Public Records Request

In Florida, every citizen has the constitutional right to inspect or copy any public record, with certain exemptions. The Sunshine Law grants the right of access to government proceedings at both the state and local levels.

Florida maintains the policy that all state, county, and municipal records are open for inspection and copying by any individual. However, please note that some public records, or portions of them, are made confidential under Florida law. Given the nature of the OFR's financial regulatory duties, many of its records contain confidential information that cannot be disclosed for public inspection or copying.

If the records you asked for include confidential information, that information will be redacted before the records are provided. If an entire record is deemed confidential, it will not be produced, and the OFR will let you know about the confidentiality status of the requested documents.

You may submit a public records request in person, by phone, fax, email, or regular mail. Typical costs include $0.15 per page for requests exceeding 50 pages and a service charge based on the staff labor costs required to research, locate, and complete any necessary redactions. Larger requests are usually provided electronically or on a CD, which helps reduce the cost of paper copies.

You have the right to inspect and copy public records at any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and in the presence of the custodian of those records. You can request public records without showing identification, disclosing the purpose of your request, or needing to submit a written request. You have the right to receive an estimate of the time and costs associated with fulfilling your public records request. You can also ask for a written statement explaining the statutory basis for denying access to public records. You also have the right to be present and unobtrusively record public meetings.