Open Records Policy | City of Philadelphia
Source: https://www.phila.gov/open-records-policy
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:13
Open Records Policy | City of Philadelphia
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Open Records Policy
Effective: January 1, 2009
Last updated: December 2, 2025
The City of Philadelphia has adopted a policy to comply with the Commonwealth’s Act 3 of 2008,
65 P.S. §§ 67.101 et seq.
, commonly known as the Right-to-Know Law. With certain exceptions, members of the public have the right to inspect and/or copy public records upon written request.
1. Definitions
Right-to-Know Law.
Act 3 of 2008,
65 P.S. §§ 67.101 et seq.
Business day.
Monday through Friday 8:30 AM through 4:30 PM, except those days when the City of Philadelphia, the main office of the Law Department, or the office, department, board, or commission to which a request is submitted is closed. For the purpose of this Open Records Policy, City Agencies are closed when any of the following applies:
The City, the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission operates on an “essential services only” basis;
The City, the main office of the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission is closed for four or more hours during regular business hours; or
The City, the main office of the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission closes for any portion of regular business hours on an emergency basis.
Public Record.
Any document that satisfies the general definition of “public record” set forth in the Right-to-Know Law and does not fall within any of the exceptions set forth therein, as the definition and exceptions are amended from time to time and as the definition and exceptions are interpreted by state, federal, and/or local courts.
Open Records Officer.
An official or employee of the City of Philadelphia officially assigned responsibility for receiving, tracking, and responding to requests for information under the Right-to-Know Law. The City of Philadelphia may designate a Deputy or Secondary Open Records Officer to act in the absence of an Open Records Officer.
Requester.
A person who requests a record under the Right-to-Know Law.
Office of Open Records.
The State Office, under the Department of Economic and Community Development, as explained in §1310 of the Right-to-Know Law. The Office of Open Records shall be responsible for many duties, including (but not limited to): issuing advisory opinions; training agencies and public employees; assigning appeals officers to review decisions; and conducting a biannual review of fees allowed under the Right-to-Know Law.
2. Open Records Officer
Please see below for the Open Records Officer specific to each City Department, Board, Office, or Commission.
If no Open Records Officer is listed, please direct the request to the Open Records Officer for the City Law Department
(Office of the City Solicitor). Please indicate the City Department, Board, Office, or Commission the request seeks records from. Please send one request per email. Please note that some independently elected officials may have their own separate and distinct policies. You should consult their respective websites for information specific to their offices, including information concerning their respective Open Records Officers.
Please note:
Philadelphia District Attorney
–
The City Law Department is not authorized to accept Right-to-Know Requests on behalf of the Philadelphia District Attorney.
The Office of the District Attorney maintains a separate Open Records Policy; requests for that office should be directed to the Open Records Officer for the Office of the District Attorney
Subpoenas
–
Right-to-Know does not accept service of subpoenas directed to the City.
If you are looking to serve a subpoena upon a City department, please see this page for further information:
https://www.phila.gov/2025-07-24-getting-city-records-a-simple-guide-to-subpoenas/
.
The City of Philadelphia makes certain records available through other means, as follows:
Audio/Video Records from the Philadelphia Police Department
–
Requests for
audio, visual, or bodycam records from the Philadelphia Police Department must be made in-person or via certified mail following the instructions in 42 Pa.C.S. § 67A(3) (aka Act 22). Such requests are not processed under the RTKL.
See
42 Pa.C.S. § 67A(2)(a); 65 P.S. §§ 67.305, 67.3101.1.
You may use
this form
to make a request under Act 22. Requests under this Act should be addressed to: Lieutenant Barry Jacobs, Philadelphia Police Department, Open Records/Right to Know Section, Philadelphia Public Services Building, 400 N. Broad St., 4W-72, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Fees may be charged – information about the City’s Act 22 Fee Schedule is located
below
.
Public Safety Reports
– Copies of public safety records are available outside the RTK process directly from the Department of Records. Please file these according to the instructions online depending on the type of public safety record you seek. General information and specific report request forms are available at:
https://www.phila.gov/services/crime-law-justice/get-a-copy-of-a-public-safety-report/
Specific reports available through this process include:
Police incident or offense reports
Fire reports
Emergency medical services (EMS) reports
Police record checks
Crash reports (formerly known as traffic accident reports) and fire reports
– You can get crash reports and fire reports online by using the online portal at
https://crashreports.phila.gov/
The City of Philadelphia publishes significant amounts of information publicly online. Many links are included below by department, however several general locations were you can search for publicly available information and data are:
Philly Stat 360
–
https://philly-stat-360.phila.gov/
– Data hub to ensure accountability of government to the people.
OpenDataPhilly
–
https://opendataphilly.org/
– Many datasets from departments throughout the City, most of which are updated on a regular basis.
PHLContracts
–
https://www.phlcontracts.phila.gov/bso/
– Contracting opportunities (bids and solicitations), active blankets.
