Citizens

Every citizen has been granted the Constitutional right to inspect or copy any public record with some exemptions in Florida, and the Sunshine Law provides a right of access to government proceedings at both the state and local levels.

• You have the right to inspect and copy public records at any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under the supervision by the custodian of the public records.
• You have the right to request public records without having to show identification, without saying why you want the records, and without making your request in writing.
• You have the right to request an estimate for the time and costs involved in producing your public records request.
• You have the right to ask for a written statement of the statutory basis for denying access to public records.
• You have the right to be present and unobtrusively record public meetings.

Attorney General Bill McCollum has also launched the Government Accountability Project (GAP), with the objective of encouraging state and local government entities to be proactive in providing Florida citizens the information and records they need to hold government accountable.

For more information regarding Florida Public Records and the Sunshine Law, contact the Attorney General’s Open Government Mediation Program, (850) 245-0140, or visit the FAQ section.