Washington Administrative Code › Title 44 - Attorney General's Office › Chapter 44-14 - Public Records Act-Model rules › COSTS OF PROVIDING COPIES OF PUBLIC RECORDS › Section 44-14-070 - Costs of providing copies of public records

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
Inspection.
There is no fee
				for inspecting public records, including inspecting records on the (name of
				agency) web site.
(2)
Actual
				costs.
(
If the agency determines it will charge actual costs for
				copies, it may do so after providing notice and a public hearing.
) A
				statement of the factors and the manner used to determine the charges for copies
				is available from the public records officer. The costs for copies of records are
				as follows (provide details):
(3)
				(Alternative)
Statutory default costs.
(
If the agency
				determines it will not charge actual costs for copies but instead will assess
				statutory costs, it must have a rule or regulation declaring the reasons that
				determining actual costs would be unduly burdensome
). The (name of
				agency) is not calculating actual costs for copying its records because to do so
				would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons: The (name of agency) does
				not have the resources to conduct a study to determine actual copying costs for
				all its records; to conduct such a study would interfere with other essential
				agency functions; and, through the legislative process, the public and requestors
				have commented on and been informed of authorized fees and costs provided in the
				Public Records Act including
				RCW   42.56.120 and other laws. Therefore, in order to timely implement a fee schedule consistent
				with the Public Records Act, it is more cost efficient, expeditious and in the
				public interest for the (name of agency) to adopt the state legislature's
				approved fees and costs for most of the (name of agency) records, as authorized
				in
				RCW   42.56.120 and as published in the agency's fee schedule.
(4)
Fee schedule.
The fee schedule
				is available at (office location) and on (name of agency) web site at (insert web
				site address).
(5)
Processing
				payments.
Before beginning to make the copies or processing a customized
				service, the public records officer or designee may require a deposit of up to
				ten percent of the estimated costs of copying all the records selected by the
				requestor. The public records officer or designee may also require the payment of
				the remainder of the copying costs before providing all the records, or the
				payment of the costs of copying an installment before providing that installment.
				The (name of agency) will not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public
				records.
(6)
Costs of
				mailing.
The (name of agency) may also charge actual costs of mailing,
				including the cost of the shipping container.
(7)
Payment.
Payment may be made
				by cash, check, or money order to the (name of agency).
Statutory Authority: 2005 c 483 § 4, amending
					 RCW   42.56.570. 07-13-058, §
											44-14-070, filed
					 6/15/07, effective 7/16/07. Statutory Authority: 2005 c 483 § 4, RCW   42.17.348. 06-04-079, §
											44-14-070, filed 1/31/06, effective
					 3/3/06.