How to Request Public Records from Louisville Metro

Louisville Metro Government is subject to the Kentucky Open Records Act, which grants the public a legal right to inspect and copy most government documents. This page explains the scope of that right, the procedural steps for submitting a request, the situations where requests are most commonly filed, and the distinctions between records that are disclosable and those that are exempt. Understanding this process matters because agencies are bound by statutory response deadlines and requesters have formal appeal rights when access is denied.

Definition and scope

The Kentucky Open Records Act, codified at Kentucky Revised Statutes §§ 61.870–61.884, defines "public records" as all documents, books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, recordings, or other documentary materials prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a public agency. Louisville Metro Government, as a consolidated local government formed under KRS Chapter 67C, is a public agency subject to this statute.

The scope is broad. Records generated by Louisville Metro departments and agencies — including the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Louisville Metro Health Department, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, and budget offices — are presumptively open. The law applies equally to electronic records such as emails, spreadsheets, databases, and video files maintained on government systems.

Importantly, the Act covers records that exist at the time of the request. Louisville Metro is not obligated to create new documents, compile custom reports, or answer questions as part of an Open Records response.

How it works

The procedural framework follows a defined sequence:

Identify the custodial agency. Each department or office within Louisville Metro maintains its own records. A request for police incident reports goes to the Louisville Metro Police Department; a request for building permits goes to the Department of Codes and Regulations. Routing a request to the wrong office delays the process.
Submit a written request. Under KRS § 61.872(2), a request must be in writing and must describe the records sought with enough specificity that staff can identify and locate them. Louisville Metro accepts requests submitted through its official public records request portal, by mail, or in person during regular business hours.
Await the agency response. Under KRS § 61.880(1), the agency must respond in writing within 3 business days of receiving the request. The response must either provide the records, notify the requester of a scheduled inspection date, or explain the basis for any denial with specific statutory citation.
Pay applicable fees. Agencies may charge for copies. Under KRS § 61.874(3), the standard fee may not exceed 10 cents per page for standard paper copies. Electronic records are often provided at no cost or at the actual cost of any required medium.
Pursue an appeal if denied. If a request is denied or a requester believes a response is incomplete, an appeal may be filed with the Kentucky Attorney General's Office of Open Records within 20 calendar days of the denial (KRS § 61.880(2)). A further appeal to Jefferson Circuit Court is available within 30 days of that decision.

Common scenarios

Open Records requests to Louisville Metro most frequently involve the following record categories:

Police incident and arrest reports — Used by attorneys, journalists, and individuals involved in incidents. Basic incident reports are generally releasable; investigative files for ongoing prosecutions may be partially withheld.
Budget and expenditure documents — Requesters examining how Louisville Metro budget allocations are spent often seek contracts, invoices, and purchase orders.
Zoning and land use files — Property owners and developers frequently request case files related to Louisville Metro zoning and land use decisions, variance applications, and inspection records.
Personnel records — Salary information for public employees is disclosable; home addresses, personal contact information, and certain performance records carry limited exemptions under KRS § 61.878(1)(a).
311 service request data — Logs from Louisville Metro 311 services document complaints, service responses, and infrastructure issues by neighborhood.

Decision boundaries

Not every document held by Louisville Metro is subject to disclosure. KRS § 61.878 enumerates specific exemptions. The most operationally significant distinctions are:

Disclosable without restriction:
- Final administrative decisions and the documents underlying them
- Contracts and disbursement records
- Inspection reports for regulated premises (restaurants, rental housing)
- Meeting minutes and agendas of public bodies

Subject to redaction or withholding:
- Records protected by attorney-client privilege (KRS § 61.878(1)(l))
- Ongoing law enforcement investigations where premature release would harm the investigation (KRS § 61.878(1)(h))
- Personal information whose disclosure would constitute "clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy" (KRS § 61.878(1)(a))
- Preliminary drafts and internal memoranda not adopted as final agency action (KRS § 61.878(1)(i)–(j))

A critical distinction separates inspection rights from copy rights. Any person physically present in Kentucky may inspect disclosable records. Non-residents may request copies by mail but do not hold the same in-person inspection right under KRS § 61.872(2). This geographic distinction has been clarified in Kentucky Attorney General opinions interpreting the Act.

For an overview of how Louisville Metro's consolidated government is structured — which directly determines which agency holds which records — the Louisville Metro Government reference page provides a full orientation to the metro's departmental organization.

How to Request Public Records from Louisville Metro

Definition and scope

How it works

Common scenarios

Decision boundaries

References

Read Next