Question
Am I required to provide my name and contact number when requesting a public record?
Answer
If you walk into an agency and ask to see a particular record or records, I am not aware of any requirement that you provide your name or other identifying information in order to view the records.
However, as a practical matter, if you are submitting a request in writing the agency may need to know where (and to whom) to send the records.
In addition, if the agency is attempting to determine whether to withhold records under Government Code section 6255, on the ground that the public interest in non-disclosure clearly outweighs the public interest in disclosure, it may want to know who is requesting the records, and for what reason, in order to conduct that balancing test.
Asked & Answered posts should not be relied on as legal advice, and FAC makes no guarantees about their completeness or accuracy. All posts carry a date of publication that readers should take note of in assessing their usefulness, given that laws and interpretations of them may change over time. Posts predating Jan. 1, 2023, that discuss the California Public Records Act may contain statute numbers no longer in use. Please see this page for a table showing how the California Public Records Act has been renumbered.