New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR)
Title 13 Part 120
Department of Law
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8 sections
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Ask LawEngine about the NYCRR →Create a free account →All 23 titles. No credit card required.13 NYCRR 120.1 - Purpose
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
This Part contains the procedures to be followed by the Department of Law in compliance with chapter 933 of the Laws of 1977 entitled “Freedom of Information Law”.
13 NYCRR 120.5 - Locations and hours for public access
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
(a)The following locations and/or offices of the Department of Law are hereby designated to receive requests for information under the Freedom of Information Law:
RECORDS ACCESS LOCATIONS
| Albany: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Administrative Bureau | |
| Platform Level, Justice Building | |
| Empire State Plaza | |
| Albany, New York 12223 | |
| New York City: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Administrative Office | |
| 28 Liberty Street | |
| New York, New York 10005 | |
| Auburn: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 10 Lower Metcalf Plaza | |
| Auburn, New York 13021 | |
| Binghamton: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Binghamton State Office Bldg. | |
| 44 Hawley Street | |
| Binghamton, New York 13901 | |
| Buffalo: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 65 Court Street | |
| Buffalo, New York 14202 | |
| Hauppauge: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Suffolk State Office Building | |
| Veteran's Highway | |
| Hauppauge, New York 11787 | |
| Plattsburgh: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 48 Cornelia Street | |
| Plattsburgh, New York 12901 | |
| Poughkeepsie: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 40 Garden Street | |
| Poughkeepsie, New York 14614 | |
| Rochester: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 65 Broad Street | |
| Rochester, New York 14614 | |
| Syracuse: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| 333 E. Washington Street | |
| Syracuse, New York 13202 | |
| Utica: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Utica State Office Bldg. | |
| 207 Genesee Street | |
| Box 528 | |
| Utica, New York 13501 | |
| Watertown: | State of New York |
| Department of Law | |
| Watertown State Office Building | |
| 317 Washington Street | |
| Watertown, New York 13601 | |
| Special Investigation of the | State of New York |
| New York City Criminal Justice System: | Office of the Special Prosecutor |
| 28 Liberty Street | |
| New York, New York 10005 | |
| Special Investigation for | State of New York |
| Nursing Homes, Health and Social Services: | Special Prosecutor for Nursing Homes, Health and Social Services |
| 270 Broadway | |
| New York, New York 10007 | |
| Statewide Organized Crime | State of New York |
| Task Force: | Statewide Organized Crime Task Force |
| Empire State Plaza | |
| Agency Building #1, 9th Floor | |
| Albany, New York 12223 | |
| Special Investigation | State of New York |
| Onondaga County | Office of the Special Prosecutor for Onondaga County |
| Suite 101 | |
| 360 South Warren Street | |
| Syracuse, New York 13201 |
(b)The records access officers shall be:
(1)the first assistant Attorney General;
(2)the administrative director, New York State Department of Law;
(3)a special assistant Attorney General designated for each special investigation established pursuant to statute; and
(4)an assistant Attorney General for the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force established pursuant to section 70-a of the Executive Law. Requests for records pursuant to this Part received in the New York City and metropolitan area shall be referred to the first assistant Attorney General for disposition. Requests from the upstate area shall be referred to the administrative director of the Department of Law for disposition. Requests for records of Special Investigations, including the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force, established pursuant to statute, shall be referred to the Office of the Investigation, Attention Records Access Officer.
(c)Requests for information will be received and inspections permitted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at each location on all days when such location is open for business.
13 NYCRR 120.10 - Requests for records
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
(a)Persons appearing in person to request access to records will be required to complete the following request form:
APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO RECORDS
RECORDS ACCESS OFFICER
Name of Agency Request Number
Address
I HEREBY APPLY TO INSPECT THE FOLLOWING RECORD:
Name Representing
Mailing Address Telephone Number
Signature Date
FOR AGENCY USE ONLY
APPROVED
DENIED (for the reason(s) checked below)
___Confidential Disclosure __ Part of Investigatory Files
___Unwarranted Invasion of Personal Privacy
___Record of Which This Agency is Legal Custodian Cannot Be Found
___Record is not Maintained by This Agency
___Exempted by Statute Other Than the Freedom of Information Act
___ Request has been Referred to Department Which has Custody or Control of Original Record
___Other (specify)
Signature
Title Date
NOTICE: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL A DENIAL OF THIS APPLICATION TO THE HEAD OF THIS AGENCY OR HIS DESIGNEE WHO IS:
Name Business Address
WHO MUST FULLY EXPLAIN HIS REASONS FOR SUCH DENIAL IN WRITING WITHIN SEVENWORKING DAYS OF RECEIPT OF AN APPEAL
I Hereby Appeal:
Signature Date
(b)Requests made orally or in a form other than authorized by this Part will not be entertained.
