Tennessee Public Records Act Requests

Tennesse Public Records Act (TPRA)

The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), codified at Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(a)(2)(A), allows any Tennessee resident the right to inspect or obtain copies of public records or electronically stored data maintained by the University subject to some exceptions. Persons requesting to inspect or obtain copies of records should be prepared to provide proof of Tennessee residency with a valid photo identification card including the person's address (i.e., driver's license).

Request for access to public records may be made in writing*, verbally, or using the following automated request form.

Records Request Form

Receipt of a Tennessee Public Records Act Request

If you or your department receives a TPRA request, please immediately contact the Office of the General Counsel. Please remember Time is of the Essence when responding to the request. The University is legally required to provide a timely response (seven days) to the request.

Copy Fees Associated with TPRA

Under the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), records custodians may charge fees for providing copies of public records. The Tennessee General Assembly established the Office of Open Records Counsel (OORC) to issue guidelines on copy charges. These guidelines serve as a safe harbor for public institutions and records custodians that follow them.

TSU follows the OORC’s guidelines, and TSU’s policy, Inspection and Copying Public Records (6.20) , outlines the procedures and applicable fees for public records requests.

*For questions about the public records process, fees, or to submit a request, please contact the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at: openrecords@tnstate.edu.





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