Records laws

California

California Public Records Act. The statute that governs public records in California.

Citation

Cal. Gov. Code § 7920.000 et seq.

Initial response window

10 days. Agencies must respond within 10 days. A one-time 14-day extension is permitted in unusual circumstances.

If denied

Denials may be challenged in superior court (§ 7923.000 et seq.). Prevailing requesters may recover attorney's fees.

Fees

Direct costs of duplication only; no charge for inspection.

Editor's notes

Renumbered in 2023 from § 6250 et seq. to § 7920.000 et seq. Older citations are still common in the wild.
Local agencies (cities, counties, special districts) all fall under the CPRA.

Verified against

California Legislative Information — leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (2026-06-30)