According to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(b), the following copying cost may apply:
- Every public agency is permitted to charge fees prescribed by law or regulation, including those outside of OPRA (e.g. N.J.S.A. 39:4-131 allows for a fee of up to $5.00 to disclose an accident report other than in person);
- Every public agency must charge $0.05 per page for letter sized pages and smaller;
- Every public agency must charge $0.07 per page for legal sized pages and larger;
- Every public agency must provide electronic records FREE OF CHARGE (i.e. records sent via e-mail and fax) unless in limited circumstances where an associated fee for production applies; and
- Every public agency must charge the actual cost to provide records in another medium (i.e. computer disc, CD-ROM, DVD).
The above does not include potential fees identified as a special service charge where the record cannot be reproduced using ordinary equipment, in ordinary business size; or the request involves an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort to accommodate the request. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(c).
Further, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(f) allows custodians to seek a deposit for any costs exceeding $5.00.
