ByA Guide to Effortless California Freedom of Information Act Requests
The California Public Records Act is a law that permits citizens to access, copy, and examine public information from government agencies. It’s similar to the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) adopted in 1966.
A transparent approach allows Californians to find out more about the actions of the government and get the documents they may need for personal use or court procedures.
This article will focus on explaining the meaning of the California FOIA request and sharing valuable tips for submitting one using DoNotPay’s amazing service.
Besides handling your request, our portal answers many related questions, such as:
- What are FOIA exemptions?
- Can I access public records on myself?
- How can I check my FOIA request status?
- Can I appeal my FOIA request if the institution denies it?
Who Can Request Public Records in California?
The California FOIA laws allow any person to request access to public information. The requesters are usually people who want to submit some type of claim or file lawsuits against the state authorities.
Other entities can be requesters too, including:
- Firms
- Corporations
- Associations
- Partnerships
- Agency officials
- Limited liability companies
What Does the California FOIA Request Need To Contain?
Once you have a clear picture of what you need, the next step is submitting a FOIA request. The purpose of this document is to inform the agencies about the exact type of records you want to get. To do it successfully, you need to complete your petition with all the required information and make it as clear as possible.
The necessary details include:
- Name
- Signature
- Residence address
- Detailed explanation of the desired records type—title, author, or a specific branch, office, or section where the authorities keep those records
- Contact information—phone number and email address
Common California Freedom of Information Act Request Methods
There are several common request submission methods, but most Californian institutions recommend submitting a written request.
The reason is simple—there’s no better way to describe your needs in detail than composing an extensive written message. Certain agencies post request templates on their websites, which you can use if you aren’t sure how to write a letter by yourself.
Institutions usually allow their clients to submit their FOIA request forms by using several methods from the following table:
| Can You Submit Your FOIA Request Via | Yes/No |
| DoNotPay | Yes |
| Yes | |
| Phone | Yes |
| Letter | Yes |
| In Person | No |
| Online Form | Yes |
| Live Chat | No |
| Fax | Yes |
Besides using standard options, you can file a request with DoNotPay without contacting the agency in question directly.
What Are the Costs of Submitting California FOIA Request?
Local agencies usually don’t charge requesters for accessing or exploring public records unless you want to get physical copies. In such cases, direct fees depend on the number of copies and the type of records.
What Is the FOIA Request Processing Time in California?
The general rule states that all agencies in California have ten days to respond to the requester and share the records with them if applicable. They have the right to extend the deadline to 14 business days if:
- Records the solicitor wants are at another location
- Requester wants to access a huge number of records
- Officials need to extract or compile the necessary data
- Requester submits a letter during the weekend or holiday
- Officials need to consult another department or institution
What Can DoNotPay Do To Make Your Submission Procedure Simpler?
Request submission procedures are necessary, but they aren’t always simple. While struggling to write a concise letter, you may end up missing an important detail or losing your patience. Everything gets even worse when you need to demand records from more than one source—too much hassle may easily cause you to make a mistake.
DoNotPay is the world’s first virtual lawyer that uses your information to create a request letter on your behalf.
Here’s how you can file a FOIA request with our help:
- Log in to DoNotPay using your
- Search for the FOIA feature using keywords, such as FOIA request, Freedom of Information Act, etc.
- Pick State Agency or Federal Agency, depending on your case
- Provide the institution name, titles of records, or a description of the records you need if you don’t know the names
- Specify whether you want to get a fee waiver or expedite the process
Our service will send your letter to the relevant institution, saving you from dealing with daunting procedures and administrative tasks!
We Demand Public Records From Any State or Federal Agency in Your Name
Regardless of whether you live in Texas, Florida, Illinois, Arkansas, or Pennsylvania, we have your back! helps you get FOIA records from any agency you have in mind, including:
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM)
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
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