Section 170-01-0300. Fees for inspecting or copying records.

(1) Costs for paper copies. There is no cost to inspect records. Copying or duplicating fees are intended to equal DEL's costs, including costs of materials, machinery, and personnel. The fees charged may be reviewed periodically to assure their accuracy (RCW 42.56.120). Alternatively, if DEL has not determined the actual per page cost for photocopies of public records, it may charge up to fifteen cents for a standard black-and-white photocopy. The public records officer can share current fee rates.

(2) Costs for electronic records. The cost of electronic copies of records shall be determined by how the electronic records are delivered. DEL will charge no more than fair-market value for information that must be delivered on a CD-ROM, DVD or other tool. DEL may charge (put value) for a paper record to be scanned. There will be no charge for e-mailing electronic records, unless another cost applies, such as scanning.

(3) Costs of mailing. DEL may also charge actual costs of mailing or shipping a record, including the cost of the shipping container.

(4) Payment. Before beginning to make copies, the public records officer may require a deposit of up to ten percent of the estimated cost of copying all the records selected by the requestor. The public records officer may also require payment for the remainder of the copying costs before providing all the records. DEL will not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public records.

If all or part of a requested record is not paid for, or the requested record is not claimed within thirty calendar days, the department may consider the request as terminated. If terminated, the requestor must make a new records request to obtain the record.

Payment should be sent to the DEL Financial Services Office (P.O. Box 40970, Olympia, WA 98504-0970). Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order to the department of early learning. It should clearly be marked as payment for public records.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.56.040, 43.215.070, and chapter 43.215 RCW. WSR 12-09-035, § 170-01-0300, filed 4/11/12, effective 5/12/12.]

RCW 42.56.040, 43.215.070, and chapter 43.215 RCW. WSR 12-09-035, § 170-01-0300, filed 4/11/12, effective 5/12/12.