How to File a Public Records Request in Savannah, Georgia

What Is the Georgia Open Records Act?

The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-70 through 50-18-78) is Georgia's primary transparency law, guaranteeing any person — resident or not — the right to inspect and copy records maintained by public agencies. The General Assembly has declared that the strong public policy of the state favors open government, and the Act must be broadly construed to allow inspection of governmental records. The City of Savannah, as a municipal corporation, is fully subject to the Act.

Public records encompass a wide range of materials: documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, computer-based or generated information, and similar materials prepared, maintained, or received in the course of a public agency's operations. Examples include meeting minutes, city contracts, building permits, emails from city officials, police incident reports, and budget documents.

Exemptions exist but must be interpreted narrowly. Common exempt categories include records in active criminal investigations (though initial arrest and incident reports are always available), personnel records containing private employee data, medical records, attorney-client privileged communications, and records federally mandated to remain confidential. When the City withholds records, it must cite the exact statutory exemption under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). Failure to provide the precise citation may waive the exemption. Requesters need not state a purpose for their request, and there are no restrictions on how records may be used once obtained.

Read the full text of the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-70 through 50-18-78)

How to File a Public Records Request with the City of Savannah

How to Submit Your Request

The City of Savannah processes open records requests through a centralized JustFOIA online portal at savannahga.justfoia.com. This is the City's preferred and most efficient submission method — the portal routes your request to the appropriate department custodian and generates an automatic confirmation with a tracking number. For police reports specifically, the Savannah Police Department Records Unit handles fulfillment as authorized designees of the Clerk of Council; you can select the police option within the JustFOIA portal or contact the Records Unit directly. For general city records, you may also submit in writing by email to ClerkofCouncil@savannahga.gov, by mail to City Hall, or in person at the Clerk of Council's first-floor office. Written requests are strongly recommended — under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73, only written requests can be enforced in court.

What to Include in Your Request

• Your full name and preferred contact information (mailing address, email, or phone)
• A clear, specific description of the records you are seeking
• The date range or time period covering the records, if applicable
• The department or office you believe holds the records (e.g., Savannah Police Department, Planning and Urban Design, City Manager's Office)
• Your preferred format for receiving records (electronic PDF or paper copies)
• A stated fee threshold above which you want to be notified before production begins
• If requesting police or fire reports, indicate the incident date, report number, or other identifying details

Response Deadlines and What to Expect

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(A), the City of Savannah must respond to a written open records request within three business days of receipt. Georgia law does not distinguish between in-state residents and out-of-state requesters — the three-business-day deadline applies equally to everyone. The clock begins running from the time the written request is received by the designated Open Records Officer or an authorized department custodian.

A "response" within three business days does not always mean full production of records in that window. If records exist but cannot be produced immediately, the City must — within three business days — provide a written description of the responsive records and a reasonable timeline for when they will be made available. Production must then occur as soon as practicable.

If the City withholds any records, it must cite the exact code section, subsection, and paragraph of the applicable exemption under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). Failure to cite the specific statutory basis may constitute a waiver of the exemption. The Savannah Police Department Records Unit notes that police report requests may take up to three business days to process.

Fees may be assessed for search, retrieval, redaction, and copying. The Clerk of Council's office charges $0.10 per page for paper copies, consistent with the Georgia Open Records Act cap under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(c). Search and retrieval time is billed at the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee qualified to perform the work, with no charge for the first 15 minutes. Electronic records can generally be emailed at no additional charge when a valid email address is provided. If estimated costs exceed $500, the City may require prepayment before beginning the search.

What to Do If Your Request Is Denied or Delayed

A denial or non-response from the City of Savannah is not the end of the road. The Georgia Open Records Act gives requesters meaningful tools to push back — and Savannah's own City government has publicly affirmed that it is bound by the Act to make records available to anyone who asks.

If the City fails to respond within three business days, or withholds records without citing a specific statutory exemption, those are potential violations of O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Any denial must cite the precise code section, subsection, and paragraph under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). An agency that fails to provide the correct exemption citation may be deemed to have waived it.

Common reasons Savannah departments deny or delay requests include: records from active or pending criminal investigations (though initial incident and arrest reports must always be produced); personnel records containing private data such as home addresses and financial information; attorney-client privileged communications; records federally mandated to remain confidential; and open employee misconduct investigation files. If your request spans multiple departments, some portions may be produced while others are withheld — the City must segregate and release any non-exempt material.

If you believe a denial is improper, your most direct step is to contact the Clerk of Council directly to request clarification or reconsideration. You may also contact the Georgia Attorney General's Office at law.georgia.gov, which provides open records guidance and may initiate its own enforcement actions.

If informal resolution fails, you may file a civil action in the Superior Court of Chatham County to compel disclosure under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a). Georgia courts have consistently upheld the strong public policy in favor of open government. If the court finds that the City acted without substantial justification in withholding records, it must — absent special circumstances — award reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs to the prevailing requester under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(b).

Steps to Appeal

1. Review the denial letter to confirm the City cited a specific statutory exemption by exact code section, subsection, and paragraph as required by O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d); if no specific citation was provided, note this deficiency in writing — it may constitute a waiver of the exemption.
2. Contact the designated department custodian to clarify the basis for denial and request that any non-exempt portions be segregated and produced; partial production is required under Georgia law.
3. Escalate to the Clerk of Council, Mark Massey ((912) 651-6441, ClerkofCouncil@savannahga.gov), who is the official citywide Open Records Officer designated under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(B).
4. Contact the Georgia Attorney General's Office at law.georgia.gov for guidance on compliance; the AG may bring independent enforcement actions under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a).
5. Send a formal written demand to the Clerk of Council and the City Attorney citing the specific violation, the three-business-day deadline under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(A), and your intent to seek judicial enforcement if the matter is not resolved.
6. File a civil action in the Superior Court of Chatham County to compel production of the records under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a).
7. If the court finds the City acted without substantial justification, request an award of attorney's fees and litigation costs under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(b); note that the court must award fees absent special circumstances — the standard is whether the agency's position lacked substantial justification, not whether the requester ultimately prevailed on every point.

Types of Records You Can Request from Savannah, Georgia

Savannah's city government generates a broad range of records that are presumptively public under the Georgia Open Records Act. Below are common record types requested from the City by residents, journalists, researchers, and businesses.

• City contracts, vendor agreements, and procurement documents
• Police incident reports and initial arrest reports (including use-of-force reports)
• Building permits, zoning applications, and development approval records
• City Council meeting minutes, agendas, and supporting materials
• Mayor's Office and City Manager correspondence
• City employee salary, payroll, and benefits records
• Budget documents, expenditure reports, and financial audits
• 911 call logs and dispatch records
• Code enforcement inspection records and violation notices
• Savannah Department of Transportation project files and traffic studies
• Historic preservation and landmark designation records
• Special event permits and film/tourism permits
• Settlement agreements and litigation records involving the City
• Municipal Archives and historic city records
• SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) project expenditure records

If you're unsure whether a specific document is a public record, file the request anyway. The burden is on the City of Savannah to justify withholding — not on you to pre-determine what's available.

Tips for Effective Public Records Requests in Savannah