Wash. Admin. Code § 430-01-090 - Costs of providing copies of public records

(1) Inspections. There is no fee for inspecting public records, either in person or on WSSDA's website.

(2) Statutory default costs. Pursuant to RCW 42.56.120(2), WSSDA declares for the following reasons that it would be unduly burdensome to calculate the actual costs it charges for providing copies of public records:

(a) Funds were not allocated for performing a study to calculate such actual costs and WSSDA lacks the necessary funds to perform a study and calculations;

(b) Staff resources are insufficient to perform a study and to calculate such actual costs; and

(c) A study would interfere with and disrupt other essential agency functions.

(3) Fee scheduling.

(a) WSSDA will charge for copies of public records pursuant to the default fee schedule in RCW 42.56.120(2)(b) and (c).

(b) Under RCW 42.56.130, WSSDA may charge other copying fees authorized by statutes outside of chapter 42.56 RCW.

(c) WSSDA may enter into an alternative fee agreement with a requestor under RCW 42.56.120(4).

(d) The charges for copying methods used by WSSDA are summarized in the fee schedule available on the WSSDA website at www.wssda.org.

(e) WSSDA will charge the actual amount charged by an external vendor for records copied by an external vendor including records in nonstandard sizes or formats.

(4) Payment. Payment is made by cash, check, or money order to WSSDA. Before copying public records, the public records officer or designee may require a deposit of up to 10 percent of the estimated costs of copying all of the records. The public records officer or designee may require payment of the remainder of the copying costs before providing all of the records, or the payment of costs of copying an installment before providing the installment. WSSDA will not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public records.

(5) Customized charges. A customized service charge is imposed by WSSDA when outside information technology experts are needed to prepare data compilations or to customize electronic access services when the compilations and customized access services are not used by WSSDA.

No customized service charge is applicable unless WSSDA notifies beforehand the requestor of the customized service charge explaining its reason, a description of the specific expertise needed, and a reasonable estimate of the charge.

(6) Costs of mailing. WSSDA will also charge actual costs of mailing, including the costs of the shipping container.

(7) Payment of fees. WSSDA will not release any requested copies of public records unless and until the requestor has paid all copying and other charges as set forth in this section.

(8) Waiver of fees. WSSDA may waive any charges for providing public records at the discretion of the public records officer. This determination will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 430-01-090

Adopted by WSR 18-09-072, Filed 4/16/2018, effective 5/17/2018 Amended by WSR 23-17-044, Filed 8/9/2023, effective 9/9/2023

Reviser's note: The typographical errors in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.