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Alaska's 10-working-day public records deadline explained

Updated 2026-05-19. Plain-language guide; not legal advice.

Where the 10-day deadline comes from

The 10-working-day response deadline is set by AS 40.25.110(b). The clock starts the working day after the agency receives your request. It ends 10 working days later.

The deadline applies to all agencies covered by the PRA: state executive departments, the legislature's public-records branch, the judicial branch's administrative arm, boroughs, municipalities, school districts, and most public corporations.

What counts as a "working day"

"Working days" exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and the twelve Alaska state legal holidays enumerated in AS 44.12.010:

• New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day
• Seward's Day (last Monday in March, unique to Alaska)
• Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day
• Alaska Day (October 18, unique to Alaska)
• Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas

Federal holidays not on this list (e.g., Columbus Day, Juneteenth federal observance) do not toll the deadline. Saturday holidays are observed Friday; Sunday holidays are observed Monday.

Our deadline calculator accounts for all of these.

What counts as the agency 'responding'

A response can take several forms:

• Production of the records — the cleanest response
• Fee estimate — common for substantial requests; the 10-day clock pauses while you decide
• Acknowledgment with an extension notice — AS 40.25.110(d) allows one additional 10-working-day extension if the agency notifies you in writing
• Denial — must cite the specific exemption
• Partial production with redactions and a written explanation

Silence past the deadline is not a response. It is a violation of the statute.

What to do when an agency blows the deadline

Three escalating moves:

1. Send a written reminder citing AS 40.25.110(b). Many missed deadlines are administrative slips, not refusals; a polite reminder resolves them.
2. Escalate to the department head (state) or to the manager / mayor / superintendent (local). Include the original request, the date filed, and the deadline date.
3. File for judicial review under AS 40.25.215. Constructive denial is a recognized basis for action.

If your request is published as a public status page on this platform, missed deadlines are automatically flagged on our late list.

Frequently asked questions

How many working days does an Alaska agency have to respond to a records request?

Ten working days under AS 40.25.110(b), with one possible 10-working-day extension under AS 40.25.110(d) if the agency notifies you in writing.

Do weekends count toward the 10-day deadline?

No. Saturdays, Sundays, and Alaska state legal holidays do not count.

Does the 10-day clock pause if the agency asks for a fee?

Effectively yes — the agency's fee-quote response is itself a response, and the clock starts again once you confirm willingness to pay or reach an agreement on scope.