Ask an Illinois public body for records
Asks a public body for its records. We write the letter.
- What you need
- The body that holds the records
- What records you want
- Your name and a way to reply
- How long it takes
- About ten minutes
- What it costs
- Nothing to ask. A body may charge for copies over 50 pages.
The deadline
5 business days
A public body has 5 business days to answer, and may extend by 5 more for stated reasons.
Counted from the day you send it, so there is no date to print until you have one. the date the request is sent
Public holidays are not counted here. If one falls in the window the real date is later.
- Where this came from
- 5 ILCS 140/3(d), 3(e)
- Read by
- machine
Your answers stay on this device until you clear them.
Send it to the body's FOIA officer
Every public body must name a FOIA officer. The letter this writes is the request; where it goes depends on the body.