Directing Requests
The City Law Department represents the City on all Right-to-Know matters. Requests from lawyers or law firms must be directed to the Open Records Officer for the City Law Department and should indicate the Office, Department, Board and/or Commission the request is seeking records from. Please direct your request to the appropriate City Open Records Officer:
City Department, Board, Office, or Commission
Open Records Officer
Law Department, Office of the City Solicitor
Phase I Environmental Assessments
Any office, board, commission, or department not listed below.
If you are not sure where to direct a request, please send it here.
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
City Council
Online resources:
Transcript Room
– search for transcripts for Committee Hearings and Council Sessions
Legislation Information Center
– public access to City Council bills and resolutions
FY2025 Budget Center
Brionna G. Wakefield, Staff Attorney
Office of the President, City Council
c/o Law Department Right to Know Unit, 1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5008
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of the Controller
Online resources:
Audits, Reviews, Investigations
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of the City Commissioners
Online resources:
Online election
resources & data
such as election results, FAQs, political maps, Election Board training materials, as well as various reports and data
Multiple election-related datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Sheriff’s Office
LaVanda K. Harris, Esq., Open Records Officer
Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, Undersheriff Unit
100 S. Broad St., 5
th
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19110
LaVanda.K.Harris@phila.gov
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Heather Fay, Executive Assistant
Municipal Services Building, 1401 JFK Blvd, Suite 630,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Heather.Fay@phila.gov
Department of Sanitation
Maria Vamvakidou, Sanitation Program Administrator
Municipal Services Building, 1401 JFK Blvd, MSB7,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
SanitationRTK@phila.gov
Philadelphia International Airport
Tameka Felder
8500 Essington Ave, Executive Offices, Third Floor
Terminals D-E,
Philadelphia, PA 19153 PA 19107
righttoknowlaw@phila.gov
Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual Disability Services
Ava Ashley, Health Program Manager
1101 Market St, 7
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 685-5424
righttoknowlaw@phila.gov
Board of Ethics
Thomas Klemm, Esq., Staff Attorney
1515 Arch St, 18
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-9463
Thomas.Klemm@phila.gov
Board of Pensions & Retirement
Online resources:
Reports
(actuarial, annual, audit, experience)
Investment information
(including investment performance reports)
Resources
(pension plans, rules and regulations, applications and forms)
Shamika Taliaferro, Deputy Director
Two Penn Center Plaza, 16
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 496-7426
Shamika.Taliaferro@phila.gov
Board of Revision of Taxes
Carla E. Pagan, CPE, Executive Director
601 Walnut St, Ste 325 East, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4343
Carla.Pagan@phila.gov
Civil Service Commission
Virna Clay, Administrative Specialist 2
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste 1640, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-2320
Virna.Clay@phila.gov
Department of Commerce
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St, 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Commission on Human Relations
Karen Forman, Esq., Principal Assistant
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 South, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4891
Karen.Forman@phila.gov
Office of the Director of Finance
Budget Office
Risk Management
Online resources:
Find
Budgets, Strategic Plans, Monthly Expenditure Reports, Financial Reports, and more
Elizabeth Hanley, Deputy Finance Director for Administration, Development, and Training
Office of the Director of Finance
1401 JFK Blvd, 13
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-8140
Elizabeth.Hanley@phila.gov
Department of Public Health
Office of the Health Commissioner
Medical Examiner’s Office
Online resources:
Find
Food Safety Inspection Reports
Requesting
Medical Examiner Records
for legal next of kin or other authorized individual
Tracy Jones, Executive Assistant
1101 Market St, Ste 1320, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-5234
Tracy.Jones@phila.gov
Department of Public Property
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St, 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Department of Revenue
Rahul Sharma, Open Records Officer
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-6928
Rahul.Sharma@phila.gov
Department of Streets
Online resources:
Visit
StreetSmartPHL
for near real-time information related to permits, paving, snow plowing, and daily trash and recycling collections.
