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Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

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Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq, provides that all persons are entitled to full and complete information as to a public body’s fulfillment of statutory functions and concerning the inner working of government in general. 

Upon providing a public body’s FOIA coordinator with a written request that describes a public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record, a person has a right to inspect, copy, or receive copies of the requested public record of the public body.  A public body may charge a fee to cover the cost of processing a request. 

Including the specific search terms and date range in the records request will assist the public body in conducting a search and retrieval of potentially responsive documents and may thereby reduce potential costs.     

FOIA requests directed to this Department can be sent to:

Email:

USPS Mailing Address:
Michigan Department of Attorney General
Attn: FOIA Coordinator
P.O. Box 30754
Lansing, MI 48909

Requests MUST include:

  • the requesting person's complete name
  • requesting person's address in compliance with United States Postal Service addressing standards
  • valid telephone number or electronic mail address

FOIA Online Payment Option

The Department of Attorney General now accepts payments for FOIA requests online. Invoices will explain your payment options. 

Please visit our payment webpage if you want to pay online.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • A Freedom of Information Act request is a "written request that describes a public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record." MCL 15.243(1).

  • There are over 10,000 public bodies in the State of Michigan subject to FOIA.  The FOIA provides that a “public body” means any of the following:

    1. A state officer, employee, agency, department, division, bureau, board, commission, council, authority, or other body in the executive branch of the state government, but does not include the governor or lieutenant governor, the executive office of the governor or lieutenant governor, or employees thereof.
    2. An agency, board, commission, or council in the legislative branch of the state government.
    3. A county, city, township, village, intercounty, intercity, or regional governing body, council, school district, special district, or municipal corporation, or a board, department, commission, council, or agency thereof.
    4. Any other body which is created by state or local authority or which is primarily funded by or through state or local authority.
    5. The judiciary, including the office of the county clerk and employees thereof when acting in the capacity of clerk to the circuit court, is not included in the definition of public body. MCL 15.232(d).

    If you wish to request records held by a particular public body, your request should be sent to that specific public body.

  • The FOIA does not require a request in any specific form.  It only requires a “written request,” which is defined as a “writing that asks for information, and includes a writing transmitted by facsimile, electronic mail, or other electronic means.”  MCL 15.232(i).  Further, however, the “written request” must also describe “a public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.”  MCL 15.233(1).

  • The Attorney General’s FOIA pamphlet (PDF) may be accessed on our website.  The FOIA can also be accessed at the Michigan Legislature’s website.

    If you have specific questions on how the statute may apply to your situation, you need to consult a private attorney.  The law does not permit the Attorney General to provide legal advice or opinions to private individuals. MCL 14.32.

  • Upon legal date of receipt of a FOIA request, the public body has five (5) business days to respond.  If needed, however, the public body may also send a written notice extending the time to respond by an additional 10 business days.

  • A public body may charge a fee for the cost of the search, examination, review, copying, separation of exempt from nonexempt information, and mailing costs.  A fee can only be charged for the cost of search, examination, review, and the separation of exempt from nonexempt information if the failure to charge a fee for that request would result in unreasonably high costs to the public body, and the public body specifically identifies the nature of these unreasonably high costs.  See MCL 15.234