Public Information Requests

September 4, 2020

PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER ANNOUNCEMENT

In early April, you will be able to submit a public information request to DPS through the agency’s new Public Information Center.

With the creation of a portal account, a requestor will be able to:

  • Submit a request and receive correspondence and records for that request, regardless of the size of the records
  • Track the status of the request
  • Access previous and current requests, as well as the responses and records produced
  • See records produced to other requestors that have been made available by DPS

 

The Public Information Act guarantees the public access to information maintained by a government agency. It is our policy to provide you with the fullest possible access to public information. If you wish to request records under the Texas Public Information Act, please refer to the following requirements and guidelines.

What Your Request Should Include

Requests for records under the Public Information Act must be in writing.  Including the following information in your request will help ensure that you receive the information you want:

  • Your name, email address and mailing address (so that we can send you a response)

  • Your phone number (so that we can contact you if we have questions about how to respond to your request)

  • A list or description of the specific information you are interested in, including time periods.  Try to be as specific as possible about the information you are seeking.  (Include dates, names of individuals, location of incident including county or city)

    Sample Written Request for Information -  
    DOC | PDF

How To Submit Your Request

  • Requests for information may be mailed to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Office of General Counsel - Open Records, Box 4087, Austin, TX 78773-0140; dropped off in person at 5805 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin; or submitted via the Public Information Request page, or emailed to OGC.Webmaster@dps.texas.gov. Please note that as of September 1, 2019, requests for information sent via fax will no longer be accepted.

    Electronic requests will be accepted only if they are sent through our Public Information Request page or emailed to OGC.Webmaster@dps.texas.gov.

  •  Telephone requests are not considered public information requests.

  • When making a request by mail or using the Public Information Request page, please indicate the appropriate division.  The following are frequently requested records:

Record Type Division
Personnel Records Human Resources
Complaint/Discipline Records Office of Inspector General
Vehicle Inspection Records Regulatory Services Division
Driver License Records Driver License Division
Criminal History Records Crime Records
Private Security Records Regulatory Services Division
License to Carry Records Regulatory Services Division
Commercial Motor Vehicle Records Motor Carrier Bureau
Breath Test Records Breath Alcohol Testing

 

Costs & Billing

Charges for copies of public information are set by the Office of the Attorney General.  If the records responsive to your request are less than 50 pages, the charge will be $0.10 per page plus the cost of postage (or other delivery method, at your request). If the responsive records are more than 50 pages, the charge will be $0.10 per page plus personnel costs for the time necessary to locate, compile and copy the documents as well as the cost of postage. 

If we anticipate the charge to fulfill your request will exceed $40.00, we will provide you with an itemized written estimate of the charges and indicate if a less costly alternative is available. 

You must respond in writing within 10 days after the estimate is sent that you will accept the costs, or that you desire any stated alternative.  If no written response is received in the time allowed by law, your request will be considered withdrawn.

If the anticipated charges for a particular request are more than $100.00 the Department will generally require a prepaid deposit or bond in the amount of the estimated cost before compiling the responsive records. Also, if you have an unpaid balance of more than $100.00 for previous requests, a prepaid deposit or bond may be required.

Crash Report

You may obtain a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3) (regular or certified) from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Report Online Purchase System.

Driving Record

To request a driving record, you must submit the required information and pay the applicable fee.

Criminal History Records

To request a criminal history record, you must submit the required information and pay the applicable fee.

  • You may obtain your own criminal history record by following the procedure set forth in CR-63, Procedure for Review of Personal Criminal History Record Information (PDF).

  • Criminal history record information pertaining to a conviction of or a grant of deferred adjudication to a person for any criminal offense is available online.

  • Public CHRI may also be obtained by submitting a request containing as much identifying information as possible, along with a check or money order in the amount of $10 made out to TxDPS, to Crime Records Service, PO Box 15999, Austin, TX 78761-5999.

DPS is under no legal obligation to respond if the requirements of the Public Information Act are not followed. For questions about the Public Information Act, please consult the Office of Attorney General, Open Government Division.

 

Legal Notices: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)