Public records requests in Palo Alto

The California Public Records Act gives everyone the right to see records held by state and local agencies, including the City of Palo Alto. You do not have to live in Palo Alto, give a reason or say who you are. Residents use it to read emails about a development project, check a contract, find out how a policy was made or get a copy of a police report. Journalists and researchers use it constantly.

This guide covers the basics of the law, Palo Alto's own process, timelines, what the city can withhold and how police records differ. It is general information, not legal advice. Before you file, it is worth checking whether the record is already online, since much of what people ask for is posted. Our guide to how city government works explains which department holds what.

How the Public Records Act works

The Public Records Act was rewritten and renumbered into Government Code section 7920.000 and following, effective January 1, 2023. The substance stayed largely the same. The key points:

• Public records are writings about the public's business that an agency prepares, owns, uses or keeps. That includes emails, texts about city business, spreadsheets, contracts, maps, photos and video.
• Anyone can ask. There is no residency requirement and no need to explain why you want the record.
• Agencies must help. The law requires an agency to help you identify records that match your request and suggest ways to narrow it if it is too broad.
• No duty to create records. The city must provide records it has. It does not have to write a report, answer questions or build a new dataset for you.
• Electronic formats. When a record exists electronically, you can generally get it in an electronic format the agency already uses.
• Denials must be explained. If the city withholds a record, it must say so in writing and cite the reason.

The law applies to public agencies only. Stanford University is a private institution, so its own records are not covered, though records Stanford sends to the city can be. The Palo Alto Unified School District, Santa Clara County and Caltrain are separate agencies with their own request processes.

Check what is already online

The City Clerk's City Records page links to several searchable sources. A few minutes here can save you a two-week wait:

Council agendas and staff reports are also posted for each meeting. Our guide to attending city council explains how to find them. For house history, our building permits guide covers permit lookups.

How to file with the city

The city's public records request page describes GovQA as the city's Public Records Act portal. You can file in five ways:

1. Online. Use the request form and attach any supporting documents. This is the easiest way to track progress.
2. Email. Send your request and contact information to city.clerk@paloalto.gov.
3. Mail. Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 7th Floor, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
4. Phone. Call the City Clerk's Office at (650) 329-2571 with your request ready.
5. In person. Visit the clerk on the seventh floor of City Hall.

With or without an account

You do not need an account and can file anonymously. Without one, you get a confirmation number. Keep it. You will use the portal's search by reference number to check status and download files. If you lose the number, you must file a new request. The city also cannot reach you with questions. With an account, released files appear under your request with a View File(s) link. The city asks people not to put confidential information in a request.

Writing a request that works

Clear requests get faster, fuller answers. A few habits help:

• Name the records, not the question. Ask for "emails between the Planning Department and the applicant for 123 Example Street from January to March 2026," not "why was this project approved."
• Set a date range. Open-ended searches of every email take far longer.
• Name people or departments when you know them. Suggest search terms too.
• Ask for electronic copies to avoid duplication fees.
• Split big requests. Ask for the most important piece first, then follow up.
• Be ready to narrow. If staff call or write to clarify, a quick reply keeps the clock moving.

Timelines and fees

The city says it typically determines which records are available within 10 calendar days of receiving a request. It may extend that by up to 14 more days in certain circumstances. State law allows extensions for reasons such as the need to search records held at other sites, review a large volume of records or consult another agency.

The 10 days is the deadline to decide, not always the deadline to hand everything over. For large requests the city may tell you which records it will release and then produce them in batches over the following weeks. If a date passes with no word, a polite message through the portal citing your reference number usually gets a status update.

Inspecting records is free. State law allows agencies to charge the direct cost of duplication for copies. The city notes that duplication fees may apply but lists no amounts on its request page. It provides records electronically whenever possible. Ask about any fee before paper copies are made.

What the city can withhold

The law presumes records are public, but it lists many exemptions. Agencies must release the parts of a record that are not exempt and redact the rest when they can. Common reasons for withholding or redacting include:

• Personal privacy. Personnel files, medical information and similar records where disclosure would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Home addresses and phone numbers are often redacted.
• Legal advice and litigation. Communications with the city attorney and records prepared for pending lawsuits.
• Preliminary drafts and notes that are not kept in the ordinary course of business.
• Law enforcement investigations. Many investigative files and intelligence records, with important exceptions described below.
• Security information. Details that could put critical infrastructure at risk, which matters for a city that runs its own electric, gas and water systems.
• The public interest balance. A catchall that lets an agency withhold a record when the public interest in keeping it private clearly outweighs the interest in disclosure.

If you think a denial is wrong, start by asking the clerk to explain the exemption and whether a redacted version is possible. The law lets requesters go to Superior Court to enforce the act. For legal options, see our free legal help guide.

Police records

The Palo Alto Police Department handles its own requests. Its request page calls the GovQA portal at papd.govqa.us the preferred method. You can also email pd@paloalto.gov, mail the Records Unit at the Public Safety Building, 250 Sherman Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, or call during business hours. The city's general request page lists (650) 329-2406 for the Police Records Unit. Our public safety guide has more on the department.

• Who gets what. Each request is reviewed case by case to decide whether the record can legally go to that requester. Victims and involved parties can often get more than the general public. Some records need proof of identity.
• Fees. The department says fees apply to releasing some records and may be waived for victims of violent crime.
• Timeline. The same 10-day determination applies. The Records Unit contacts you when the request is complete.

What state law opened up

California has widened access to police records in recent years. Since 2019, state law (SB 1421, later expanded by SB 16) makes public certain records about officer shootings, serious uses of force, sustained findings of sexual assault or dishonesty and some other misconduct. Another law, AB 748, generally requires release of video and audio of critical incidents, such as an officer firing a gun or a use of force causing death or great bodily injury, within 45 days unless release would interfere with an active investigation. Basic facts about arrests and calls for service are also public under the act, even when the full report is not. Many routine incident reports, though, stay limited to involved parties.

Frequently asked questions