Pennsylvania public records law: how to make a request
Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104. Rules below are quoted or closely paraphrased from the linked official pages, and each shows the date it was last checked (2026-10-17). Jurisdiction code: PA.
Build a request letter Official source
Statute and who may ask
The Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) presumes that records of state and local government agencies are public; an agency that wants to withhold a record must prove it may under the RTKL, another law or regulation, a privilege, or a court order. The Office of Open Records (OOR) was created by the law and handles appeals. (OOR FAQ 2)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17The RTKL defines a "requester" as a legal resident of the United States who requests records under the law, so any legal resident of the United States can file a request. (OOR FAQ 6)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17A written request may be submitted in person, by mail, by e-mail, by fax or by other electronic means to the extent the agency's rules allow. It must be addressed to the agency's open-records officer, should identify or describe the records with enough specificity for the agency to know which records are requested, and shall include the name and address to which the agency should send its response. It need not explain the reason for the request. (65 P.S. § 67.703)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17Agencies may fulfil verbal, written or anonymous requests, but to pursue the relief and remedies in the law the request must be in writing. (65 P.S. § 67.702; OOR FAQ 12, 35, 38)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17Every agency must have an Agency Open Records Officer (AORO), the person to address a request to; the OOR keeps a database of AOROs. The OOR does not hold other agencies' records, so requests go to the agency, not the OOR (unless you are seeking OOR records). (OOR "How to File a Request"; FAQ 20, 34)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: How to File a Request · last verified 2026-10-17An agency may require use of its own request form only if it has a publicly posted policy requiring a form and the form is readily available, but it must also accept the OOR's Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form. (OOR FAQ 30)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17The law covers records the agency has at the time of the request, not records not yet created, and does not provide for rolling production of future records. Private companies and most registered charities are not agencies. The RTKL lists 30 exceptions in section 708(b) that agencies may use to withhold records. (OOR FAQ 15, 28, 39)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17
Response deadline
The agency's response time shall not exceed five business days from the date the written request is received by the agency's open-records officer. If the agency fails to send the response within five business days, the written request is deemed denied. (65 P.S. § 67.901)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17The open-records officer may extend the time if one of these applies: redaction is required; the record is in a remote location; bona fide, specified staffing limits; legal review is needed; the requester has not complied with agency policies; the requester refuses to pay applicable fees; or the extent or nature of the request precludes a timely response. Written notice must be sent within the five business days, stating the reason, a reasonable date a response is expected, and an estimate of applicable fees. (65 P.S. § 67.902(a)-(b))
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17If the date given for the response is more than 30 days after the five business days, the request is deemed denied unless the requester agreed in writing to the extension. If the requester agrees, the request is deemed denied the day after the specified date if the agency has not responded. (65 P.S. § 67.902(b)(2)-(3))
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17A denial must be in writing and include a description of the record requested, the specific reasons for denial with a citation of legal authority, the name, title, business address, phone number and signature of the open-records officer, the date of the response, and the procedure to appeal. (65 P.S. § 67.903)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17If an agency says copies are available for pickup at its office and the requester does not retrieve them within 60 days of the agency's response, the agency may dispose of the copies and keep fees paid. (65 P.S. § 67.905)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17
Fee rules
Filing a request is free, but fees may be due before you receive or inspect records. Under the OOR's Official RTKL Fee Schedule (adopted Dec. 30, 2024): black-and-white copies up to $0.25 per copy for the first 1,000 and up to $0.20 beyond 1,000; color copies up to $0.50; CD or DVD up to actual cost not exceeding $1.00 per disc; flash drive up to actual cost; postage up to actual first-class cost; certification up to $5.00 per record; conversion to paper up to $0.25 per page.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: Official RTKL Fee Schedule (adopted Dec. 30, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17No additional fee may be imposed for records delivered by email or other electronic method, for redaction, or for photographing a record. No fee may be charged for searching for or retrieving documents, for review of whether a record is public, for staff time or salary, or for the agency's response letter. All fees may be waived at the agency's discretion.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: Official RTKL Fee Schedule (adopted Dec. 30, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17An agency may require prepayment of an estimate of fees if the fees are expected to exceed $100. A separate statute that sets a fee for a certain record controls (for example, the OOR's schedule cites a Recorder of Deeds copy fee of 50 cents per uncertified page and $1.50 per certified page under 42 P.S. § 21051).
