCalifornia Public Records Act | 10 Days (response) | Direct copy cost only | No search fees | No | Superior CourtAttorney fees to prevailing plaintiff |
| ColoradoColorado Open Records Act | 3 Working Days | $0.25/page | Research/retrieval capped $30/hr | No | District CourtCivil penalty up to $1,000; attorney fees |
| ConnecticutFreedom of Information Act | 4 Business Days | $0.25/page | Reasonable costs; FOIC limits abuse | No | FOIC (binding orders)Civil fines; agency sanctions |
| DelawareFreedom of Information Act | 15 Business Days | $0.10/page (after 20 free) | 2 hr free; charged after; no legal review fees | Yes (DE citizens only) | AG opinion + Superior CourtAG has no penalty power; attorney fees in court |
| FloridaPublic Records Law (Sunshine Law) | No Deadline (prompt) | $0.15/page | Extensive charges; special service charge possible | No | Circuit CourtAttorney fees if suit required to obtain records |
| GeorgiaOpen Records Act | 3 Business Days | $0.10/page | No search fees (non-commercial) | No | AG + Superior CourtCivil penalty $100–$1,000; attorney fees |
| HawaiiUniform Information Practices Act | 10 Business Days | $0.05/page min; first $30 waived | First $30 of all fees waived (all requesters) | No | OIP (binding opinions)Attorney fees; OIP mediates before litigation |
| IdahoPublic Records Act | 3–10 Days (residents) | First 100 pages free | First 2 hr free; no legal review charges | No (but faster deadline for residents) | District CourtAttorney fees; $1,000 bad-faith civil penalty |
| IllinoisFreedom of Information Act | 5 Business Days | $0.15/page (first 50 free) | No search or retrieval fees | No | Public Access Counselor (PAC)Binding opinions; civil penalty up to $5,000 |
| IndianaAccess to Public Records Act | Reasonable Time | Actual copy cost | No search fees | No | Public Access Counselor (advisory)Civil suit; attorney fees possible |
| IowaOpen Records Act | Prompt (no deadline) | Actual cost | Actual costs; waiver available | No | District CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| KansasOpen Records Act | 3 Business Days | $0.25/page cap | Actual costs; no excessive charges | No | District Court / AGCivil penalty up to $500; attorney fees |
| KentuckyOpen Records Act | 3 Business Days | $0.10/page | Reasonable costs; AG limits abuse | No | AG (binding opinions)Civil penalty; attorney fees |
| LouisianaPublic Records Law | 3 Business Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; no excessive charges | No | District Court$100/day + attorney fees |
| MaineFreedom of Access Act | 5 Days (acknowledge) | First 2 hr free; $25/hr after | No electronic copy fees; 2 hr free | No | Superior Court / Ombudsman (advisory)Attorney fees on bad faith only |
| MarylandPublic Information Act | 10 Business Days | $0.20/page | First 2 hr free; waiver for public interest | No | OAG + Circuit CourtAttorney fees; civil damages |
| MassachusettsPublic Records Law | 10 Business Days | $0.05/page | No search/retrieval fees (state agencies) | No | Supervisor of Records + Superior CourtCivil penalty min. $1,000; attorney fees |
| MichiganFreedom of Information Act | 5 Business Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; fee waiver available | No | Circuit CourtCivil penalty up to $1,000; attorney fees |
| MinnesotaGovernment Data Practices Act | Immediate | $0.25/page | Actual costs; OAH hears fee disputes | No | OAH + District CourtCivil penalty up to $15,000; attorney fees |
| MississippiPublic Records Act | 7 Working Days | Actual cost; no cap | Actual costs including search; no cap | No | AG + Chancery CourtCivil penalty $100/day; attorney fees |
| MissouriSunshine Law | 3 Business Days (acknowledge) | Actual cost | Free for news media/public interest | No | AG + Circuit CourtCivil fine up to $5,000 (knowing); attorney fees |
| MontanaPublic Records Law (Constitutional) | 5 Days (select officers) | Actual cost | 1 hr free; $25/hr max (eff. Oct. 2025) | No | District CourtAttorney fees; privacy balancing test applies |
| NebraskaPublic Records Statutes | No Mandatory Deadline | Actual cost | LB 43 (2024): 8 hr free; no review-time charges for residents/media | No | AG petition + District CourtCivil penalty up to $500; attorney fees |
| NevadaPublic Records Act | 5 Business Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; no excessive charges | No | District Court / AGAttorney fees; civil damages |
| New HampshireRight-to-Know Law | Immediate | Actual cost only | No search fees ever | No | Ombudsman ($25 filing) + Superior CourtAttorney fees; civil damages |
| New JerseyOpen Public Records Act | 7 Business Days | $0.05/page | Actual costs; GRC limits excessive charges | No | Government Records Council (GRC)Civil penalty; attorney fees |
| New MexicoInspection of Public Records Act | 15 Calendar Days | $1.00/page cap | No search fees; no review fees ever | No | AG + DAs + District Court$100/day + attorney fees |
| New YorkFreedom of Information Law | 5 Business Days (acknowledge) | $0.25/page | No search fees | No | Committee on Open Government (advisory) + Supreme CourtAttorney fees to prevailing plaintiff |
