How to Complete and Submit a Texas Open Records Request Form

To file a Texas open records request, put your request in writing, describe the records specifically, and send it to the agency’s designated public information officer by U.S. mail, email, hand delivery, or another method the agency has approved. There is no statewide form. The Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552 of the Government Code) gives you the right to inspect or copy records held by state and local government agencies, and it sets deadlines the agency has to meet once your request arrives.

What to Put in the Request

Any written communication that identifies the records you want counts as a valid request. Many agencies publish their own forms or online portals, and using them can speed things along because the fields match what staff expects to see. A plain letter or email works too.

Describe the records as specifically as you can: date ranges, document titles, names of people or projects involved, and the department that likely holds the files. A vague request like “all emails about road construction” forces the agency to search enormous volumes of data and almost guarantees a delay or a request for clarification. Something like “emails between the city engineer and XYZ Contractors regarding the Elm Street resurfacing project from January through March 2025” gets you an answer faster.

You are not legally required to explain why you want the records.¹ You do need to include enough contact information — a mailing address, an email address, or both — so the agency can send documents or a cost estimate. A phone number is optional but useful when staff needs to ask a clarifying question.

How to Send It

Section 552.234 of the Government Code limits written requests to four delivery channels:²

U.S. mail to the designated public information officer at the agency’s main business address, or to any separate mailing address the agency has designated for open records requests.
Email to the address the agency has designated for public information requests. An email to a random department inbox may not start the legal clock.
Hand delivery at the agency’s administrative office. Ask for a date-stamped copy as proof of receipt.
Any other method the agency approves, including fax and online submission portals. Larger cities, counties, and state departments often run dedicated portals that generate a confirmation number when you submit.

An agency can designate one mailing address and one email address for these requests. If it has, use them. Sending to the wrong address may mean the formal response timeline never starts. Keep the postmark, sent-email timestamp, or portal confirmation. You will need that proof if a dispute arises later about when the request was received.

What It Costs and the 10-Day Trap

Texas Administrative Code Title 1, Part 3, Chapter 70 sets uniform rates. Standard paper copies run $0.10 per page (each side with recorded information counts as a page). Labor for locating, compiling, and reproducing records runs $15.00 per hour.³

If the total projected cost exceeds $40, the agency must send you a written, itemized estimate before making copies.⁴ An agency that skips this step cannot collect more than $40.

Once you receive the itemized estimate, you have 10 business days from the date it was sent to respond in writing with one of three choices:⁵

Accept the charges and let the agency proceed.
Modify the request to bring the cost down, for example by narrowing the date range or asking for electronic copies instead of paper.
File an overcharge complaint with the Attorney General if you believe the estimate is inflated.

If you do not respond within those 10 business days, the law treats your request as withdrawn. This is the single most common way requests die. Not because the agency denied anything, but because the requester ignored the cost letter. Watch your mail and email carefully after submitting.

If the agency later discovers the actual cost will exceed the original estimate by 20 percent or more, it must send an updated estimate. The same 10-business-day deadline and the same three response options apply.⁵

How Long the Agency Has to Respond

The agency’s public information officer must produce records “promptly,” which the statute defines as “as soon as possible under the circumstances, that is, within a reasonable time, without delay.”⁶ For a single permit, a contract, or a set of meeting minutes, you can often get records within a few days.

If the officer cannot produce the records within 10 business days, the officer must certify that fact in writing and give you a specific date and hour when the information will be available.⁶ The new date still has to fall within a reasonable time. It is not a blank check to stall.

When the Agency Wants to Withhold Records

An agency that believes some or all of the records fall under a statutory exception cannot simply refuse and stop there. It has to ask the Attorney General for a ruling within 10 business days of receiving your written request.⁷ Within that same 10-day window, the agency must also notify you in writing that it is seeking an AG ruling and provide you a copy of its communication to the Attorney General, redacted if the communication itself would reveal the protected information.

The Attorney General’s Open Records Division generally issues a ruling within 45 business days of receiving the agency’s request.⁸ If the AG determines the records are public, the agency must release them. If the AG agrees the exception applies, the records stay sealed, though you can challenge that outcome in court.

The exceptions listed in Subchapter C of Chapter 552 that come up most often include:

Attorney-client privilege under § 552.107, covering information an agency’s attorney is ethically prohibited from disclosing or that a court order prohibits disclosing.
Law enforcement records under § 552.108, when release would interfere with an ongoing case or when an investigation did not result in a conviction or deferred adjudication.
Personnel files under § 552.102, when disclosure would amount to an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. The employee can always access their own file.
Litigation and settlement information under § 552.103, related to civil or criminal litigation involving the government entity.
Competitive bidding information under § 552.104, when release would harm the agency’s interests in an ongoing or reasonably anticipated competitive situation.

The burden is on the agency to justify the withholding, not on you to prove the records should be released.

What to Do If the Agency Ignores or Denies You

The Act has real teeth. If an agency fails to respond, refuses to release records, or fails to ask for an AG ruling within the 10-business-day deadline, you have options.

File a Complaint With the Attorney General

The AG’s Open Records Division accepts written complaints when an agency fails to respond, refuses to produce records, or does not comply with an AG ruling. Include a copy of your original request, any response you received, and any documentation that supports your complaint. You can file online through the AG’s open records complaint portal, or call the Open Government Hotline at (512) 478-6736 or toll-free at (877) 673-6839.⁹ If the complaint is about overcharging, it must reach the AG within 10 business days of the date you learned about the alleged overcharge.

Sue for a Writ of Mandamus

If an agency refuses to release information or refuses to seek an AG ruling, you can file suit in district court asking a judge to order the agency to hand over the records. The suit must be filed in the county where the agency’s main offices are located.¹⁰ The Attorney General can also file mandamus actions on behalf of the public interest.

Criminal Penalties in the Background

A public information officer who fails or refuses to provide access with criminal negligence commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both. The offense also constitutes official misconduct.¹¹ These penalties rarely come into play, but they signal that the legislature intended agencies to take disclosure obligations seriously.

1
Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Open Records Policy
2
Texas Public Law. Texas Government Code 552.234 – Method of Making Written Request for Public Information
3
Cornell Law Institute. 1 Tex. Admin. Code 70.3 – Charges for Providing Copies of Public Information
4
Cornell Law Institute. 1 Tex. Admin. Code 70.7 – Estimates and Waivers of Public Information Charges
5
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 552.2615 – Required Itemized Estimate of Charges
6
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 552.221 – Application for Public Information; Production of Public Information
7
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 552.301 – Request for Attorney General Decision
8
Office of the Attorney General of Texas. What to Expect When You Receive an Open Records Letter Ruling
9
Office of the Attorney General of Texas. How to Report a Violation of the Public Information Act
10
Texas Attorney General. Public Information Act Handbook – Section: Civil Enforcement
11
Texas Attorney General. Public Information Act Handbook – Section: Criminal Penalties