Herbert Lee, Administrative Specialist 2
1401 JFK Blvd, 9th Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
herbert.lee@phila.gov
Department of Fleet Services
Dr. K Wilson, Administrative Services Director
100 S. Broad St, 3rd Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19110
(215) 686-1844
k.wilson@phila.gov
Free Library of Philadelphia
Christina Patton, Assistant to the Chief of Staff
1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-5306
PattonC@freelibrary.org
Division of Housing & Community Development
City Planning Commission
Philadelphia Historical Commission
Developer Services Committee
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Department of Labor – Labor Standards Unit
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of Worker Protection
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Licenses & Inspections
Online resources:
Detailed property history is publicly searchable
online
and updated daily (licenses, permits, violations [including fire violations], appeals)
A property owner or the owner’s agent may request copies of building plans at the Permit and License Center as described under “
Construction permits and plans
“
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Tia Platts
Quality of Life
Department of Licenses & Inspections
2401 Walnut Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-1441
Tia.Platts@phila.gov
Managing Director’s Office
Office of Transportation and Infrastructure
Office of Special Events
Office of Emergency Management
Online resources:
Orders and directives
of the Managing Director’s Office
Find Phily311 data on all requests submitted since December 2014 with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Chris Dailey
1401 JFK Blvd., Ste 1630, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-3480
mdo.rtk@phila.gov
Office of Innovation & Technology
Steven E. Robertson, Esq., Chief of Staff
(215) 686-8268
steven.robertson@phila.gov
Office of Clean & Green Initiatives
Mary Stitt, Chief of Staff
Municipal Services Building,1401 JFK Blvd., 7
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-2011
Mary.StittKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Department of Prisons
Gregory J. Vrato, Esq., Director of Policy Compliance & Legal Affairs
7901 State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19136
(215) 685-7840
Greg.Vrato@prisons.phila.gov
Office of the Inspector General
Alexander F. DeSantis
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 East, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 685-1770
Alexander.DeSantis@phila.gov
Office of Property Assessment
Online resources:
Find multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools for properties and assessment history as well as tax delinquent properties at
OpenDataPhilly
Drew Aldinger, Esq., Deputy Administrator
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 West, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4353
RighttoKnowOPA@phila.gov
Office of the Board of Administrative Adjudication
Michael Giunta
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste 630, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-5247
RighttoKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of Homeless Services
Office of Supportive Housing
Jerome R. Hill
Director of Compliance
Special Assistant to the Director
1401 JFK Blvd. 10
th
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
OHSRightToKnow@phila.gov
Parks & Recreation Commission
Ishmail Harris
Director of Legal Affairs
1515 Arch St, 10
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-2961
PPR_RightToKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Fire Department
Online resources:
Instructions
for obtaining Fire Reports outside the RTKL process.
Detailed property history of violations (including fire violations) is publicly searchable
online
and updated daily.
Captain Jeffrey Schurr
240 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 686-4205
PFD.RighttoKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Water Department
Online resources:
Water Lien Search
Edward Schaefer
Philadelphia Water Department
1101 Market Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Edward.Schaefer@phila.gov
Philadelphia Police Department
Online resources:
Instructions
for Police Incident reports, Fire Reports, Police record Checks, Letters of Good Conduct
Crash Reports (aka “traffic accident reports”)
Crime Map and Stats available
online
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Lieutenant Barry Jacobs
Philadelphia Police Department
Open Records/Right to Know Section
Philadelphia Public Services Building (PPSB)
400 N. Broad St., 4W-72, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 686-3277
police.righttoknow@phila.gov
Procurement Department
Online resources:
Search
PHLContracts
for bids and solicitations
T. David Williams Jr., Esq.
Deputy Procurement Commissioner; Director, Professional Services Contracting
Procurement Department
1401 JFK Blvd., Suite 100 MSB, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-3499
RightToKnowProcurement@phila.gov
Department of Records
Online resources:
Instructions
for obtaining deeds, mortgages, easements, notary commissions, and other recorded records.
Police Incident Reports
,
Fire Incident Reports
,
Crash Reports
,
Other Public Safety Reports
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
including data of all real estate transfers since December 6, 1999.
Lynda Yerkov
City Hall Rm 156, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-2268
Lynda.Yerkov@phila.gov
Sinking Fund Commission
Christopher DiFusco, Esq., Chief Investment Officer
1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 17
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 496-7463
Christopher.Difusco@phila.gov
Treasurer’s Office
Amanda Robinson, Executive Assistant
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste. 640, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-2300
Amanda Robinson@phila.gov
Water Revenue Bureau
Arlene Reilly, Data Services Support Clerk
1Municipal Services Building, 2nd Floor
(215) 686-6900
Arlene.Reilly@phila.gov
Office of the Mayor
Online resources:
Search
archived press releases
Mayoral Executive Orders since 1952
Kathleen Lonie
City Hall, Rm 204, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-0338
kathleen.lonie@phila.gov
3. Procedure
The Right-to-Know Law requires that the City of Philadelphia act upon each non-anonymous written request when such request is made in person, by mail, by fax, or by email. The Right-to-Know Law does not require that the City of Philadelphia act upon an oral request, and the City of Philadelphia shall refuse to accept oral requests. Furthermore, the Right-to-Know Law does not require that the City of Philadelphia act upon an anonymous request, and the City of Philadelphia will refuse to honor an anonymous request. Finally, due to IT security risks, the City of Philadelphia will not accept requests where the details of records sought are submitted exclusively via hyperlink, the nor will responsive records be uploaded to an external hyperlink (outside of phila.gov) prior to advance and express arrangements with the Law Department.
Pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law, the State Office of Open Records has created and published on its website a standard statewide form, which must be accepted by the City of Philadelphia for filing a request. (
https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/Forms.cfm
).
Effective February 1, 2012, the City of Philadelphia requires the standard statewide form be used for the submission of Right-to-Know requests, and will not consider a request to be a written request pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law unless the request is submitted on or with the standard statewide form. As of February 1, 2012, the City of Philadelphia considers any request not submitted on or with the standard statewide form to be an informal request not subject to the Right-to-Know Law.
[1]
If a requester submits a request on or with the standard statewide form after submitting an informal request for the same (or similar) records, the City of Philadelphia will consider the informal request to have been withdrawn. The City of Philadelphia reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to require a written request pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law before releasing records. A copy of the standard statewide form appears at the end of this policy.
