Right-to-Know
Request for Records: Right-to-Know Law
65 P.S. §67.101 et seq.
Prior to submitting your Right to Know request please ensure that you are seeking records from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. If you are looking for records from any other Federal, State, or Local agency you may want to reach out to that specific agency for assistance.
For example, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General does not have:
- Police reports or investigative files from your local police department or the Pennsylvania State Police;
- Documents related to the decisions or activities of your local municipality (township, borough, county and the like).
Crime Victim Right of Access
Please note, if you are a victim, or the representative of a victim, and you are seeking records pursuant to the Crime Victim Right of Access Act, 18 Pa. C.S. § 9158 et seq., please use the following link: Request for Investigative Information from a Criminal Justice Agency – PA Office of Attorney General, this link contains information and detailed instructions regarding how to request records pursuant to the Crime Victim Right of Access Act.
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
Requests can be submitted by:
- mail – Printable Request Form or provide a request that is legible;
- facsimile – 717-705-7244;
- email – rtkl@attorneygeneral.gov or the Contact Us Form.
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.
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
Right-to-Know Appeals Officer
Civil Litigation Section
15th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Appeals can be submitted by:
- mail – Printable Form or provide a request that is legible
- facsimile – 717-772-4526;
- email – rtka@attorneygeneral.gov.
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.
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.
To be consistent with OOR, we will be charging the below fees:
- $.25/printed page for the first 1,000 pages
- $.20/printed page for each page after the first 1,000 pages
- $1.00/CD or DVD
- Current cost for thumb-drives/USBs (which will vary with the storage size capacity)
- $5.00 Certifications (stating that records are true copies…not authenticating the record)
- Current cost for U.S. Mail fees
- Current cost for UPS courier mail fees