(c)Requests by mail will be processed at the location where received either by mail or by intra-departmental routing. Such requests will be processed if the requestor and material sought are sufficiently identified to make compliance practicable. In the absence of such identification, the department may send to the requestor a copy of the above form for completion in order that the request may be considered.
13 NYCRR 120.15 - Responses to requests
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
(a)The records access officer shall within five business days:
(1)approve the request and authorize inspection of and copying of the record and certification of correctness of such copy; or
(2)deny the request and state the reason therefor on the application form; or
(3)if the request does not clearly identify the records sought, seek additional information from the requestor; or
(4)acknowledge receipt of the request and provide a statement of the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied.
(b)The records access officer shall, in authorizing issuance of copies, direct such omissions as may be required to protect the personal privacy of individuals in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Law, or any other applicable law, or regulation.
13 NYCRR 120.20 - Fees
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
(a)No charge will be made for the first five or fewer pages of photocopy of pages not larger than 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches. No charge will be made to certify a record or to certify a denial of a request for a record and the reason therefor.
(b)A charge will be made of 25 cents per page of photocopy of pages not larger than 8-1/2 inches by 14 inches apart from the aforementioned five pages furnished without charge.
(c)Charges for materials or services not specified by statute or regulation shall be based on the actual cost thereof to the department.
(d)Payment for information services should be made by check or money order payable to “New York State Department of Law”.
(e)Where it is anticipated that the fees chargeable for records on a single request will amount to more than $25 and the requestor has not indicated in advance his willingness to pay fees in such amount, the requestor shall be notified of the amount of the anticipated fee or such portion thereof as can readily be estimated. Such notice shall offer to the requestor an opportunity to confer with department personnel in order to revise the request if he so desires.
13 NYCRR 120.25 - Departmental finding list
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
The department shall develop a record finding list for use at departmental access locations in conformity with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Law.
13 NYCRR 120.30 - Appeals
Source version current through Jan 15, 2026
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Source version current through
- Jan 15, 2026
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
(a)The head of the department to whom the appeals from denial of access may be made is the Attorney General, except that for special investigations established pursuant to statute, appeals will be made to the Special Deputy Attorney General in charge or his designee, or in the case of the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force, the Deputy Attorney General or his designee. The Attorney General or the Special Deputy Attorney General or the Deputy Attorney General for the Organized Crime Task Force may designate a representative to determine such appeals and to exercise their powers and duties under subdivision 4 of section 89 of the Freedom of Information Law.
(b)When a records access officer has denied a request for records in whole or in part, the requestor may, within 30 days of its receipt, appeal the denial to the Attorney General's designated representative or to the Attorney General if he has made no such designation, or in the case of a Special Investigation established pursuant to statute to the Special Deputy Attorney General or his designee, or in the case of the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force to the Deputy Attorney General or his designee.
(c)The Attorney General or his authorized representative, or the Special Deputy Attorney General for each special investigation or his designee, or the Deputy Attorney General for the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force or his designee, will act upon the appeal within seven business days of its receipt. A denial in whole or in part of a request on appeal shall set forth the reason therefor in writing.
13 NYCRR 120.35 - Posted notice
A matched Register action is not later than the compiled-text reference date.
Dates and status
- NYCRR title agency
- Department of Law
- Section status
- Section source receipt
- Related Register notice
- LAW-13-18-00010-A · Adopted rule
- Related notice published
- Jul 3, 2018
- Related notice effective date
- Jul 3, 2018
The department shall cause to be conspicuously displayed at each access location, a notice clearly indicating:
(a)the head of the department;
(b)the records access locations, times and officers designated by the department;
(c)the schedule of applicable fees; and
(d)the right of a request or to appeal a denial of access and an outline of the procedure to be followed.