Costs

A public body may make reasonable charges not to exceed its actual cost incurred in accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the requested records and shall make all reasonable efforts to supply the requested records at the lowest possible cost. No public body shall impose any extraneous, intermediary, or surplus fees or expenses to recoup the general costs associated with creating or maintaining records or transacting the general business of the public body. Any duplicating fee charged by a public body shall not exceed the actual cost of duplication. Prior to conducting a search for records, the public body shall notify the requester in writing that the public body may make reasonable charges not to exceed its actual cost incurred in accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for requested records and inquire of the requester whether he would like to request a cost estimate in advance of the supplying of the requested records as set forth in subsection F of § 2.2-3704 of the Code of Virginia.

Virginia Tech strives to provide records at no cost and makes all reasonable efforts to supply requested records at the lowest possible cost. However, in cases where costs are to be applied, such as those requiring significant staff time, Virginia Tech will notify you in advance. If Virginia Tech estimates it will cost more than $200 to respond to your request, consistent with Va. Code § 2.2-3704(H) Virginia Tech will require you to pay a deposit, not to exceed the amount of the estimate, before proceeding with your request. The statutory periods for response times are held in abeyance pending the resolution of cost issues.

Virginia Tech’s charges will generally include items like staff time spent searching for the requested records, copying costs, or any other costs directly related to supplying the requested records, which may include costs associated with the use of any specialized software. Virginia Tech charges are based on the hourly rate of the base salary of the employee who will access, duplicate, supply, or search for the requested records, including time for research, data analysis, report preparation, and redaction, if required.

Pursuant to Va. Code § 3704(I), if you owe Virginia Tech money from a previous FOIA request that has remained unpaid for more than 30 days, Virginia Tech will require payment of the amount owed before responding to your new FOIA request.

An estimate is just that – an estimate. Actual costs may be greater than or less than the estimated amount.  The University will refund any overage paid, or invoice for additional monies owed. All payments may be made online by credit card, debit card, or electronic check.  Arrangements can also be made for paying offline.

For questions about how Virginia Tech charges for FOIA requests, email FOIA@vt.edu.