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Click on your state to view detailed FOIA guidance
Click on your state to view detailed FOIA guidance
Each state page includes: response deadlines, fee structures, special rights, exemptions, enforcement options, and success strategies
- Year Enacted
- 1970 (amended 2024)
- Response Deadline
- 3 business days
- Who Can Request
- Anyone
- Fees
- Yes
- Attorney Fees
- Recoverable if you win
- Enforcement
- Multiple mechanisms
Last verified: February 18, 2026
Use Kentucky FOIA TemplateDefinition of Public Record
A public record is defined as including, “all books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, recordings, software, or other documentation regardless of physical form or characteristics, which are prepared, owned, used, in the possession of or retained by a public agency.”
Exemptions to Public Records
There are 42 exemptions. See KY Rev Stat § 61.878 (2021) for the complete list.
🔍 Search Common Exemptions
Exemption database for KY is being compiled. Check back soon!
Who Can Make a Request?
Anyone.
Response Timeframe
3 Days.
📅 Calculate Your Response Deadline
Information on Fees
An agency cannot charge for searching, only for copying for noncommercial requests. For noncommercial, agencies can charge at actual cost for their time copying records. Commercial requests can have both search and copying charged for and this can be done at “reasonable” charge. The case Friend v. Rees, 696 S.W.2d 325 (Ky. Ct. App.,1985) found that 10 cents was a reasonable fee.
Enforcement Mechanisms
There are no penalties for a noncompliant agency, although if the requester wins in court attorneys fees can be covered and at the discretion of the court they may be awarded $25 per day the agency was in violation of the act.
Attorney Fees
Yes, if you prevail in your case.
🚀 Ready to Request Records?
Choose how you want to proceed with your KY public records request:
💡 Both options provide comprehensive, well-formatted requests based on KY transparency law.