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FOIA request response times by state
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Each state has laws governing public access to governmental records. These laws are sometimes known as open records laws, public records laws, or FOIA laws after the federal Freedom of Information Act. These FOIA laws define the procedures people can use to access these records.
This page contains information about the time limits within which a public body must respond to a FOIA request as mandated by the laws in each state.
Response times under state FOIA laws
Response times vary by state, and some states do not specify a required time for a public agency to respond to a FOIA request. In the latter case, the statutory language often only says that responses must be prompt or be made within a reasonable amount of time. For states with response time limits, there can either be a single limit or a range of response times based on certain circumstances. For example, California law states that a response must be given within ten days for most requests, but also allows responses within 14 days under unusual circumstances in Section 7922.535 of its state code:
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In unusual circumstances, the time limit prescribed in this article and Article 1 (commencing with Section 7922.500) may be extended by written notice from the head of the agency or a designee to the person making the request, setting forth the reasons for the extension and the date on which a determination is expected to be dispatched. No notice shall specify a date that would result in an extension for more than 14 days.[1][2] |
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The map below shows each state's response times.
Response times by state
As of May 2025, 11 states had no mandated response time. Of the 39 states with response time limits, 12 allow agencies to extend response times in certain cases, while 27 allow no exceptions. Eight states required responses in three days or fewer, 11 in five days or fewer, 13 in 10 days or fewer, and seven in 20 days or fewer.
Click on a state below to see the statutes governing its FOIA response times:
See also
- How much do public records cost
- List of who can make public record requests by state
- Freedom of Information Act
Footnotes
- ↑ California Legislative Information, "Government Code," accessed May 20, 2025 (Sec. 7922.535)
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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