How do I file a public records request in Pennsylvania?

1. Statute. Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (Act 3 of 2008). All records are presumed public unless an exemption applies.

2. Who Can Request. Any "legal resident of the United States" (§ 67.102)—residency in PA is not required.

3. Form of Request. Written, on the standard OOR request form or a substantially similar writing; must be addressed to the agency's Open-Records Officer and identify records sought with sufficient specificity. Email accepted by most agencies.

4. Agency Response Deadline. 5 business days to grant, deny, or partially grant (§ 67.901). Agency may invoke a 30-calendar-day extension for specified reasons (legal review, redaction, large volume). Failure to respond is a deemed denial.

5. Fees. OOR fee schedule: $0.25 per page for letter/legal copies; certification $1.00; specialized formats at actual cost. No charge for staff time except for certified copies or unusual programming. Prepayment may be required if costs exceed $100.

6. Exemptions. § 67.708: personal identification info, criminal investigation, noncriminal investigation, predecisional deliberations, trade secrets, attorney-client privilege, attorney work product, internal personnel rules, draft documents, autopsy records.

7. Redaction. Agency must redact exempt info and produce the remainder (§ 67.706).

8. Denial & Appeal. Written denial must cite specific exemption and explain reasoning. Appeal to the Office of Open Records (OOR) within 15 business days (§ 67.1101). OOR issues a binding final determination within 30 days.

9. Court Action. Appeal OOR decision to Commonwealth Court (state agencies) or Court of Common Pleas (local agencies) within 30 days (§ 67.1301-.1302).

10. Penalties. Civil penalty up to $1,500 for bad-faith denial; up to $500/day for continued non-compliance (§ 67.1305). Attorney fees recoverable for bad-faith denials (§ 67.1304).

This is legal information, not legal advice.