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IL Public Records Law

Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

5 ILCS 140

Initial response
5 business days
Final response
10 business days
Penalties
Per-day + fee shifting
Attorney fees
Mandatory
ALPR exemption
None
Burden of proof
On the agency

Response timeline

Agency must respond within 5 business days. May extend by an additional 5 business days (10 total) by providing written notice citing one of seven statutory reasons for delay. Failure to respond within the statutory period is a denial.

Appeal process

Administrative appeal required?
No, can go directly to court
Appeal deadline
60 days from denial
Appeal response deadline
60 business days
Appeals body
Public Access Counselor (Office of the Attorney General)
Advisory resource

The Public Access Counselor can provide guidance and advisory opinions on your request.

Website
www.foia.ilattorneygeneral.net
Phone
(877) 299-3642
Address
500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62701

Enforcement

Court action
Civil action in Circuit Court
Filing fee
~$250
Filing deadline
No specific deadline
Attorney fee trigger
Court shall award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a requester who prevails in a proceeding under FOIA. 5 ILCS 140/11(i). Civil penalties of $2,500 to $5,000 per occurrence may be imposed for willful and intentional failure to comply. 5 ILCS 140/11(j).

Fees

Copy fee
$0.15/page
Search fees
Not allowed
Electronic delivery
Required when requested

Black-and-white copies at $0.15/page. First 50 pages are free. Color copies at actual cost. Electronic records provided at cost of the medium only. No search or review fees permitted.

ALPR-specific provisions

Favorable

No ALPR-specific exemption. ALPR data is subject to standard FOIA exemptions only. No ALPR public records exemption. However, 625 ILCS 5/2-130 regulates ALPR use: ALPR information must be held confidentially to the fullest extent permitted by law, and sharing with out-of-state agencies for immigration enforcement or reproductive health investigations is prohibited. No specific data retention period is set in the statute.

Exemptions to watch for

These are the exemptions agencies most commonly invoke to deny surveillance records requests. Knowing them helps you anticipate and counter a denial.

  • Law enforcement investigation records (§ 7(1)(c))
  • Personal privacy (§ 7(1)(b))
  • Endanger life or physical safety (§ 7(1)(a))
  • Preliminary drafts and notes (§ 7(1)(f))
  • Trade secrets and commercial information (§ 7(1)(g))
  • Information security vulnerabilities (§ 7(1)(gg))

Agencies in Illinois

DuPage County Sheriff's Office
DuPage County active
Naperville Police Department
Naperville active

Generate a request letter

For DuPage County Sheriff's Office

When to use

You want to see what the cameras actually recorded — plates, vehicle descriptions, images, timestamps.

Generated letter
To: Records Access Officer From: [Your Name] Date: 2026-08-30 Subject: FOIA Request — ALPR/Flock Safety Detection Data Dear Records Access Officer: Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), I request access to and copies of the following records: All automated license plate reader (ALPR) detection logs, images, and associated metadata captured by any ALPR device (including but not limited to Flock Safety cameras) operated by or on behalf of DuPage County Sheriff's Office during the following time period: Date: [Date] Time: [Start Time] to [End Time] __IF_LOCATION__Location: __USER_LOCATION__ This includes but is not limited to: license plate numbers, vehicle make/model/color, vehicle images, detection timestamps, camera identification numbers, and any alerts generated. I request that records be provided in electronic format pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/6. If fulfilling this request will cost more than $25, please provide an estimate before proceeding. Please note that the first 50 pages of black-and-white copies are free under the Act. I expect a response within five business days as required by 5 ILCS 140/3. If you deny any portion of this request, please provide a written notice specifying the statutory exemption and a detailed factual basis for the denial. Thank you for your assistance. [Your Name] [Your Address] [Your Email]