Guidelines for Requests for Public Information
- The Department of Financial Institutions ("DFI")
will grant access to any non-confidential records ("Public
Records") held in its files in a reasonable time and
manner to any requesting person.
- Public Records that are exempt from disclosure, privileged,
or confidential pursuant to federal or state law, including
the California Public Records Act and the Information Practices
Act, will not be disclosed to any person.
- Public Records may be requested, and will be made available
for inspection, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- In order to preserve the integrity of the requested Public
Records against theft, destruction, alteration, or accidental
damage, and to ensure that requests for Public Records do
not interfere with the normal operation of DFI, any person
requesting Public Records shall comply with the following:
- Requests for Public Records may be made in writing,
email, fax, telephone, or in person;
- Requests for Public Records shall include a concise
statement specifically identifying the Public Records
sought, the format in which the person wishes the Public
Records. DFI will comply with the requested format, if
possible and practicable, on a good faith best efforts
basis;
- Persons requesting Public Records shall make such request
a reasonable period of time prior to inspection;
- Persons inspecting Public Records shall not destroy,
mutilate, alter or otherwise damage Public Records, nor
shall any Public Records be removed from the offices of
DFI. All Public Records shall be returned in the condition
in which they were received;
- All Public Records shall be returned upon completion
of inspection or at the request of DFI personnel;
- DFI functions will not be suspended to permit, nor
shall Public Records be made available for, inspection
during periods when the use of such Public Records is
reasonably required by DFI personnel.
- Public Records shall be inspected only in the presence
of DFI personnel within the offices of DFI, except as otherwise
directed by the Commissioner.
- Copies of Public Records will, if requested, be provided
for a fee of $0.25 per page.
- DFI may, in the discretion of the Commissioner, charge
a fee reasonably necessary to offset the costs of actual
retrieval of the requested Public Records.
- A copy of these guidelines shall be posted in, or near
the entry of, each office of DFI.