1. The City of Philadelphia reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to use the Right-to-Know Law as guidance in responding to informal requests for records and/or information.
The Right-to-Know Law sets forth various specifications for the contents of a written request. To qualify as a written request under the Right-to-Know Law and the City of Philadelphia Open Records Policy the request must be:
Directed to the appropriate Open Records Officer,
Submitted on or with the standard statewide form, and
Contain at least the following information:
Name of requester;
Contact information of requester (either email address or physical address of requester); and
Records sought, identified, or described with sufficient specificity to allow the City of Philadelphia to ascertain what records are being requested.
Under the Right-to-Know Law, the City of Philadelphia has a duty to make a good faith effort to determine if the record(s) requested is a public record and to respond as promptly as possible under the circumstances existing at the time of the request; this time shall not exceed five business days from the date the request is received by the relevant Open Records Officer. The Law provides that either a final or interim response be provided to the requester within five business days from the date of receipt by the Department, Board, Office, or Commission. If there is no response within this five-day time period, the Open Records Request is deemed denied.
The Right-to-Know Law and the City of Philadelphia’s policy contemplates that requesters will receive a response within five business days. The Right-to-Know Law, however, does provide the City of Philadelphia with specific reasons that may be invoked to receive a single extension of time that shall not exceed 30 calendar days. If the 30
th
calendar day falls on a day when the City of Philadelphia is closed, such as weekends and holidays, the deadline will be the following business day.
If an extension is asserted and no response is provided to the requester within the 30-day time period, the Open Records Request is deemed denied. Additionally, if the City of Philadelphia notifies the requester it needs more than the maximum 30-day extension, the request is deemed denied unless the requester has agreed in writing to an extension to the date specified in the notice. If the requester agrees to the extension, the request shall be deemed denied on the day following the date specified in the notice if a response is not provided by that date.
The City of Philadelphia’s final response to a request will:
Grant the request;
Deny the request;
Grant the request in part and deny the request in part; or
Grant the request and redact part of the information provided pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law and/or other applicable federal, state, and local law.
4. Appeals of Denied Requests
If a request for access to a record is denied (in whole or in part) or deemed denied, the requester may file an appeal within 15 business days of the mailing date of the City of Philadelphia’s denial as follows:
Records Other Than Criminal Investigative Records
Appeals of denials related to requests for records other than criminal investigative records must be directed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records:
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Office of Open Records
333 Market St., 16
th
Fl
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Criminal Investigative Records
Appeals of denials related to requests for criminal investigative records must be directed to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office within 15 business days of the mailing date of the City of Philadelphia’s denial. Appeals to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office should be directed to the following address: District Attorney’s Office, Civil Litigation Unit, Open Records Appeals Officer, Three South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3499.
For All Administrative Appeals
Unless the requester agrees otherwise, the Appeals Officer shall make a final determination which shall be mailed to the requester and the City of Philadelphia within 30 days of receipt of the appeal. Should the Appeals Officer fail to issue a ruling within 30 days, the appeal is deemed denied.
Before a final determination is issued, a hearing may be held. The determination by the Appeals Officer shall be a final order. The Appeals Officer shall provide a written explanation of the reasons for the decision to the requester and the City of Philadelphia.
Within 30 days of the mailing date of the final determination of the Appeals Officer, a requester or the City of Philadelphia may file a petition for review or other document(s) as required by rule of court with the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
6. Fees and Charges
Fees for duplication of records have been established and posted by the State Office of Open Records. The City of Philadelphia will charge fees consistent with the State Office of Open Records regulations.
The City of Philadelphia reserves the right to impose additional fees if it incurs costs for complying with a request, pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law; such additional fees, when charged, must be reasonable. This includes, but is not limited to, fees for enhanced electronic access and certified copies of documents.
Act 22 Requests for Audio/Video Records from the Philadelphia Police Department
Pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 67A05(d), the Philadelphia Police Department has established the following fees for costs incurred in the processing of Act 22 requests which are granted or granted in part:
$125 per recording produced, which includes up to one (1) hour of labor to review, redact, and produce the recording(s), plus $200 for each additional hour of labor required.
Additional fees of up to actual cost may be imposed for postage or production via flash drive, or production by means other than email or electronic delivery.
The City will provide a requester notice of estimated fees for the production of recordings at the time of the final response to the request. Payment of fees is required at the time of disclosure. Fees may be paid by check or money order, payable to the City of Philadelphia.
This Act 22 fee schedule is subject to periodic review and amendment.
7. Written Policies and Regulations
The City of Philadelphia and each Open Records Officer shall retain the discretion and authority to adopt any other written policies that are consistent with the Right-to-Know Law, and these policies, as amended from time to time, that they deem to be necessary or prudent, consistent with the Right-to-Know Law.
View the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form (PDF)
.
