Iowa Open Records Request

IOWA OPEN RECORDS REQUEST

(Iowa Code chapter 22)

PRACTITIONER NOTES

1. Every person has the right to examine, copy, publish, or otherwise disseminate an Iowa public record, subject to lawful confidentiality restrictions. In-person examination generally is free while the record remains in the custodian's physical possession. Iowa Code § 22.2(1).
2. Direct the request to the lawful custodian or the official or employee publicly designated to implement chapter 22. A government body is the custodian of its records held by an outside person. Iowa Code § 22.1(2).
3. Requests may be made in person, in writing, by telephone, or by electronic means. The custodian cannot require the requester's physical presence to fulfill a request for copies. Iowa Code §§ 22.3(1), 22.4.
4. Iowa Code chapter 22 does not set a general fixed number of days for production. Iowa Code § 22.8(4) protects only a good-faith, reasonable delay for listed purposes, such as deciding whether a record is public or confidential.
5. A delay used to decide whether a confidential record should nevertheless be available to the requester may not exceed twenty calendar days and ordinarily should not exceed ten business days. Those periods are not a general response deadline. Iowa Code § 22.8(4)(d).
6. The custodian must make every reasonable effort to provide a record at no cost other than copying costs when it takes less than thirty minutes to produce. Necessary expenses must be reasonable and communicated upon receipt of the request. Copying fees cannot exceed actual cost, as limited by § 22.3.
7. An electronic public record must be made available in the format readily accessible to the government body if that format works with commonly available software. The body may provide a different requested format and charge the reasonable cost of required processing, programming, or other work. Iowa Code § 22.3A(2)(d).
8. A requester may seek direct judicial enforcement under §§ 22.5 and 22.10 or, alternatively, file a timely Iowa Public Information Board complaint under § 23.5. An IPIB complaint generally must be filed within sixty days after the violation occurred or reasonably could have become known. Iowa Code § 23.7(1).
9. A request is not a contract. Delete unused bracketed instructions and do not add warranties, covenants, defaults, cure periods, indemnities, force majeure, arbitration clauses, jury waivers, assignment restrictions, integration clauses, or execution formalities.

REQUEST LETTER

Date: [DATE]

Method: [EMAIL / MAIL / PORTAL / FACSIMILE / HAND DELIVERY]

To:
[LAWFUL CUSTODIAN / DESIGNATED PUBLIC-RECORDS CONTACT]
[GOVERNMENT BODY]
[OFFICE OR DIVISION]
[ADDRESS / EMAIL / FACSIMILE / PORTAL]

From:
[REQUESTER NAME]
[TITLE / ORGANIZATION, IF ANY]
[MAILING ADDRESS]
[EMAIL]
[TELEPHONE]

Re: Iowa Code chapter 22 request — [SUBJECT]

Dear Lawful Custodian:

Under Iowa Code chapter 22, I request examination and/or copies of the following public records.

1. Records Requested

1. [DESCRIBE THE FIRST RECORD OR DISCRETE RECORD SET.]
2. [DESCRIBE THE SECOND RECORD OR DISCRETE RECORD SET.]
3. [ADD ADDITIONAL ITEMIZED REQUESTS.]

Date range: [START DATE] through [END DATE]

Relevant office, employee, contractor, project, contract, incident, matter, or file number: [DETAILS]

Helpful custodians, email addresses, search terms, databases, or data fields: [DETAILS]

If clarification would help locate the records or reduce expense, please contact me at [EMAIL / TELEPHONE].

2. Examination, Copies, Format, and Delivery

I request:

• ☐ in-person examination and permission to make photographs or photographic copies;
• ☐ electronic copies in the format readily accessible to the government body;
• ☐ electronic copies in this specific format: [FORMAT];
• ☐ paper copies;
• ☐ certified copies; or
• ☐ another available method: [METHOD].

Preferred delivery or examination method: [EMAIL / SECURE LINK / PORTAL / APPOINTMENT / MAIL / PICKUP].

For electronic records, please apply Iowa Code § 22.3A(2). If producing the specific format requested above would require chargeable processing, programming, or other work, please identify the readily accessible format and estimated cost before beginning that work.

3. Fees

I agree to pay lawful, reasonable expenses up to $[AMOUNT]. Please communicate any necessary expenses and obtain my written approval before exceeding that amount.

Please apply Iowa Code § 22.3, including:

• every reasonable effort to provide a record taking less than thirty minutes to produce at no cost other than copying costs;
• copying charges no greater than actual cost;
• only reasonable expenses directly attributable to supervision, making copies, and providing copies; and
• legal-service costs only for redaction or review of legally protected confidential information.

[OPTIONAL DISCRETIONARY REQUEST: Because disclosure will serve the public interest through [EXPLANATION], please reduce or waive any charge to the extent the custodian's policy permits. This is a discretionary request and does not assert a statutory public-interest waiver.]

4. Response and Any Withholding

Please provide access promptly. If a good-faith, reasonable delay under Iowa Code § 22.8(4) is necessary, please identify the paragraph relied upon, the reason for the delay, and the expected response date.

If the government body withholds a record or information as confidential, please:

1. identify the record or category withheld;
2. cite the specific statute or other legal authority supporting confidentiality;
3. explain whether nonconfidential information can be provided after redaction; and
4. provide all nonconfidential records and portions that can be released.

If the government body does not possess a requested record, please say so. If the record is held outside the government body but belongs to it, please process the request through the lawful custodian as provided by Iowa Code § 22.1(2). If another government body is the lawful custodian, please identify it if known.

Thank you for your assistance.

Respectfully,

__________________________________
[REQUESTER NAME]
[TITLE / ORGANIZATION, IF ANY]
[DATE]

POST-SUBMISSION AND ENFORCEMENT NOTES

• Preserve the record: Keep the request, attachments, proof of receipt, correspondence, estimates, payments, productions, and withholding explanations.
• Evaluate delay carefully: Section 22.8(4) does not create a blanket twenty-day safe harbor. The delay must be both in good faith and reasonable and must serve one of the purposes listed in that subsection.
• Challenge excessive charges: Section 22.3 expressly allows a requester to contest the reasonableness of the custodian's expenses under chapter 22.
• Direct court action: Sections 22.5 and 22.10 permit mandamus, injunction, and civil enforcement. A chapter 22 enforcement action is brought in the Iowa district court for the county where the lawful custodian has its principal place of business.
• Burden and remedies: After the plaintiff makes the threshold showing described in § 22.10(2), the defendant has the burden of going forward to show compliance. A proven violation can result in an injunction, statutory damages assessed against participants, and an award of all costs and reasonable attorney fees, including appellate fees, to a plaintiff who successfully establishes a violation.
• Alternative IPIB complaint: Iowa Code §§ 23.5 and 23.7 allow an alternative complaint to the Iowa Public Information Board, generally within sixty days. Board jurisdiction does not extend to the judicial or legislative branches, the governor, or the governor's office. Iowa Code § 23.12.
• Get legal advice: Forum choice, the short IPIB filing period, confidentiality rules, and remedies can be fact-sensitive. Consult Iowa counsel promptly if access is denied or delayed.

CURRENT OFFICIAL SOURCES

• Iowa Legislature — Iowa Code 2026 chapter 22
• Iowa Legislature — Iowa Code 2026 chapter 23
• Iowa Legislature — chapter 22 section listings
• Iowa Legislature — chapter 23 section listings