{
 "topic": "FOIA section 6(b)",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/6(b)",
 "family": "Fees and electronic formats",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-6-b/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 2,
  "no_violation": 12,
  "no_determination": 0,
  "other": 0
 },
 "challenge_notes": {
  "generated_by": "AI summary of the decisions listed on this page; not legal advice; verify each decision against its PDF",
  "when_a_challenge_is_strong": [
   {
    "text": "The public body charges fees for copying records that are not responsive to your request.",
    "why": "A public body may not charge fees for reproducing records that are not responsive to a FOIA request.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Records concerning a specific property address",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76410/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body imposes a fee set by an administrative rule rather than a statute.",
    "why": "A fee set by administrative rule does not supersede FOIA fee provisions because it is not fixed by statute.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "In-car traffic stop video footage on DVD",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-31244/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "when_the_body_usually_wins": [
   {
    "text": "The public body charges up to 15 cents per page for paper copies after the first 50 free pages.",
    "why": "FOIA permits this fee for black and white, letter or legal sized copies.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Bank statements and copying fees for paper records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91083/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Documents about a city's property acquisition for a Dollar General store",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53612/#issue-3"
     },
     {
      "title": "A fee waiver request for medical and classification records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-55719/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Municipal financial reports, budgets, and ordinances",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-46913/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body charges a fee fixed by another statute (e.g., Business Corporation Act, Counties Code).",
    "why": "FOIA allows fees fixed by other statutes to take precedence over its own fee provisions.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body charges a fee for photographing records during an inspection.",
    "why": "The Medical Examiner's Office could assess a $5.00 per page fee for photographs taken of inquest files.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Historical inquest files from 1912 and 1914",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-43174/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body charges copying fees for all responsive pages beyond 50, even if you already possess some records.",
    "why": "The statutory copying fee applies to all responsive pages, regardless of prior possession.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A village's legal invoice redactions and copying fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-56112/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body charges fees for a voluminous request, even if the response is late.",
    "why": "Section 3.6 provides no fee waiver or penalty for a late voluminous request response, so fees under section 6(b) may be charged.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Office of Professional Review reports and security camera footage of grievances",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-40373/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "points_to_put_in_the_letter": [
   {
    "text": "If you were charged for copying records that are not responsive to your request, state that section 6(b) prohibits fees for reproducing non-responsive records.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Records concerning a specific property address",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76410/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the fee is set by an administrative rule rather than a statute, argue that FOIA only allows fees fixed by other statutes to take precedence, and an administrative rule does not supersede FOIA.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "In-car traffic stop video footage on DVD",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-31244/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "facts_to_gather": [
   "Whether the records for which you were charged were responsive to your request.",
   "The specific statute or rule the public body cites as authority for the fee.",
   "The number of pages provided and the per-page fee charged.",
   "Whether the records are maintained only in paper format.",
   "Whether you already possessed some of the responsive records before the request."
  ],
  "common_mistakes": [
   {
    "text": "Assuming that a fee set by another statute is automatically invalid under FOIA.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that a late response to a voluminous request waives copying fees.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Office of Professional Review reports and security camera footage of grievances",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-40373/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that you cannot be charged for copies of records you already possess.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A village's legal invoice redactions and copying fees",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-56112/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that photographing records during an inspection is always free.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Historical inquest files from 1912 and 1914",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-43174/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that a fee set by an administrative rule is permissible because it is an official rule.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "In-car traffic stop video footage on DVD",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-31244/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "caution": "These notes are based on non-binding determination letters from the Public Access Bureau; outcomes depend on specific facts, and you should verify the full text of any cited decision."
 },
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "Fee for paper copies of records not maintained electronically",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may charge up to 15 cents per page for paper copies of records it maintains only in paper format.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Bank statements and copying fees for paper records",
    "date": "2025-12-24",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91083/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Improper fee for unresponsive records",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body may not charge fees for reproducing records that are not responsive to a FOIA request.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Records concerning a specific property address",
    "date": "2023-07-20",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76410/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Fee for business corporation records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA permits fees fixed by other statutes; the Business Corporation Act fee for copies of corporate records takes precedence over FOIA's fee provisions.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
    "date": "2020-02-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Fee for not-for-profit corporation records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA permits fees fixed by other statutes; the General Not for Profit Corporation Act fee for copies of corporate records takes precedence over FOIA's fee provisions.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Fees for corporate records from a secretary of state",
    "date": "2020-02-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61612/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Copy fee for responsive records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may charge the statutory copying fee for all responsive pages exceeding the first 50 free pages, regardless of whether the requester already possesses some records.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A village's legal invoice redactions and copying fees",
    "date": "2019-04-08",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-56112/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Copying fee of 15 cents per page",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "The fee for black and white, letter or legal sized copies shall not exceed 15 cents per page.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A fee waiver request for medical and classification records",
    "date": "2018-12-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-55719/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Fees for autopsy and toxicology reports",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA allows fees fixed by other statutes; the Counties Code sets specific fees for autopsy and toxicology reports, so those fees apply.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
    "date": "2018-07-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Certification fee",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA permits a certification fee not exceeding $1, so the Coroner's Office may charge $1 for certified copies.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Autopsy and toxicology report fees",
    "date": "2018-07-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53735/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Copying fee for paper copies",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may charge up to 15 cents per page for paper copies after the first 50 free pages, and the assessed fee was permissible.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Documents about a city's property acquisition for a Dollar General store",
    "date": "2019-01-08",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53612/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Copying fee schedule",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may charge up to 15 cents per page for copies beyond the first 50 free pages.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Municipal financial reports, budgets, and ordinances",
    "date": "2017-05-02",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-46913/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether CPD improperly imposed copying fees",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may charge copying fees if it responds to the request within 5 business days.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Copying fees for crime scene photographs",
    "date": "2017-02-09",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-45372/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Fee for photographing inquest records during inspection",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Under section 6(b) of FOIA, the Medical Examiner's Office did not improperly respond by stating it would assess a $5.00 per page fee for photographs taken of the inquest files.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Historical inquest files from 1912 and 1914",
    "date": "2020-07-17",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-43174/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "People ex. rel. Gibson v. Peller, 34 Ill. App. 2d 372 (1962)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Phoenix Bond & Indemnity Co. v. Pappas, 194 Ill. 2d 99, 106 (2000)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether fees may be charged for copies of voluminous request records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Section 3.6 provides no fee waiver or penalty for a late voluminous request response, so fees under section 6(b) may be charged.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Office of Professional Review reports and security camera footage of grievances",
    "date": "2016-07-12",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-40373/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Administrative Code fee not authorized by statute",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A fee set by administrative rule does not supersede FOIA fee provisions because it is not fixed by statute.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "In-car traffic stop video footage on DVD",
    "date": "2018-02-21",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-31244/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 39015",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 17989",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  }
 ]
}