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Home
Open Records Policy
Effective: January 1, 2009
Last updated: December 2, 2025
The City of Philadelphia has adopted a policy to comply with the Commonwealth’s Act 3 of 2008,
65 P.S. §§ 67.101 et seq.
, commonly known as the Right-to-Know Law. With certain exceptions, members of the public have the right to inspect and/or copy public records upon written request.
1. Definitions
Right-to-Know Law.
Act 3 of 2008,
65 P.S. §§ 67.101 et seq.
Business day.
Monday through Friday 8:30 AM through 4:30 PM, except those days when the City of Philadelphia, the main office of the Law Department, or the office, department, board, or commission to which a request is submitted is closed. For the purpose of this Open Records Policy, City Agencies are closed when any of the following applies:
The City, the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission operates on an “essential services only” basis;
The City, the main office of the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission is closed for four or more hours during regular business hours; or
The City, the main office of the Law Department, or the particular City Department, Board, Office, or Commission closes for any portion of regular business hours on an emergency basis.
Public Record.
Any document that satisfies the general definition of “public record” set forth in the Right-to-Know Law and does not fall within any of the exceptions set forth therein, as the definition and exceptions are amended from time to time and as the definition and exceptions are interpreted by state, federal, and/or local courts.
Open Records Officer.
An official or employee of the City of Philadelphia officially assigned responsibility for receiving, tracking, and responding to requests for information under the Right-to-Know Law. The City of Philadelphia may designate a Deputy or Secondary Open Records Officer to act in the absence of an Open Records Officer.
Requester.
A person who requests a record under the Right-to-Know Law.
Office of Open Records.
The State Office, under the Department of Economic and Community Development, as explained in §1310 of the Right-to-Know Law. The Office of Open Records shall be responsible for many duties, including (but not limited to): issuing advisory opinions; training agencies and public employees; assigning appeals officers to review decisions; and conducting a biannual review of fees allowed under the Right-to-Know Law.
2. Open Records Officer
Please see below for the Open Records Officer specific to each City Department, Board, Office, or Commission.
If no Open Records Officer is listed, please direct the request to the Open Records Officer for the City Law Department
(Office of the City Solicitor). Please indicate the City Department, Board, Office, or Commission the request seeks records from. Please send one request per email. Please note that some independently elected officials may have their own separate and distinct policies. You should consult their respective websites for information specific to their offices, including information concerning their respective Open Records Officers.
Please note:
Philadelphia District Attorney
–
The City Law Department is not authorized to accept Right-to-Know Requests on behalf of the Philadelphia District Attorney.
The Office of the District Attorney maintains a separate Open Records Policy; requests for that office should be directed to the Open Records Officer for the Office of the District Attorney
Subpoenas
–
Right-to-Know does not accept service of subpoenas directed to the City.
If you are looking to serve a subpoena upon a City department, please see this page for further information:
https://www.phila.gov/2025-07-24-getting-city-records-a-simple-guide-to-subpoenas/
.
The City of Philadelphia makes certain records available through other means, as follows:
Audio/Video Records from the Philadelphia Police Department
–
Requests for
audio, visual, or bodycam records from the Philadelphia Police Department must be made in-person or via certified mail following the instructions in 42 Pa.C.S. § 67A(3) (aka Act 22). Such requests are not processed under the RTKL.
See
42 Pa.C.S. § 67A(2)(a); 65 P.S. §§ 67.305, 67.3101.1.
You may use
this form
to make a request under Act 22. Requests under this Act should be addressed to: Lieutenant Barry Jacobs, Philadelphia Police Department, Open Records/Right to Know Section, Philadelphia Public Services Building, 400 N. Broad St., 4W-72, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Fees may be charged – information about the City’s Act 22 Fee Schedule is located
below
.
Public Safety Reports
– Copies of public safety records are available outside the RTK process directly from the Department of Records. Please file these according to the instructions online depending on the type of public safety record you seek. General information and specific report request forms are available at:
https://www.phila.gov/services/crime-law-justice/get-a-copy-of-a-public-safety-report/
Specific reports available through this process include:
Police incident or offense reports
Fire reports
Emergency medical services (EMS) reports
Police record checks
Crash reports (formerly known as traffic accident reports) and fire reports
– You can get crash reports and fire reports online by using the online portal at
https://crashreports.phila.gov/
The City of Philadelphia publishes significant amounts of information publicly online. Many links are included below by department, however several general locations were you can search for publicly available information and data are:
Philly Stat 360
–
https://philly-stat-360.phila.gov/
– Data hub to ensure accountability of government to the people.
OpenDataPhilly
–
https://opendataphilly.org/
– Many datasets from departments throughout the City, most of which are updated on a regular basis.
PHLContracts
–
https://www.phlcontracts.phila.gov/bso/
– Contracting opportunities (bids and solicitations), active blankets.
Directing Requests
The City Law Department represents the City on all Right-to-Know matters. Requests from lawyers or law firms must be directed to the Open Records Officer for the City Law Department and should indicate the Office, Department, Board and/or Commission the request is seeking records from. Please direct your request to the appropriate City Open Records Officer:
City Department, Board, Office, or Commission
Open Records Officer
Law Department, Office of the City Solicitor
Phase I Environmental Assessments
Any office, board, commission, or department not listed below.
