(1) No fee will be charged for inspecting the board's public records.

(2) The board does not calculate all actual costs for copying records because to do so would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons:

(a) The board does not have the resources to conduct a study to determine all its actual copying costs; and

(b) Conducting such a study would interfere with other essential agency functions.

(3) The board will charge for copies of records pursuant to the default fees in RCW 42.56.120 (2)(b) and (c). The board may charge other copy fees authorized by statutes outside of chapter 42.56 RCW. The board may enter into an alternative fee agreement with a requestor under RCW 42.56.120(4).

(4) The board requires requestors to pay for copies in advance of receiving records. Fee waivers are an exception and are available for some small requests. The public records officer has the discretion to waive fees when:

(a) All of the records responsive to an entire request are paper copies and are 25 or fewer pages; or

(b) All of the records responsive to an entire request are electronic and can be provided in a single email with attachments of a size totaling no more than the equivalent of 100 printed pages. If that email for any reason is not deliverable, records will be provided through another means of delivery, and the requestor will be charged in accordance with this rule.

(c) Fee waivers are not applicable to records provided in installments.

(5) The public records officer may require an advance deposit of 10 percent of the estimated fees when the copying fees for an installment or an entire request, or customized service charge, exceeds $25.

(6) All required fees must be paid in advance of release of the copies or an installment of copies, or in advance of when a deposit is required. The board will notify the requestor of when payment is due.

(7) Payment should be made by check or money order to the board. The board prefers not to receive cash. For cash payments, it is within the public records officer's discretion to determine the denomination of bills and coins that will be accepted.

(8) The board will close a request when a requestor fails by the payment date to pay in the manner prescribed for records, an installment of records, or a required deposit.