Guidelines for Requests for Public Information

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Public Records may be requested, and will be made available for inspection, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
  4. 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:

    1. Requests for Public Records may be made in writing, email, fax, telephone, or in person;
    2. 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;
    3. Persons requesting Public Records shall make such request a reasonable period of time prior to inspection;
    4. 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;
    5. All Public Records shall be returned upon completion of inspection or at the request of DFI personnel;
    6. 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.

  1. Public Records shall be inspected only in the presence of DFI personnel within the offices of DFI, except as otherwise directed by the Commissioner.
  2. Copies of Public Records will, if requested, be provided for a fee of $0.25 per page.
  3. 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.
  4. A copy of these guidelines shall be posted in, or near the entry of, each office of DFI.