REQUEST FOR RECORDS:  RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW
65 P.S. §67.101 et seq. 

I. HOW TO MAKE A REQUEST FOR RECORDS:

All Right-to-Know Law ("RTKL") requests must be addressed to the Right-to-Know Officer (Open Records), as follows:

Office of Attorney General
Right-to-Know Officer
15th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Telephone:  (717) 783-1111

Requests can be submitted by mail; facsimile: (717) 705-7244; in person or by e-mail through our website by using the Contact Us form which allows for a requestor to submit a request electronically.  You may use our printable request form or provide a request that is legible.  The link to our request form is under Section IV, Additional Links.

A request should identify or describe the records sought with sufficient specificity to enable the Right-to-Know Officer to ascertain which records are being requested and shall include the name and mailing address to which a response should be addressed.  You are not required to state a reason for making a request for records.

While verbal requests may be fulfilled, the requester cannot pursue the relief and remedies provided under the RTKL unless the request is in writing.  The RTKL allows five (5) business days for a response to be provided to a requestor and a verbal request will not expedite a response by the Right-to-Know Officer.  

Make sure when you file a request, you are seeking records and not asking for legal advice, opinions or guidance.  The RTKL requires only the release of public records and allows for the charge of reasonable fees including, but not limited to, copying and postage.

II. HOW TO FILE AN APPEAL:

If access is denied, in whole or in part, the requester may file an appeal with the Appeals Officer, within fifteen (15) business days of the mailing date of the denial or within 15 business days of a deemed denial, to the following address:

Office of Attorney General
Executive Office - RTKL Appeals Officer
16th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

The appeal shall state the grounds upon which the requester asserts that the record is a public record and shall address any grounds stated by the Right-to-Know Officer for denying the request.

III. GENERAL INFORMATION:

CONTRACTS: If you are requesting a state contract, certain state contracts are available on the Treasury Department's publicly accessible website and can be viewed by searching the Contracts e-Library, located at www.patreasury.org.

OFFICE HOURS:  The regular business hours of the Office of Attorney General's RTKL Office are 8:30 to 5:00, Monday through Friday (except holidays and official office closings). Any RTKL request received by the RTKL Office after the close of regular business hours shall be deemed to have been received by that office on the following business day.

PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST:  Be advised when RTKL requests are submitted to this agency, the request itself becomes a public record subject to disclosure under the RTKL, if requested. 

FEE SCHEDULE:   

Postage will be charged at the actual cost of mailing
Copies will be 7.5 cents per page
Conversion to paper from electronic format is 5 cents per page
Transferring files to a CD will be $5.00

IV. ADDITIONAL LINKS:

Right-to-Know Law Request Form

Right-to-Know Law Appeal Form

65 P.S. §67.101 et seq.  

OAG Administrative Policy