Oregon Public Records Information

In keeping with the initiative of government transparency by the Attorney General in the Oregon State, this state maintains a policy of the Oregon public records being open to the public. The open government laws in Oregon assists the several state government as well as the local government agencies and the general public to quickly access, view and scrutinize the records held by the sate.

Oregon Public Records

The State of Oregon considers all records of the government as public records with certain exceptions. As per state laws an Oregon public record is any document or writing which includes information dealing with public business owned, used, prepared or retained by any public body in the State of Oregon.

The Oregon Public Records Law is applicable to all public bodies including every department of the government at the state as well as the local level, government agencies, officers, bureaus, commissions and boards, every governing body at the county and city level, special districts, school districts, and municipalities.

Types of Oregon Public Records

• Death Records
• Birth Records
• Court Records
• Marriage Records
• Divorce Records
• Vital Records
• Records from the DMV including driver license information and vehicle registration details
• Government Employment Records
• Business Records
• Naturalization Records
• Information on the Worker’s Compensation and Benefits
• Records of the School District listings including location of schools and their contact details and updates
• Tax Records
• Probate Records
• Records about wills, trusteeship and guardianship records
• Records on Medical Licenses
• Records of the State Bar Association
• Offender Records including sex offenders, fugitives and felony fugitives
• Voter Registration Records

Requesting an Oregon Public Record

To access the Oregon public records you need to send the request to the specific government agency who is the custodian of the public records. The custodian of the specific Oregon public records will have the authority over the upkeep of the records or have a copy of the records that are of interest to you. While sending your request it is preferred that you send the request in writing via mail or an e-mail.

The individuals have the right to access the Oregon public records, inspect its contents and request for a copy of the Oregon public record. To ensure that you receive the correct record/record quickly it is best to be more specific. This will help the custodian of the records to respond quickly. In case you are not sure about the scope of the requested public record opt for a narrow search request. Once the government body is able to provide information about the request you can always request for additional records.

All the public bodies in Oregon State have procedures for requesting the public records that are in their possession along with the cost involved. In addition it is the responsibility of the public bodies to respond within a certain time frame.

For more information about the Oregon public records as well as guidelines on making a public records request you can view the following link: http://www.doj.state.or.us/public_records/citizens_guide.shtml.

You may also find this link useful: http://www.doj.state.or.us/public_records/index.shtml.

You can also send your request for the Oregon public records request over the Internet for the records held by the Oregon Department of Justice by using this form: http://www.doj.state.or.us/forms/public_records_petition.pdf.