Request New York State Department of Transportation Records Through The New York State Freedom of Information Law
Overview
The Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”), Article 6 (Sections 84-90) of the NYS Public Officers Law, provides the public right to access to records maintained by government agencies with certain exceptions.
“Record” means any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with, or for this agency, in any physical form whatsoever including, but not limited to, reports, statements, examinations, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, letters, microfilms, computer tapes or disks, rules, regulations or codes..
Request Records
Click the below button to request New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) records online:
The NYSDOT online FOIL request system allows you to submit, track and correspond regarding your pending requests and receive records electronically. You can quickly and easily create a customer account or log into your existing NYSDOT customer account.
Mail a written request to:
Records Access Officer
NYSDOT
50 Wolf Road, 6th Floor
Albany, NY 12232
Submit a request for records in person:
Our main office is located on 50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12232. Upon entering the main entrance of the building, advise Security Staff that you would like to request records. Security Staff will contact the Records Access Office, and a staff member will provide assistance. Please be advised records require review prior to disclosure. As a result, documents and records will not be immediately available.
E-mail a written request to: [email protected]
Fax a written request to: (518) 457-9729
FOIL Process
Within five business days of the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described, we will send you a letter either: making such record available; denying such request in writing; or furnishing a written acknowledgment of the receipt of such request. If you have not received a letter within five business days, please contact us at (518) 457-2411 or [email protected].
An acknowledgment letter will provide you with an estimate of when the records you request will be available, which shall be reasonable under the circumstances of the request. This date is determined by the number of documents you request, their format, their availability, the time it takes to redact any information that cannot be disclosed pursuant to FOIL, the time it takes to assemble the documents, and other factors.
If the records you request require a fee to be paid you will be notified prior to the records being released to you. Once payment is received we will provide you with the records you requested. For detailed information regarding fees related to FOIL please refer to the FOIL Fee Schedule. Unless a different fee is otherwise prescribed by statute, Public Officers Law §87(1) authorizes an agency to charge a fee of 25¢ per copy for copies of records up 9”x 14”, or the actual cost of reproducing a record. In determining the actual cost of producing a record, an agency may include only:
- an amount equal to the hourly salary attributed to the lowest agency paid employee who has the necessary skill required to prepare the requested record(s), if at least two hours of agency employee time is needed to prepare a copy of the record(s) requested;
- the actual cost of the storage devices or media provided to the person making the request in complying with such request; and
- the actual cost to the agency of engaging an outside professional service to prepare a copy of a record, but only when an agency's information technology equipment is inadequate to prepare a copy, if such service is used to prepare the copy.
Once the requested records are prepared, you may receive the records via email, fax, paper, CD/DVD, or USB. Records are available for inspection, by appointment, on business days between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Records Access Office, NYSDOT, 50 Wolf Road, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12232. You may schedule an appointment for in-person inspection of records by calling (518) 457-2411.
Right to Appeal
Under provisions of the Public Officers Law you may appeal a FOIL determination. Please include a copy of the original request for records and a copy of the FOIL response letter you received along with your appeal letter to:
General Counsel – F.O.I.L. Appeal
New York State Department of Transportation
50 Wolf Road, 6th Floor
Albany, NY 12232
You will be informed in writing of the decision within ten business days of our receipt of such an appeal. Please indicate the FOIL Request Number when corresponding on this subject.
Subject Matter List
The following is a current list of records, by subject matter, that are maintained by this agency. Some of the listed records may be exempt from disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law.
NYSDOT Record List
Helpful Tips
For more information about FOIL, please visit the New York State Committee on Open Government’s website.
When submitting a FOIL request:
- Be as specific as possible in describing the requested records. Include relevant dates, names, descriptions, etc. See suggested language for a FOIL request from the Committee on Open Government.
- Specify whether you would like to inspect the records or have copies of the records sent to you.
- If records are available, specify how you want them sent, i.e., via US mail, e-mail or fax. We may choose to send the records by U.S. mail, if you have requested a large volume of records, for security or other important reasons. We will notify you of any charge for reproducing such records before they are sent to you.
- Include your e-mail, mailing address and fax number, as well as a telephone number where you can be reached during business hours, if it is necessary to clarify your request.
- Please note that the agency is not required to create a new record in response to FOIL requests.
