PDFWAC 247-12-075
Costs of providing copies of public records.
(1) Inspection. There is no fee for inspecting public records, including inspecting records on the Washington health care facilities authority (authority) website.
(2) Statutory default costs. The authority is not calculating actual costs for copying its records because to do so would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons: The authority does not have the resources to conduct a study to determine actual copying costs for all its records; to conduct such a study would interfere with other essential agency functions; and, through the legislative process, the public and requestors have commented on and been informed of authorized fees and costs provided in the Public Records Act including RCW 42.56.120 and other laws. Therefore, in order to implement a fee schedule consistent with the Public Records Act, it is more cost efficient, expeditious and in the public interest for the authority to adopt the state legislature's approved fees and costs for most of the authority records, as authorized in RCW 42.56.120 and as published in the agency's fee schedule.
(3) Fee schedule. The fee schedule is attached hereto; available at 410 11th Avenue S.E., Suite 201, Olympia, Washington 98501 and online at http://www.whcfa.wa.gov.
Washington Health Care Facilities Authority Public Records Fee Schedule Per the State of Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56.120 | |
Type of Record | Fee |
Photocopy of standard sized (8 1/2 x 11) paper records, or printed paper copies of electronic records. | 15 cents per page (each side is one page) |
Digital storage media or devices; any container or envelope used to mail copies; postage or delivery charges. | Actual cost |
Nonstandard (oversized copies, photographs, etc.) | Actual cost |
Cost varies – per other statutes | |
Records sent to an outside vendor due to their unusual size or format, or other factors making copying by office unfeasible. Mailing/delivery and container costs also apply. | Actual cost |
Data compilations prepared or accessed as a customized service. Cost is in addition to above fees for copies, including mailing/delivery and container costs. RCW 42.56.120(3). | Actual cost |
Electronic transmittal of files | 5 cents for every four files |
Electronic transmittal of records | 10 cents per gigabyte |
Scanned paper records | 10 cents per page (each image is one page) |
Records on authority website | No charge |
Records inspected in authority offices | No charge |
Any other record not described above | Actual cost |
Guidelines for Waiving Fees and Arranging for Payment of Public Records | |
The authority fee schedule applies to all public records made under chapter 42.56 RCW. | |
Fees are automatically waived when the total response is less than $50. | |
The public records officer will produce an invoice and a deadline for payment. | |
Payment may be made by check or money order payable to the Washington health care facilities authority. | |
The authority has no ability to accept credit or debit card payments. | |
(4) Processing payments. Before beginning to make the copies or processing a customized service, the public records officer or designee may require a deposit of up to 10 percent of the estimated costs of copying all the records selected by the requestor. The public records officer or designee may also require the payment of the remainder of the copying costs before providing all the records, or the payment of the costs of copying an installment before providing that installment. The authority will not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public records.
(5) Costs of mailing. The authority may also charge actual costs of mailing, including the cost of the shipping container.
(6) Payment. Payment may be made by check or money order to the authority.
(7) Fee waivers.
(a) It is within the discretion of the public records officer to waive copying fees when:
(i) All of the records responsive to an entire request are paper copies only and the total cost of the entire request is less than $50; or
(ii) All of the records responsive to an entire request are electronic and can be provided in a single email with attachments; or
(iii) The records responsive to an entire request are a combination of paper copies and digital copies.
(b) 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.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.37 RCW. WSR 24-11-002, § 247-12-075, filed 5/1/24, effective 6/1/24.]