If you are not sure where to direct a request, please send it here.
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
City Council
Online resources:
Transcript Room
– search for transcripts for Committee Hearings and Council Sessions
Legislation Information Center
– public access to City Council bills and resolutions
FY2025 Budget Center
Brionna G. Wakefield, Staff Attorney
Office of the President, City Council
c/o Law Department Right to Know Unit, 1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5008
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of the Controller
Online resources:
Audits, Reviews, Investigations
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of the City Commissioners
Online resources:
Online election
resources & data
such as election results, FAQs, political maps, Election Board training materials, as well as various reports and data
Multiple election-related datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Sheriff’s Office
LaVanda K. Harris, Esq., Open Records Officer
Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, Undersheriff Unit
100 S. Broad St., 5
th
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19110
LaVanda.K.Harris@phila.gov
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Heather Fay, Executive Assistant
Municipal Services Building, 1401 JFK Blvd, Suite 630,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Heather.Fay@phila.gov
Department of Sanitation
Maria Vamvakidou, Sanitation Program Administrator
Municipal Services Building, 1401 JFK Blvd, MSB7,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
SanitationRTK@phila.gov
Philadelphia International Airport
Tameka Felder
8500 Essington Ave, Executive Offices, Third Floor
Terminals D-E,
Philadelphia, PA 19153 PA 19107
righttoknowlaw@phila.gov
Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual Disability Services
Ava Ashley, Health Program Manager
1101 Market St, 7
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 685-5424
righttoknowlaw@phila.gov
Board of Ethics
Thomas Klemm, Esq., Staff Attorney
1515 Arch St, 18
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-9463
Thomas.Klemm@phila.gov
Board of Pensions & Retirement
Online resources:
Reports
(actuarial, annual, audit, experience)
Investment information
(including investment performance reports)
Resources
(pension plans, rules and regulations, applications and forms)
Shamika Taliaferro, Deputy Director
Two Penn Center Plaza, 16
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 496-7426
Shamika.Taliaferro@phila.gov
Board of Revision of Taxes
Carla E. Pagan, CPE, Executive Director
601 Walnut St, Ste 325 East, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4343
Carla.Pagan@phila.gov
Civil Service Commission
Virna Clay, Administrative Specialist 2
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste 1640, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-2320
Virna.Clay@phila.gov
Department of Commerce
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St, 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Commission on Human Relations
Karen Forman, Esq., Principal Assistant
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 South, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4891
Karen.Forman@phila.gov
Office of the Director of Finance
Budget Office
Risk Management
Online resources:
Find
Budgets, Strategic Plans, Monthly Expenditure Reports, Financial Reports, and more
Elizabeth Hanley, Deputy Finance Director for Administration, Development, and Training
Office of the Director of Finance
1401 JFK Blvd, 13
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-8140
Elizabeth.Hanley@phila.gov
Department of Public Health
Office of the Health Commissioner
Medical Examiner’s Office
Online resources:
Find
Food Safety Inspection Reports
Requesting
Medical Examiner Records
for legal next of kin or other authorized individual
Tracy Jones, Executive Assistant
1101 Market St, Ste 1320, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-5234
Tracy.Jones@phila.gov
Department of Public Property
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St, 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Department of Revenue
Rahul Sharma, Open Records Officer
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-6928
Rahul.Sharma@phila.gov
Department of Streets
Online resources:
Visit
StreetSmartPHL
for near real-time information related to permits, paving, snow plowing, and daily trash and recycling collections.
