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OH Public Records Law

Ohio Public Records Act

Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43

Initial response
0 business days
Penalties
Per-day + fee shifting
Attorney fees
Discretionary
ALPR exemption
None
Burden of proof
On the agency

Response timeline

Ohio law requires records be made available "promptly" for inspection during regular business hours. No fixed statutory deadline, but the Ohio Supreme Court has held that a reasonable time is measured in hours and days, not weeks and months. Copies must be provided within a reasonable period.

Appeal process

Administrative appeal required?
No, can go directly to court
Appeals body
Ohio Court of Claims or mandamus action in court

Enforcement

Court action
Mandamus action or Court of Claims complaint in Court of Claims or Court of Common Pleas
Filing fee
~$150
Filing deadline
No specific deadline
Attorney fee trigger
Court may award reasonable attorney fees to a requester who prevails in a mandamus action. Statutory damages of $100 per business day of noncompliance, up to $1,000 total. Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(C).
Per-day penalty cap
$100/day

Fees

Search fees
Not allowed
Electronic delivery
Required when requested

Agencies may charge only actual copying costs (paper, toner, storage media, postage). No charges permitted for staff time to search, review, or redact. If records exist in electronic format, they must be provided electronically when requested.

ALPR-specific provisions

Favorable

No ALPR-specific exemption. ALPR data is subject to standard Public Records Act exemptions only. No ALPR-specific public records exemption. ALPR data is subject to standard Ohio public records exemptions.

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.

  • Confidential law enforcement investigatory records
  • Personal privacy (medical, adoption, DNA records)
  • Security and infrastructure records
  • Trade secrets
  • Attorney-client privileged communications
  • Trial preparation records

Agencies in Ohio

Columbus Division of Police
Columbus active
Cincinnati Police Department
Cincinnati active

Generate a request letter

For Columbus Division of Police

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: Public Records Act Request — ALPR/Flock Safety Detection Data Dear Records Access Officer: Pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act (Ohio Rev. Code \xA7 149.43), 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 Columbus Division of Police during the following time period: Date: [Date] Time: [Start Time] to [End Time] 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 Ohio Rev. Code \xA7 149.43(B)(6). If fulfilling this request will cost more than $25, please provide an estimate before proceeding. Please note that no charges may be assessed for staff time to search, review, or redact records. I expect prompt access to these records as required by Ohio Rev. Code \xA7 149.43(B). If you deny any portion of this request, you must provide an explanation including the legal authority for each redaction or denial. Thank you for your assistance. [Your Name] [Your Address] [Your Email]