Kansas Open Records Act (KORA)

Response Timeline

No fixed statutory response deadline. Agencies should respond promptly. Under 1 hour of staff time or 25 pages typically provided at no charge. No specific number of days required.

No residency requirement. Any person may request public records under KORA.

How to Submit a Request

Accepted Methods

• Written — Email, mail, or fax
• In person — Accepted at agency offices
• Oral — Oral requests accepted for inspection

Written requests recommended but not required. Requests should describe records with reasonable specificity.

Required Elements

• Description of records sought
• Contact information for response

Optional Elements

• Preferred format
• Statement of purpose (not required)

Fees

$0.25/page reasonable guidance rate. Staff time guidance: attorney $60/hr, clerical $18/hr, IT $38/hr. Under 1 hour or 25 pages typically provided at no charge. Fees should reflect actual costs.

Fee Waivers

• Under 1 hour of staff time or 25 pages typically provided at no charge

No statutory poverty/indigency exception. De minimis requests (under 1 hour or 25 pages) are typically free. Fee waivers are otherwise discretionary.

Exemptions

• Trade secrets and proprietary commercial information
• Personal privacy - disclosure would constitute clearly unwarranted invasion
• Attorney-client privileged communications and work product
• Criminal investigation records
• Medical and health records
• Employee personnel records and evaluations
• Settlement agreement terms (with exceptions)
• Security measures and emergency response plans
• Examination questions and scoring materials
• Student educational records

Kansas has approximately 55 total exemptions spread across K.S.A. Chapter 45 and other statutes. This is one of the highest number of exemptions among US states. Exemptions are subject to narrow construction. AG has investigation authority since 2015.

Appeal Process

Fee disputes go to Secretary of Administration (final decision). Access denials go to District Court. The AG gained investigation authority in 2015 and can investigate potential KORA violations.

Request Templates

Records Retention

Kan. Stat. §45-401 to §45-413

View retention law →

Retention schedule catalog →

The State Records Board approves all retention and disposition schedules. The Kansas Historical Society is designated as the official State Archives. Compliance is mandatory for state agencies and county governments.

Sources & References

• Full text of law →
• Primary source →
• RCFP Open Government Guide — Kansas →
• NFOIC State FOI Resources →