Make a public records request
Information on making a public records request, what to include, and what to expect — as well as information that is already publicly available.
Before you submit a request, the records you are looking for may be already publicly available:
Publicly available records and information
How to make a public records request
File a request online—recommended
To request a public record from the Office of Financial Management, we recommend you do so through our online Public Records Request Center powered by Gov QA, where you can submit a request, communicate with public records officers about your request, and as soon as your records are ready, you can download them directly.
Request by email, phone, or mail
Tina Lymath
Public Records Officer
Washington State Office of Financial Management
Insurance Building, Suite 300
P.O. Box 43113
Olympia, WA 98504-3113
Information to include in a public records request
A request should contain the following information:
- Name, address and telephone number or email address of the person requesting the record;
- Date on which the request is being made; and
- Description of the record(s) requested.
Potential costs of a public records request
There is no cost to review requested public records in our office in Olympia during normal business hours. Contact OFM’s Public Records Officer to arrange a time to review records in the office.
OFM charges for the production of copies of requested records as follows*:
| 15 cents/page | Photocopies, printed copies of electronic records when requested by the requester |
|---|---|
| 10 cents/page | Paper records scanned to electronic file |
| 5 cents/each for 4 electronic files or attachments |
Records attached to email, or uploaded to cloud-based data storage service, or other means of electronic delivery |
| Actual cost | Digital storage media or devices
|
| Actual cost | Postage or delivery charges – Specific amount based upon postage/delivery charges for specific mailings or deliveries |
| *OFM will waive costs if it estimates a total cost of less than $5.00 for a request. | |
Responding to a public records request
Within five (5) business days of receiving the request, as required by law, OFM will respond in one of the following ways:
- Make the requested record(s) available;
- Make a portion of the records available in installments as they are assembled;
- Ask for clarification if the request is unclear;
- Acknowledge the request and provide a reasonable estimate of time needed to respond; or
- Deny the request.
Material exempt from public disclosure
The Public Records Act provides that certain types of records and information are exempt from public disclosure. Where exempt information can be deleted from a record (redacted), the record will be provided without the exempt information. Whenever OFM withholds all or part of a record, we will identify the applicable exemption on a log we produce and provide to the requester.