Oregon public records law: how to make a request

Public Records Law, ORS 192.311 to 192.478. Rules below are quoted or closely paraphrased from the linked official pages, and each shows the date it was last checked (2026-10-20). Jurisdiction code: OR.

Build a request letter Official source

Statute and who may ask

• Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in Oregon, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.338, 192.345 and 192.355 (the exemption sections). (ORS 192.314(1))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• "Public record" includes any writing that contains information relating to the conduct of the public's business, including court records, mortgages and deed records, prepared, owned, used or retained by a public body regardless of physical form. "Public body" includes state officers and agencies, county and city governing bodies, school districts, special districts and municipal corporations. "Person" includes corporations and associations. (ORS 192.311)

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• On receiving a written request, a public body that is the custodian must give a copy of the record or a reasonable opportunity to inspect or copy it. A record kept in electronic form must be provided in the form requested if available. (ORS 192.324(1), (3))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• Each public body must make available a written procedure for records requests that names one or more people to whom requests may be sent, with addresses, and states its fees and how they are calculated. (ORS 192.324(7))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• A party to a civil court case against a public body (or a person who has filed a tort claim notice) who asks for records related to it must send the written request to the custodian and, at the same time, to the public body's attorney (for a state agency, the Attorney General in Salem). (ORS 192.314(2))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

Response deadline

• Within five business days after a written request is received by a person named in the public body's procedure, the public body must acknowledge receipt or complete its response. The acknowledgment must say whether the public body is, is not, or may not be the custodian. (ORS 192.324(2))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• As soon as reasonably possible but not later than 10 business days after the acknowledgment deadline, the public body must complete its response or give a written statement that it is still processing the request with a reasonable estimated completion date. The response must be completed as soon as practicable and without unreasonable delay. (ORS 192.329(1), (5))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• These time periods do not apply if compliance would be impracticable because needed staff are unavailable, compliance would demonstrably impede other necessary services, or of the volume of requests being processed at the same time; the public body must still respond as soon as practicable. The clock is suspended while a fee is unpaid or a good-faith request for clarification is unanswered, and the request is closed after 60 days. (ORS 192.329(3)-(8))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• "Business day" means a day other than Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday on which at least one paid employee of the public body is scheduled to and does report to work (with a special rule for school and college districts and public universities). (ORS 192.311(1))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

Fee rules

• A public body may set fees reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost of making records available, including summarizing, compiling or tailoring them, and attorney time spent reviewing, redacting or segregating records, but not attorney time deciding whether the public records law applies. (ORS 192.324(4)(a)-(b))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• A public body may not charge a fee greater than $25 unless it first gives a written estimate and the requester confirms that it should proceed. (ORS 192.324(4)(c))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• The custodian may furnish copies free or at a substantially reduced fee if it decides the waiver or reduction is in the public interest because making the record available primarily benefits the general public. An unreasonable denial of a fee waiver may be taken to the Attorney General or district attorney like a denial of inspection. (ORS 192.324(5)-(6))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• Fees for county clerk records and for certain Secretary of State filings are set under other statutes. (ORS 192.324(4)(d))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

Appeal path and remedies

• A person denied a record of a state agency may petition the Attorney General, who must issue an order within seven days; for a public body other than a state agency, the district attorney of the county carries out this role. The burden is on the agency to sustain its action. (ORS 192.411(1), 192.415(1))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• If the Attorney General or district attorney does not issue an order within seven days, the petition is treated as denied, and the requester may go to circuit court; a request to an elected official not answered within seven days is likewise treated as denied for court purposes. (ORS 192.418)

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• A person who made a written request under the public body's procedure may also petition for review of a failure to respond on time (treated as a denial unless the public body shows compliance was not required) or of an unreasonably long time estimate; an order may require disclosure within seven days and a $200 penalty payable to the requester for undue delay or no response. (ORS 192.407)

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• A requester who prevails in court is awarded costs and reasonable attorney fees; a partially prevailing requester may be awarded them at the court's discretion. (ORS 192.431(3))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• For requests to state agencies, the Public Records Advocate provides facilitated dispute resolution when a requester has been denied records, denied a public-interest fee waiver, or believes a written fee estimate exceeds actual cost. (ORS 192.464(1)-(2))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

Request-letter wording notes

• Send the written request to the person named in the public body's posted public records procedure; that starts the five-business-day acknowledgment clock. (ORS 192.324(2), (7))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• Ask for electronic copies in a specific format; the public body must provide that form if available. (ORS 192.324(3))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• Ask for a written estimate before any fee over $25, and ask for a fee waiver if making the record available primarily benefits the general public. (ORS 192.324(4)-(5))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• Ask that any exemption claimed be identified, including the state or federal law relied on where the response cites ORS 192.355(8) or (9), and that nonexempt parts be released. (ORS 192.329(2))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

• If you are in a lawsuit with the public body (or have filed a tort claim notice) and the records relate to it, send a copy of the request to the public body's attorney at the same time. (ORS 192.314(2))

  Source: Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 192, 2025 edition (sections 192.311 to 192.478, Oregon State Legislature) · last verified 2026-10-20

Not yet researched or not verified

• Changes made in the 2026 legislative session: the Legislature's chapter page says some ORS chapter 192 sections were amended or added in 2026; the 2025 edition text was read, and the 2026 amendment tables were not checked
• The exemptions (ORS 192.338, 192.345, 192.355 and others) and the rules for health professional regulatory boards (ORS 192.401)
• The Public Records Advocate's own contact details, request forms and guidance, and the Attorney General's Public Records and Meetings Manual
• Individual public bodies' request procedures, named contacts and fee schedules

This is legal information from public sources, not legal advice. Laws and agency practices change; read the linked official source and consult a lawyer about your situation. Local agencies may have their own forms and contacts.