Public Records Request

The Department of Business Regulation (“Department”) adheres to the Access to Public Records Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 38-2, and has instituted the following procedures to help you obtain public records:

1. Records requests are accepted by our offices, either orally or in writing, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
   
    
2. In most cases, you do not need to submit a written request to inspect records as many Department records, including those available pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-2), are readily available for inspection during regular business hours at the Department’s Offices and may be accessible on our website and/or available for delivery via email upon request.  R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-3(d).
   
    
3. While a written request is not required, you may be asked to submit your request in writing where it involves:  search and retrieval; multiple categories of records; voluminous documents; redaction; documents in storage; or other such circumstance.  You may complete a copy of the Department’s Public Records Request Form, which may be obtained on the Department’s website, or you may otherwise submit your request in writing. The Department’s preferred method of communication is email but all other forms will be accepted.
   
    
4. You are not required to provide identification or the reason you seek the information, and your right to access public records will not depend upon providing identification or reasons.
   
    
5. In order to ensure that you are provided with the public records you seek in an expeditious manner, please indicate: 1) a complete description of the records sought in a manner that will permit the Department staff to identify and locate them; and 2) the method by which you would like delivery of the response (e.g. email, US postal service, etc.).
   
    
6. Please be advised that the Access to Public Records Act allows a public body ten (10) business days to respond, which can be extended an additional twenty (20) business days for “good cause.”  We appreciate your understanding and patience.
   
    
7. If you wish to inspect public records that are currently in use by the Department or which must be retrieved from storage, the Department will contact you and arrange a time for inspection at one of the Department’s offices.
   
    
8. If you wish to obtain photocopies of public records, the cost is fifteen cents ($0.15) per page for documents copied on standard or legal size paper.  Additionally, the cost for search and retrieval is fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour, although there is no charge for the first hour of search or retrieval.  The Department will provide an estimate of charges, if any, prior to the Department fulfilling your request.
   
    
9. All payments for copies of records shall be paid in advance of delivery, or at such time as the Department may specify.  All persons requesting delivery of records shall be responsible for the actual cost of delivery.  All checks/money orders shall be payable to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island.
   
    
10. If you believe that you have been denied access to public records, you have the right to file a review petition with the Director of the Department.  If you are still not satisfied, you may file a complaint with the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General or initiate proceedings in Rhode Island Superior Court.
    
     
11. The Department is committed to providing you with public records in an expeditious and courteous manner.

See the Department’s Access to Public Records Regulation.