Sec. 1401.8. Fees

Except when a different fee is otherwise prescribed by statute:

(a) An agency shall not charge a fee for the following:

(1) inspection of records for which no redaction is permitted;

(2) search for, administrative costs of, or employee time to prepare photocopies of records;

(3) review of the content of requested records to determine the extent to which records must be disclosed or may be withheld; or

(4) any certification required pursuant to this Part.

(b) An agency may charge a fee for photocopies of records, provided that:

(1) the fee shall not exceed 25 cents per page for photocopies not exceeding 9 by 14 inches. This section shall not be construed to mandate the raising of fees when an agency in the past has charged less than 25 cents for such copies;

(2) the fee for photocopies of records in excess of 9 x 14 inches shall not exceed the actual cost of reproduction; or

(3) an agency has the authority to redact portions of a paper record and does so prior to disclosure of the record by making a photocopy from which the proper redactions are made.

(c) The fee an agency may charge for a copy of any other record is based on the actual cost of reproduction and may include only the following:

(1) an amount equal to the hourly salary attributed to the lowest paid employee who has the necessary skill required to prepare a copy of the requested record, but only when more than two hours of the employee's time is necessary to do so; and

(2) the actual cost of the storage devices or media provided to the person making the request in complying with such request; or

(3) 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, and if such service is used to prepare the copy.

(d) When an agency has the ability to retrieve or extract a record or data maintained in a computer storage system with reasonable effort, or when doing so requires less employee time than engaging in manual retrieval or redactions from non-electronic records, the agency shall be required to retrieve or extract such record or data electronically. In such case, the agency may charge a fee in accordance with paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section.

(e) An agency shall inform a person requesting a record of the estimated cost of preparing a copy of the record if more than two hours of an agency employee's time is needed, or if it is necessary to retain an outside professional service to prepare a copy of the record.

(f) An agency may require that the fee for copying or reproducing a record be paid in advance of the preparation of such copy.

(g) An agency may waive a fee in whole or in part when making copies of records available.