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: Official RTKL Fee Schedule (adopted Dec. 30, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17Except as provided by statute, no other fees may be imposed unless the agency necessarily incurs costs for complying with the request, and any such fees must be reasonable. (65 P.S. § 67.1307; OOR FAQ 7)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17A requester can appeal fees an agency is charging using the OOR appeal form.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: How to File an Appeal · last verified 2026-10-17
Appeal path and remedies
If a written request is denied or deemed denied, the requester may appeal to the Office of Open Records (or another designated appeals officer) within 15 business days of the mailing date of the agency's response or of the deemed denial. The appeal must state the grounds on which the requester says the record is public and address any grounds the agency gave. (65 P.S. § 67.1101(a))
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17There is no fee and no attorney is needed. The appeal must include a copy of the request, a copy of the agency's response (or a note that the request was deemed denied), a statement of the grounds on which the record is public, and a statement addressing the agency's stated grounds. Deadline: 11:59:59 p.m. on the 15th business day for email or fax; 5:00 p.m. for mail or in-person filing. OOR address: 555 Walnut Street, Suite 605, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1925; fax 717-425-5343.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: How to File an Appeal · last verified 2026-10-17Unless the requester agrees otherwise, the appeals officer makes a final determination within 30 days of receiving the appeal; if none is issued in 30 days the appeal is deemed denied. A hearing may be held first. (65 P.S. § 67.1101(b))
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17Within 30 days of the mailing date of the appeals officer's final determination (or the deemed denial), a requester or agency may file a petition for review with the Commonwealth Court for Commonwealth agencies, or with the court of common pleas of the county where a local agency is located. A petition stays release of documents until decided. (65 P.S. §§ 67.1301-67.1302)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17A court may award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a requester if it finds the agency acted willfully, with wanton disregard or in bad faith, or that its asserted exemptions were not based on a reasonable interpretation of law. A court may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,500 for a bad-faith denial and up to $500 per day for failing to comply with a court order. (65 P.S. §§ 67.1304-67.1305)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17
Request-letter wording notes
Address the request to the agency's Agency Open Records Officer, state it is a written Right-to-Know Law request, and include your name and the address for the response. Keep a copy: the OOR must dismiss an appeal that lacks a copy of the request. (65 P.S. § 67.703; OOR "How to File a Request")
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: How to File a Request · last verified 2026-10-17Identify the records as specifically as you can (type, date range, subject, office) and do not ask questions: the RTKL gives access to records and does not require agencies to answer questions. You do not have to say why you want them. (OOR "How to File a Request"; 65 P.S. § 67.703)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: How to File a Request · last verified 2026-10-17You may request the medium you prefer (for example email); records must be provided in the medium requested if they exist in it. Ask for electronic delivery, since no additional fee may be imposed for it. (65 P.S. § 67.701; OOR fee schedule)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17If your request is denied, the denial must cite legal authority and give the appeal procedure, and a letter can ask for these items. (65 P.S. § 67.903)
Source: Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (statute text, PDF, on the Office of Open Records website; Chapter 15 as amended by Act 2023-29 effective July 1, 2024) · last verified 2026-10-17Some records are governed by separate processes or other offices (for example, police audio and video recordings fall under Act 22 of 2017, and birth records are not available under the RTKL). Check the OOR's FAQ and its Commonly Misdirected Requests table before filing. (OOR FAQ 18, 27)
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: About the Right-to-Know Law (frequently asked questions) · last verified 2026-10-17
Not yet researched or not verified
- Full list of the 30 exceptions in section 708(b) and agency-specific exemptions (not summarized here)
- Which entities count as a Commonwealth, local, legislative or judicial agency, and the separate appeal routes for legislative, judicial and some other agencies (section 503(d))
- Act 22 of 2017 procedure for police audio and video recordings, which is a separate law
- Local agency contact details (use the OOR's agency open records officer database)
This is legal information from public sources, not legal advice. Laws and agency practices change; read the linked official source and consult a lawyer about your situation. Local agencies may have their own forms and contacts.