Open records requests in Utah

How the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) works

Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act (Utah Code § 63G-2-101 et seq.) is one of the most detailed and procedurally comprehensive open records statutes in the country. GRAMA establishes a tiered classification system, public, protected, private, or controlled, with specific access rules for each tier. All records are presumed public unless specifically classified otherwise. The legislature, courts, and executive agencies are all subject to GRAMA's provisions.

Agencies must respond within 10 business days for most requests, extendable to 15 business days. Utah's State Records Committee, an independent oversight body, hears appeals administratively, providing a fast, low-cost alternative to litigation; its decisions are binding. Fees are closely regulated. Common exemptions include security information, attorney-client communications, certain personnel records, and records protected by other Utah statutes. If the State Records Committee's decision is contested, requesters may seek judicial review in district court. GRAMA is often cited as a national model for structured records classification.