| North CarolinaPublic Records Law | No Deadline (promptly) | Actual cost | Actual costs; no excessive charges | No | AG + Superior CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| North DakotaOpen Records Law | Reasonable Time | $0.25/page cap | First hour free | No | District CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| OhioPublic Records Act | Prompt (no deadline) | Actual cost | Actual costs; Court of Claims limits abuse | No | Court of Claims + Clerk of CourtsStatutory damages + attorney fees |
| OklahomaOpen Records Act | Prompt, Reasonable | $0.25/page cap | Commercial purpose = higher fees; public interest = free | No | District CourtActual damages + attorney fees |
| OregonPublic Records Law | 5 Business Days | Actual cost | Fee waiver for media/public interest | No | AG + DA + Circuit CourtCivil penalty up to $1,000; attorney fees |
| PennsylvaniaRight-to-Know Law | 5 Business Days | $0.25/page | Duplication costs; OOR limits abuse | No | Office of Open Records (OOR)Civil penalty up to $1,500; attorney fees |
| Rhode IslandAccess to Public Records Act | 10 Business Days | $0.15/page | $15/hr cap; first hour free | No | AG + Superior CourtFee waiver max penalty; attorney fees on bad faith |
| South CarolinaFreedom of Information Act | 5 Business Days (acknowledge) | Actual cost | No search fees for non-commercial | No | Circuit CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| South DakotaPublic Records Law | 10 Business Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; OHE administrative appeals | No | OHE + Circuit CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| TennesseePublic Records Act | Prompt (7-day rule for large) | $0.15/page | Commercial purpose = higher fees | Yes (TN citizens) | Open Records Counsel (advisory) + Chancery CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| TexasPublic Information Act | 10 Business Days | $0.10/page | Standard cost rules; commercial = higher | No | OAG (binding decisions) + District CourtCivil penalty up to $1,000/day; attorney fees |
| UtahGRAMA | 5 Business Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; State Records Committee hears disputes | No | State Records Committee + District CourtCivil penalty; attorney fees |
| VermontPublic Records Act | 2 Business Days (notice) | 30 min free; $0.33/min after | No electronic copy fees | No | Superior CourtAttorney fees; civil damages |
| VirginiaFreedom of Information Act | 5 Working Days | Actual cost | Actual costs; FOI Advisory Council guidance | Yes (VA citizens/entities) | FOI Advisory Council (advisory) + Circuit CourtCivil penalty up to $500; attorney fees |
| WashingtonPublic Records Act | 5 Business Days | $0.15/page | Actual costs; no excessive charges | No | Superior Court$100/day per record withheld — highest in US |
| West VirginiaFreedom of Information Act | 5 Business Days | Reproduction cost only | No search or retrieval fees | No | Circuit CourtAttorney fees to prevailing plaintiff |
| WisconsinOpen Records Law | Prompt (no deadline) | Actual cost | Actual costs; free for brief responses | No | AG + Circuit CourtAttorney fees; civil damages |
| WyomingPublic Records Act | Reasonable Time | Actual cost; no cap | No statutory fee cap | No | Ombudsman (fee waiver power) + District CourtCivil penalty up to $750; attorney fees |
No states match your filters. Try adjusting or clearing them.
Deadline:
≤5 Days
6–15 Days
No Deadline
|
Search fees:
None —
Limited —
Allowed
Key Findings
Highest Damages
- Washington — $100/day per record withheld (highest in US)
- New Mexico — $100/day + attorney fees; AG/DA can sue directly
- Louisiana / Mississippi — $100/day + attorney fees
- Texas — Up to $1,000/day civil penalty
- Minnesota — Up to $15,000 civil penalty
No Search Fees — Ever
- New Hampshire — Prohibited by statute
- New Mexico — Prohibited by statute
- West Virginia — No search or retrieval fees
- New York — No search fees
- Arkansas / Indiana / Illinois — No search or retrieval fees
Dedicated Oversight Bodies
- Hawaii — Office of Information Practices (binding)
- Connecticut — Freedom of Information Commission (binding)
- Illinois — Public Access Counselor (binding)
- New Jersey — Government Records Council
- Pennsylvania — Office of Open Records
- Utah — State Records Committee
Residency Restrictions
- Delaware — DE citizens only (often waived in practice)
- Alabama — Citizen requirement in statute
- Virginia — VA citizens or VA-based entities
- Tennessee — TN citizens only
- All other states — Any person; no residency required
Lowest Copy Fees
- Massachusetts — $0.05/page
- New Jersey — $0.05/page
- California — Direct copy cost (often minimal)
- Illinois — $0.15/page (first 50 free)
- Georgia / Kentucky — $0.10/page
States with No Response Deadline
- Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming
- Nebraska — no mandatory deadline
- Montana — partial deadlines only (select officers)
This table is for informational purposes only. Laws, fees, and enforcement mechanisms change. Always verify current requirements with the relevant agency or a licensed attorney. Last reviewed March 2026. → See full state guide index with key online portals