Public records fees and timelines: New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine
Side-by-side summary of each state's records law. Each cell links to the section it comes from. Verified 2026-10-17. Summaries leave out many exemptions and exceptions; read the linked text.
| Topic | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | RSA 91-A (Title VI, ch. 91-A) NH RSA 91-A:4 | 1 V.S.A. ch. 5, subch. 3 (Access to Public Records) 1 V.S.A. § 318 | 1 M.R.S. ch. 13 (Freedom of Access Act) 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Who may ask | "Every citizen" NH RSA 91-A:4 | "Any person" 1 V.S.A. § 316 | "A person" 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Must the request be in writing? | Not required per a town-clerk training document; writing is advised for clarity NH town-clerk training document on RSA 91-A (nhctca.com) | Agency may require written requests when staff-time charges apply 1 V.S.A. § 316 | No: need not be in person or in writing 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Response clock | If not immediately available: within 5 business days make available, deny, or give written time statement NH RSA 91-A:4 | Promptly = not more than 3 business days; written extension notice up to 10 business days in unusual circumstances 1 V.S.A. § 318 | Acknowledge within 5 working days; good-faith nonbinding time and cost estimate within a reasonable time 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Copy fee | Actual cost of the copy; no fee for inspection or delivery without copying NH RSA 91-A:4 | Actual cost of copy plus mailing/transmission; town sets schedule, posted in town offices 1 V.S.A. § 316 | Up to 10 cents per page (B&W 8.5x11); none for electronic records 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Staff-time fee | No general staff-time fee stated in IV(d); separate per-communication charge (max $1.00) only for electronic-communication requests over 250 NH RSA 91-A:4 | May charge when time exceeds 30 minutes, or agency agrees to create a record or nonstandard format 1 V.S.A. § 316 | First 2 hours free, then up to $25 per hour 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Fee waiver | Per-communication charge waived for indigent requesters or public-interest disclosure (media requesters excepted) NH RSA 91-A:4 | No waiver provision in § 316 as read 1 V.S.A. § 316 | Agency may waive if indigent or public interest 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| Denial must include | Specific exemption + brief explanation NH RSA 91-A:4 | Records withheld, statutory basis, reasons and facts, names/titles responsible, right to appeal 1 V.S.A. § 318 | Written notice with reason and statutory citation, within 5 working days 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
| First step after denial | Superior court petition, or ombudsman complaint ($25; see status note) NH RSA 91-A:7-b | Appeal to head of agency (decision due in 5 business days) 1 V.S.A. § 318 | Optional: Public Access Ombudsman (informal); or court Maine Attorney General: Public Access Ombudsman |
| Court | Superior court petition; may appear without counsel NH RSA 91-A:7 | Superior Court, Civil Division; agency has burden of proof 1 V.S.A. § 319 | Superior Court; appeal within 30 calendar days of written denial notice 1 M.R.S. § 409 |
| Attorney's fees if you win | If lawsuit was necessary and agency knew or should have known it was violating the law NH RSA 91-A:8 | Court shall assess if complainant substantially prevailed (narrow exception) 1 V.S.A. § 319 | May award only if refusal was in bad faith 1 M.R.S. § 409 |
| Must agency create a new record? | No (91-A:4, VII) NH RSA 91-A:4 | Only if it agrees to (316(i), (c)) 1 V.S.A. § 316 | No (408-A(6)) 1 M.R.S. § 408-A |
Notes
- Business days and working days are not defined here; holidays usually do not count. The deadline calculator on the letter page skips weekends only.
- Fees set by other laws (for example registry copy fees or vital-record fees) can differ from the public-records-law fee rules. See the registries and genealogy pages.
- New Hampshire's ombudsman status: see the NH guide for the dated notice.