Request for Disclosure of Public Records

Your request is important and encouraged — and the Department will work to get you the information you requested and to get it to you promptly.  Sometimes, the Department may face difficulties.  You will be notified (i) if the Department is seeking a determination from the Texas Attorney General as to whether the information you requested is excepted from disclosure under the Act; (ii) if the Department would like a clarification of your request or additional information; or (iii) if your request will otherwise require more than 120 business days to fulfill.

Please note Public Information Charges:

The Department may charge you for certain copies of and access to public information, if your request results in any electronic copies or more than fifty pages of printed copies. If the Department determines that charges will exceed $40.00, the Department will provide you with a written itemized statement of estimated charges before any work is undertaken. Here are the Department’s cost guidelines:

  • Requestors will be charged for personnel time (at $15 per hour) and an additional 20% overhead charge for time spent collecting and processing requested public information.
  • Standard-sized copies (up to and including 8.5 inches x 14 inches) reproduced by copier, computer printer, or fax will be charged $ .10 per page. For fax numbers outside the Greater Houston area, an additional $1.00 per page will be charged.
  • Data received on CD or DVD will be charged for personnel production time, as well as $1.00 per CD or $3.00 per DVD.
  • Pin drives, miscellaneous supplies (e.g., labels, boxes, and other producing supplies), nonstandard-sized copies, and postal fees will be charged at actual cost.
  • If the Department estimate for production of requested materials exceeds $100, a $100 deposit will be required.

The Department will typically respond to large numbers of small requests for paper copies with a written statement of (i) the amount of personnel time spent complying with the request and (ii) the cumulative amount of time spent complying with requests for public information from the requestor during the applicable monthly or yearly period.