Commercial Requests

What is a request for information made for a commercial purpose?

A commercial request is when the requestor seeks to use part or all of the public records for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services. 

Are commercial information requests treated differently? 

Yes. A public body has 21 business days to respond to a request for information that is made for a commercial purpose. The public body can either:

  • Provide the requested records
  • Advise when the records will be provided and the costs
  • Deny the request (if it falls under an exception)
  • Advise the requestor that the request is unduly burdensome

FOIA Request Form