Getting Public Records

Anyone may inspect a public record during reasonable office hours, or copy it there, or ask the agency for a copy. No fee is charged for inspection unless the record has to be converted or compiled first.

• The agency acknowledges a request within 5 working days of receiving it, and within a reasonable time gives a good faith estimate of how long it will take and what it will cost.
• A copy costs no more than 10 cents a page for a standard black and white page, and nothing per page for records sent electronically.
• The first 2 hours of staff time per request are free, and after that the charge is no more than $25 an hour.
• Over $50, the agency tells the requester before going on; over $100, it may ask for payment in advance.
• An agency is not required to create a record that does not exist.

• 1 M.R.S. § 408-AStatutePublic records available for inspection and copyingOpens legislature.maine.gov ↗