Open Public Records Act
| The
Open Public Records
Act (OPRA) is a new
state law that was
enacted to give the
public greater access
to government records
maintained by public
agencies in New Jersey. |
 |
The public has
the right under OPRA
to examine or obtain
copies of those public
records that are not
subject to exceptions
from disclosure. Under
OPRA, all levels of New
Jersey government are
required to produce records,
when properly requested.
Certain records are considered
exceptions. OPRA expands
the intent of the Right
to Know law by re-defining
what records are available
to the public, by setting
standards for accessing
those records, and penalties
for failing to disclose
them.
For information please select one of the following:
New Jersey Department
of Transportation
(NJDOT)
and the Transportation
Trust Fund Authority
(TTFA):
Official Custodian of Records
Office of Inspector General
New Jersey Department of Transportation
1035 Parkway Avenue
PO Box 600
Trenton, NJ 08625-0600
Phone: 609.530.8045
Send Email
| Online Request Form
Motor
Vehicle Commission:
Official Custodian of Records
Motor Vehicle Commission
PO Box 122
225 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08666-01222
Attention: Manager of Information
Update and Retrieval
Motor Vehicle Commission OPRA information
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
(New Jersey Turnpike
and the Garden State
Parkway):
Official Custodian of Records
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
New
Jersey Turnpike Authority OPRA information
South Jersey Transportation
Authority:
Official Custodian of Records
South Jersey Transportation Authority
Farley Service Plaza
PO Box 351
Hammonton, NJ 08037-0351
South
Jersey Transportation Authority OPRA information
New Jersey Transit Corporation:
Official Custodian of Records
NJ TRANSIT
One Penn Plaza East
Newark, NJ 07105-2246
NJ TRANSIT OPRA information
Requests for government records
(a) All requests for access to government records pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., as amended and supplemented, held
or controlled by the Department or a Constitutional agency, shall
be made in writing. Access means inspection, examination, or copying.
(b) The requestor shall provide the following information
on the request form:
- The name, address, and telephone number of the requestor;
- A description of the government record sought, method of
access and if copies are sought, the medium requested and mode
of delivery; and
- The date submitted to the division or agency custodian.
(c) Copies
of the request form shall
be available at the offices
of the records custodians
of the NJDOT,
the TTFA, the New Jersey
Motor Vehicle Commission,
and each Constitutional
agency.
Official request for NJDOT and TTFA government records access can be made on the Online Request Form.
Procedures for requests
(a) Request forms shall be hand delivered during normal
business hours of the public agency, mailed, or transmitted electronically
by facsimile, e-mail or web site access by the requestor to the
appropriate division or agency custodian of records.
(b) Upon receipt of the request form, the custodian shall
review the request form for clarity and completeness. If the request
form is unclear as to the government record requested, the custodian
shall advise the requestor of the deficiency, provided the requestor
has included contact information on the form. The custodian may
require the requestor to provide additional information to identify
the record or to ascertain the requestor’s identity and status
to determine whether access is authorized. The custodian shall
deny a request for access if the request is unclear or incomplete
after attempting to reach a reasonable resolution with the requestor.
A request shall not be deemed complete until the pre-payment required
under this section is received by the custodian.
(c) All inquiries and processes involving the request
shall include a tracking number.
(d) Upon receipt of a request form, the custodian may
estimate the cost of providing the records and may require the
pre-payment of the estimated sum, and of any special mailing or
delivery costs. Payment shall be made by cash, check, or money
order payable to the State of New Jersey. Except as provided otherwise
by law or regulation, costs shall be those set forth in N.J.S.A.
47:1A-1 et seq., as amended and supplemented.
(e) The custodian shall sign and date the request form,
enter the estimated fee and, if applicable, tracking number, and
provide the requestor with a copy.
(f) A fee shall not be required for inspecting or examining
government records.
(g) Upon request, a custodian may allow requestors to
use the requestor’s own photocopying equipment to copy public
records, provided that it will not disrupt the business operations
of the custodian and will not endanger the public records.
For more information, visit the
Government Records Council
web site.
