Open records requests in Washington

How the Washington Public Records Act works

Washington's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), enacted by initiative in 1972, is widely considered one of the strongest and most pro-disclosure open records statutes in the United States. The law declares that government agencies exist to serve the public and that the public has a fundamental right to access governmental records. Any person may request records, with no residency requirement. The law applies to all state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and other public entities, encompassing all three branches of state government.

Agencies must respond within five business days with records, a denial, or a production timeline. Washington's enforcement regime is notably robust: agencies that wrongfully withhold records are subject to penalties of $5 to $100 per record per day, which can accumulate substantially, and prevailing requesters are entitled to mandatory attorney's fees. Courts interpret exemptions narrowly, strongly favoring disclosure. Common exemptions include personnel records, attorney-client materials, certain law enforcement investigative records, and personal privacy information.