FOIA Requests
Our office maintains public records that are available for review upon request under South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If you have questions about FOIA requests, please refer to the table below.
We charge only for the actual costs incurred in fulfilling each request. Invoices will be sent to the email or mailing address on file, and payment by check is required in full before we release the public records to you.
If your request involves many records, we will notify you and provide options to narrow your request. Alternatively, you may be required to pay a 25% deposit before we fulfill your request.
Our office charges the following fees as outlined in South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act, section 30-4-30(C):
| Service/Copy Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Search Hourly Rate | $20.00 |
| Retrieval Hourly Rate | $20.00 |
| Redaction Hourly Rate | $20.00 |
| B&W Letter Copy | $0.30 |
| Color Letter Copy | $0.75 |
| B&W Legal Copy | $0.40 |
| Color Legal Copy | $1.00 |
| CD Copy | $5.00 |
*Non-standard sizes will be charged based on the actual cost incurred by our office.
Under South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act, public bodies must adhere to specific timelines when responding to written requests for public records, section 30-4-30(B):
Initial Response
- Within 10 business days for records 24 months old or less.
- Within 20 business days for records older than 24 months.
*Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and Richland County public holidays.
Record Production
- If the request is approved, records must be provided within:
- 30 calendar days for records 24 months old or less.
- 35 calendar days for records older than 24 months.
- If a deposit is required, the timeline begins upon receipt of the deposit.
Extensions
- Deadlines may be extended by mutual agreement between the public body and the requester.
It is against the law in South Carolina to use personal information obtained from a public agency for commercial solicitation. Doing so may result in criminal charges under state law, section 30-2-50.
For any questions, please contact us at the following email address: