File a request with City of Chicago
Filing process
How records requests work with City of Chicago
Your request is filed in your name under Illinois Freedom of Information Act. We act as your communications agent, routing through email, tracking the statutory deadline, and following up when the agency goes silent.
- 1
Filed (day 0)
Submitted to City of Chicago.
- 2
Acknowledgment (typically 1–3 days)
Agency confirms receipt and assigns a tracking number. The statutory clock keeps running.
- 3
Response window (5 business days (by Jul 17, 2026))
Under Illinois Freedom of Information Act, the agency must respond within 5 business days (by Jul 17, 2026). If exemptions are claimed, they must be cited specifically.
- 4
Records delivered or denied
No exemptions: records delivered. Partial denial: records released with redactions. Full denial: written justification required.
- 5
Appeal if denied
We draft an appeal to Public Access Counselor and can connect you with a public records attorney.
Governing law
Illinois Freedom of Information Act
5 ILCS 140
City of Chicago is governed by Illinois Freedom of Information Act, which requires a response within 5 business days (by Jul 17, 2026). Anyone may file, no residency requirement.
Frequently asked
City of Chicago public records FAQ
How PublicInformationRequests.com works
We are a free filing service. Describe the records you want, and we draft and submit the formal request to this agency on your behalf, track the statutory deadline, and follow up if the agency does not respond on time. Anything the agency sends back appears in your dashboard. Filing is always free. Optional paid tiers let you prioritize processing. We are not affiliated with this agency or any government body.