All 50 States Free Templates Plain Language Updated 2025

Get Any Government Record.
Know Exactly How to Ask.

Plain-language guides to filing public records requests — state deadlines, fee waiver language, appeal steps, and ready-to-send letter templates. No legal degree required.

50 State Guides
50+ Record Types Covered
2 days Fastest State Deadline (VT)
Free All Tools & Templates
Illustration of a letter being submitted to a government records office mailbox
Free Tools

Get Your Records Faster

Use these tools to write a proper request letter and look up your state's response deadline — in under 2 minutes.

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Request Letter Generator

Fill in your state, agency, and record type. Get a ready-to-send, properly formatted public records request letter instantly.

Generate a Letter
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Deadline Lookup Tool

Select your state and see exactly how many days the agency has to respond — and what to do when they blow past it.

Look Up Deadline
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Fee Waiver Language Builder

Hit a fee wall? Get the exact language your state requires to request a waiver — including the public interest standard.

Build Fee Waiver
Most Requested

What Are You Trying to Get?

Choose the type of record you need — each guide explains exactly which agency holds it, what to include in your request, and realistic timelines.

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Police Incident Reports

Car accidents, theft, assault. How to get the report number, which form to use, and exact fees.
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911 Call Recordings

Who holds 911 audio, how long it's retained, and what to write in your request.
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Body Camera Footage

Body cam release rules vary wildly by state. Know your rights and the exact process.
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Arrest Records

Booking records, mugshots, and rap sheets — who has them and how to request them.
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School District Records

Budgets, emails, board meeting documents, and disciplinary records. What's public and what isn't.
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Court Records

Civil and criminal case filings, judgments, and transcripts — PACER for federal, state portals explained.
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Government Emails

Public officials' work emails are generally public record. Here's how to request them and what to expect.
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Building Permits & Inspections

Most permit records are public. Get inspection histories, code violations, and contractor info.
Browse by State

Every State's Public Records Law

Select your state for its specific law name, response deadline, fee schedule, appeal process, and official portal link.

AlabamaOpen Records ActNo set deadline AlaskaPublic Records Act10 business days ArizonaPublic Records LawPrompt ArkansasFOIA3 business days CaliforniaCPRA10 calendar days ColoradoCORAPrompt ConnecticutFOIA4 business days DelawareFOIA15 business days FloridaPublic Records LawPrompt (3 days ack.) GeorgiaOpen Records Act3 business days HawaiiUIPA10 business days IdahoPublic Records Act3 business days IllinoisFOIA5 business days IndianaAccess to Public Records24 hours IowaOpen Records ActPrompt KansasOpen Records ActPrompt KentuckyOpen Records Act3 business days LouisianaPublic Records Law3 business days MaineFreedom of Access Act5 business days MarylandPublic Information Act30 days MassachusettsPublic Records Law10 business days MichiganFOIA5 business days MinnesotaData Practices ActPrompt MississippiPublic Records Act7 business days MissouriSunshine Law3 business days MontanaRight to KnowPrompt NebraskaPublic Records Statutes4 business days NevadaPublic Records Act5 business days New HampshireRight-to-Know Law5 business days New JerseyOPRA7 business days New MexicoIPRA15 business days New YorkFOIL5 business days North CarolinaPublic Records LawPrompt North DakotaOpen Records LawPrompt OhioPublic Records ActPrompt OklahomaOpen Records Act3 business days OregonPublic Records Law5 business days PennsylvaniaRight-to-Know Law5 business days Rhode IslandAPRA10 business days South CarolinaFOIA10 business days South DakotaOpen Records LawPrompt TennesseePublic Records Act7 business days TexasPublic Information Act10 business days UtahGRAMA10 business days VermontPublic Records Act2 business days VirginiaFOIA5 business days WashingtonPublic Records Act5 business days West VirginiaFOIA5 business days WisconsinPublic Records LawPrompt WyomingPublic Records ActPrompt Washington D.C.FOIA15 business days Federal / FOIAFreedom of Information Act20 business days
Common Situations

What to Do When Things Go Wrong

Agencies miss deadlines, deny requests, and charge excessive fees. Here's exactly what to do next.

🚫 My Request Was Denied

What to do when an agency claims an exemption — how to challenge it, what to write, and how to file an appeal.

⏰ Agency Missed the Deadline

How to send a follow-up, file a formal complaint, and escalate to your state's oversight body.

💰 They're Charging Too Much

When fees seem unreasonable — how to challenge the estimate, request a waiver, and narrow your request.

⬛ Records Came Back Redacted

What constitutes valid redaction, how to challenge over-redaction, and what you can demand in the exemption log.

📬 How to File an Appeal

Step-by-step guide to the administrative appeal process in every state, including who to address and what to say.

✍️ Write a Better Request

The specific details that separate a fast-fulfilled request from one that stalls for months. With real examples.
Common Questions

Public Records Basics

A public records request — sometimes called a FOIA request, open records request, or sunshine law request — is a formal written demand for documents held by a government agency. Under state and federal law, most government records are presumed to be public. Any person can file one; you generally do not need to be a citizen, a journalist, or a resident of the state (though a few states like Kentucky and Delaware do restrict access to residents). You don't need to explain why you want the records.
You can request any record created or received by a government agency in the course of its official business — emails, reports, contracts, meeting minutes, financial records, body camera footage, 911 call recordings, inspection reports, police reports, permits, and more. Some records are exempt: personnel files, ongoing criminal investigations, attorney-client communications, and classified national security information are commonly withheld. The key is that exemptions are specific and must be cited by the agency — a blanket refusal is not valid.
It depends entirely on which state you're in and which agency you're asking. Vermont has a 2-business-day response requirement — the fastest in the country. Maryland allows up to 30 days. Most states fall in the 3–10 business day range. However, these deadlines apply to the agency's response to your request, not necessarily to the delivery of all records — agencies can request extensions for complex or voluminous requests. In practice, larger agencies often take longer than the law requires. Our Deadline Lookup Tool shows your state's specific timeframe.
Sometimes. Agencies can charge for staff time spent searching, reviewing, and copying records. Fees vary — some states cap them, others don't. However, virtually every state allows you to request a fee waiver if disclosure is in the public interest and not primarily for commercial purposes. If you're a journalist, a researcher, a nonprofit, or an ordinary citizen trying to understand how your government operates, you likely qualify for a waiver. Our Fee Waiver Language Builder generates the exact language to include in your request.
A denial is not the end of the road. The agency must cite a specific statutory exemption for each record it withholds — a vague "this is confidential" is not sufficient. If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal. Most states have an administrative appeal process (often to an Office of Open Records or a court). Some states like Pennsylvania have a dedicated appeals body with real enforcement power. See our full guide to what to do when a request is denied.