Herbert Lee, Administrative Specialist 2
1401 JFK Blvd, 9th Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
herbert.lee@phila.gov
Department of Fleet Services
Dr. K Wilson, Administrative Services Director
100 S. Broad St, 3rd Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19110
(215) 686-1844
k.wilson@phila.gov
Free Library of Philadelphia
Christina Patton, Assistant to the Chief of Staff
1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-5306
PattonC@freelibrary.org
Division of Housing & Community Development
City Planning Commission
Philadelphia Historical Commission
Developer Services Committee
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Department of Labor – Labor Standards Unit
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of Worker Protection
Margot Smith, Chief Deputy City Solicitor
1515 Arch St., 15
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-5227
RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov
Licenses & Inspections
Online resources:
Detailed property history is publicly searchable
online
and updated daily (licenses, permits, violations [including fire violations], appeals)
A property owner or the owner’s agent may request copies of building plans at the Permit and License Center as described under “
Construction permits and plans
“
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Tia Platts
Quality of Life
Department of Licenses & Inspections
2401 Walnut Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-1441
Tia.Platts@phila.gov
Managing Director’s Office
Office of Transportation and Infrastructure
Office of Special Events
Office of Emergency Management
Online resources:
Orders and directives
of the Managing Director’s Office
Find Phily311 data on all requests submitted since December 2014 with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Chris Dailey
1401 JFK Blvd., Ste 1630, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-3480
mdo.rtk@phila.gov
Office of Innovation & Technology
Steven E. Robertson, Esq., Chief of Staff
(215) 686-8268
steven.robertson@phila.gov
Office of Clean & Green Initiatives
Mary Stitt, Chief of Staff
Municipal Services Building,1401 JFK Blvd., 7
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-2011
Mary.StittKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Department of Prisons
Gregory J. Vrato, Esq., Director of Policy Compliance & Legal Affairs
7901 State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19136
(215) 685-7840
Greg.Vrato@prisons.phila.gov
Office of the Inspector General
Alexander F. DeSantis
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 East, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 685-1770
Alexander.DeSantis@phila.gov
Office of Property Assessment
Online resources:
Find multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools for properties and assessment history as well as tax delinquent properties at
OpenDataPhilly
Drew Aldinger, Esq., Deputy Administrator
601 Walnut St, Ste 300 West, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 686-4353
RighttoKnowOPA@phila.gov
Office of the Board of Administrative Adjudication
Michael Giunta
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste 630, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-5247
RighttoKnowLaw@phila.gov
Office of Homeless Services
Office of Supportive Housing
Jerome R. Hill
Director of Compliance
Special Assistant to the Director
1401 JFK Blvd. 10
th
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
OHSRightToKnow@phila.gov
Parks & Recreation Commission
Ishmail Harris
Director of Legal Affairs
1515 Arch St, 10
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 683-2961
PPR_RightToKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Fire Department
Online resources:
Instructions
for obtaining Fire Reports outside the RTKL process.
Detailed property history of violations (including fire violations) is publicly searchable
online
and updated daily.
Captain Jeffrey Schurr
240 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 686-4205
PFD.RighttoKnow@phila.gov
Philadelphia Water Department
Online resources:
Water Lien Search
Edward Schaefer
Philadelphia Water Department
1101 Market Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Edward.Schaefer@phila.gov
Philadelphia Police Department
Online resources:
Instructions
for Police Incident reports, Fire Reports, Police record Checks, Letters of Good Conduct
Crash Reports (aka “traffic accident reports”)
Crime Map and Stats available
online
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
Lieutenant Barry Jacobs
Philadelphia Police Department
Open Records/Right to Know Section
Philadelphia Public Services Building (PPSB)
400 N. Broad St., 4W-72, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 686-3277
police.righttoknow@phila.gov
Procurement Department
Online resources:
Search
PHLContracts
for bids and solicitations
T. David Williams Jr., Esq.
Deputy Procurement Commissioner; Director, Professional Services Contracting
Procurement Department
1401 JFK Blvd., Suite 100 MSB, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-3499
RightToKnowProcurement@phila.gov
Department of Records
Online resources:
Instructions
for obtaining deeds, mortgages, easements, notary commissions, and other recorded records.
Police Incident Reports
,
Fire Incident Reports
,
Crash Reports
,
Other Public Safety Reports
Multiple datasets with filter/search/visualization tools at
OpenDataPhilly
including data of all real estate transfers since December 6, 1999.
Lynda Yerkov
City Hall Rm 156, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-2268
Lynda.Yerkov@phila.gov
Sinking Fund Commission
Christopher DiFusco, Esq., Chief Investment Officer
1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 17
th
Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 496-7463
Christopher.Difusco@phila.gov
Treasurer’s Office
Amanda Robinson, Executive Assistant
1401 JFK Blvd, Ste. 640, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-2300
Amanda Robinson@phila.gov
Water Revenue Bureau
Arlene Reilly, Data Services Support Clerk
1Municipal Services Building, 2nd Floor
(215) 686-6900
Arlene.Reilly@phila.gov
Office of the Mayor
Online resources:
Search
archived press releases
Mayoral Executive Orders since 1952
Kathleen Lonie
City Hall, Rm 204, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-0338
kathleen.lonie@phila.gov
3. Procedure
The Right-to-Know Law requires that the City of Philadelphia act upon each non-anonymous written request when such request is made in person, by mail, by fax, or by email. The Right-to-Know Law does not require that the City of Philadelphia act upon an oral request, and the City of Philadelphia shall refuse to accept oral requests. Furthermore, the Right-to-Know Law does not require that the City of Philadelphia act upon an anonymous request, and the City of Philadelphia will refuse to honor an anonymous request. Finally, due to IT security risks, the City of Philadelphia will not accept requests where the details of records sought are submitted exclusively via hyperlink, the nor will responsive records be uploaded to an external hyperlink (outside of phila.gov) prior to advance and express arrangements with the Law Department.
Pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law, the State Office of Open Records has created and published on its website a standard statewide form, which must be accepted by the City of Philadelphia for filing a request. (
https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/Forms.cfm
).
Effective February 1, 2012, the City of Philadelphia requires the standard statewide form be used for the submission of Right-to-Know requests, and will not consider a request to be a written request pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law unless the request is submitted on or with the standard statewide form. As of February 1, 2012, the City of Philadelphia considers any request not submitted on or with the standard statewide form to be an informal request not subject to the Right-to-Know Law.
