Public Records in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, completely overhauled in 2009, represents one of the most significant open records reforms in any state. The new law replaced a much weaker predecessor and created the Office of Open Records as an independent agency to enforce the law and adjudicate appeals. Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law establishes a presumption that all records in the possession of a government agency are public unless specifically exempted. The 2009 reform was widely praised by transparency advocates and has served as a model for other states.

To request records under the Right-to-Know Law, submit a written request to the agency's open records officer using the official request form or a written equivalent. Agencies must respond within five business days. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Office of Open Records (OOR) for state and local agency records, or to the appropriate appeals officer for legislative or judicial records, within 15 business days. The OOR provides a free appeals process and issues binding final determinations. Pennsylvania counties maintain property records through recorder of deeds offices, and the Unified Judicial System provides online case searches through the UJS portal.

Online Access

Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System provides online access through the UJS Portal for court records. County recorder of deeds and assessment offices maintain online property records. The Department of State provides business entity searches.

While the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law establishes a strong presumption that government records are open to public inspection, certain categories of information are exempt from disclosure. Understanding these exemptions is important when submitting records requests in Pennsylvania.

• Records that would endanger personal security of individuals
• Trade secrets and confidential proprietary information
• Noncriminal investigation records in active cases
• Internal predecisional deliberations and recommendations
• Academic transcripts of students
• Records relating to collective bargaining negotiations

If you believe records have been improperly withheld, Pennsylvania provides avenues for appeal. Contact the relevant oversight body or consult our guide to filing public records requests for tips on handling denials.

Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law is codified in 65 P.S. Sections 67.101 through 67.3104. The 2009 overhaul replaced the old law's presumption of confidentiality with a presumption of openness. The Office of Open Records was created as the primary enforcement body, with the power to conduct hearings, issue subpoenas, and make binding final determinations. The law includes over 30 specific exemptions, but the burden of proving an exemption applies falls on the agency.