Public Records Request

Public records requests can be made by email, phone, fax, or USPS mail.

Email: publicrecords@des.wa.gov

Office Phone: 360-407-8768
Cell Phone: 360-480-8425

Fax: 360-407-9176

Mail: Public Records Officer
Department of Enterprise Services
1500 Jefferson Street SE
PO Box 41466
Olympia, WA 98504-2445

A form is not required to submit a public records request, but is available if you want to use it: public records request form.

What to include

Include the following so that we can respond or contact you to ask for clarification if necessary:

  • Your name, address, and telephone number or email address.
  • A description of the record(s) requested.

How long will it take?

Within five business days of receiving the request, the department will respond and either:

  • Make the requested record(s) available;
  • Make a portion of the records available in installments as they are assembled;
  • Deny the request; or
  • Acknowledge the request and provide a reasonable estimate of time needed to respond.
  • Public Records Copying Charges: Summary of DES charges. (The full statutory fee schedule is available at: RCW 42.56.120 Charges for Copying.)

Other links

Commonly Requested Records

Some commonly requested public records are available online:

DES Records Index

Pursuant to DES rules (*), the records below serve as the index for the identification and location of DES records:

(*)
(1) The state general records retention schedule and the department's unique records retention schedule, as established and approved by the state records committee, serve as the index for the identification and location of the department's records, including those described in RCW 42.56.070(5).