[1]
If a requester submits a request on or with the standard statewide form after submitting an informal request for the same (or similar) records, the City of Philadelphia will consider the informal request to have been withdrawn. The City of Philadelphia reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to require a written request pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law before releasing records. A copy of the standard statewide form appears at the end of this policy.
1. The City of Philadelphia reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to use the Right-to-Know Law as guidance in responding to informal requests for records and/or information.
The Right-to-Know Law sets forth various specifications for the contents of a written request. To qualify as a written request under the Right-to-Know Law and the City of Philadelphia Open Records Policy the request must be:
Directed to the appropriate Open Records Officer,
Submitted on or with the standard statewide form, and
Contain at least the following information:
Name of requester;
Contact information of requester (either email address or physical address of requester); and
Records sought, identified, or described with sufficient specificity to allow the City of Philadelphia to ascertain what records are being requested.
Under the Right-to-Know Law, the City of Philadelphia has a duty to make a good faith effort to determine if the record(s) requested is a public record and to respond as promptly as possible under the circumstances existing at the time of the request; this time shall not exceed five business days from the date the request is received by the relevant Open Records Officer. The Law provides that either a final or interim response be provided to the requester within five business days from the date of receipt by the Department, Board, Office, or Commission. If there is no response within this five-day time period, the Open Records Request is deemed denied.
The Right-to-Know Law and the City of Philadelphia’s policy contemplates that requesters will receive a response within five business days. The Right-to-Know Law, however, does provide the City of Philadelphia with specific reasons that may be invoked to receive a single extension of time that shall not exceed 30 calendar days. If the 30
th
calendar day falls on a day when the City of Philadelphia is closed, such as weekends and holidays, the deadline will be the following business day.
If an extension is asserted and no response is provided to the requester within the 30-day time period, the Open Records Request is deemed denied. Additionally, if the City of Philadelphia notifies the requester it needs more than the maximum 30-day extension, the request is deemed denied unless the requester has agreed in writing to an extension to the date specified in the notice. If the requester agrees to the extension, the request shall be deemed denied on the day following the date specified in the notice if a response is not provided by that date.
The City of Philadelphia’s final response to a request will:
Grant the request;
Deny the request;
Grant the request in part and deny the request in part; or
Grant the request and redact part of the information provided pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law and/or other applicable federal, state, and local law.
4. Appeals of Denied Requests
If a request for access to a record is denied (in whole or in part) or deemed denied, the requester may file an appeal within 15 business days of the mailing date of the City of Philadelphia’s denial as follows:
Records Other Than Criminal Investigative Records
Appeals of denials related to requests for records other than criminal investigative records must be directed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records:
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Office of Open Records
333 Market St., 16
th
Fl
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Criminal Investigative Records
Appeals of denials related to requests for criminal investigative records must be directed to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office within 15 business days of the mailing date of the City of Philadelphia’s denial. Appeals to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office should be directed to the following address: District Attorney’s Office, Civil Litigation Unit, Open Records Appeals Officer, Three South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3499.
For All Administrative Appeals
Unless the requester agrees otherwise, the Appeals Officer shall make a final determination which shall be mailed to the requester and the City of Philadelphia within 30 days of receipt of the appeal. Should the Appeals Officer fail to issue a ruling within 30 days, the appeal is deemed denied.
Before a final determination is issued, a hearing may be held. The determination by the Appeals Officer shall be a final order. The Appeals Officer shall provide a written explanation of the reasons for the decision to the requester and the City of Philadelphia.
Within 30 days of the mailing date of the final determination of the Appeals Officer, a requester or the City of Philadelphia may file a petition for review or other document(s) as required by rule of court with the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
6. Fees and Charges
Fees for duplication of records have been established and posted by the State Office of Open Records. The City of Philadelphia will charge fees consistent with the State Office of Open Records regulations.
The City of Philadelphia reserves the right to impose additional fees if it incurs costs for complying with a request, pursuant to the Right-to-Know Law; such additional fees, when charged, must be reasonable. This includes, but is not limited to, fees for enhanced electronic access and certified copies of documents.
Act 22 Requests for Audio/Video Records from the Philadelphia Police Department
Pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 67A05(d), the Philadelphia Police Department has established the following fees for costs incurred in the processing of Act 22 requests which are granted or granted in part:
$125 per recording produced, which includes up to one (1) hour of labor to review, redact, and produce the recording(s), plus $200 for each additional hour of labor required.
Additional fees of up to actual cost may be imposed for postage or production via flash drive, or production by means other than email or electronic delivery.
The City will provide a requester notice of estimated fees for the production of recordings at the time of the final response to the request. Payment of fees is required at the time of disclosure. Fees may be paid by check or money order, payable to the City of Philadelphia.
This Act 22 fee schedule is subject to periodic review and amendment.
7. Written Policies and Regulations
The City of Philadelphia and each Open Records Officer shall retain the discretion and authority to adopt any other written policies that are consistent with the Right-to-Know Law, and these policies, as amended from time to time, that they deem to be necessary or prudent, consistent with the Right-to-Know Law.
View the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form (PDF)
.
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