Form A4-2. State Public-Records Request for UAP Records

Use. State and local agencies often hold UAP-related records: 911 and dispatch logs, police incident reports and body-camera video, state aviation and airport records, emergency management notifications, National Guard records created in state status, university research records, and correspondence with federal agencies. These are reachable under state law even when federal records are not.

Statute examples. California Public Records Act, Cal. Gov’t Code §7920.000 et seq. (and Cal. Const. art. I, §3(b)); Florida, Fla. Stat. ch. 119 (and Fla. Const. art. I, §24); New York FOIL, N.Y. Pub. Off. Law §§84-90; Texas Public Information Act, Tex. Gov’t Code ch. 552; Montana, Mont. Code Ann. §2-6-1001 et seq. (and Mont. Const. art. II, §9); Arizona, A.R.S. §39-121 et seq. The table below covers selected states.

State	Statute	Response period	Review of a denial
Arizona	A.R.S. §39-121 et seq.	“Promptly”; delay is a denial (§39-121.01(E))	Special action in superior court (§39-121.02)
California	Cal. Gov’t Code §7920.000 et seq.	10 days to determine; 14-day extension in unusual circumstances (§7922.535)	Petition in superior court (§7923.000)
Colorado	C.R.S. §24-72-201 et seq.	3 working days; 7-day extension (§24-72-203(3)(b))	District court application (§24-72-204(5))
Florida	Fla. Stat. ch. 119	Prompt acknowledgment, no fixed period (§119.07(1)(c))	Civil action with accelerated hearing (§119.11)
Hawaii	Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 92F	10 business days (Haw. Admin. R. §2-71-13)	Office of Information Practices or circuit court (§92F-15, -15.5)
Illinois	5 ILCS 140	5 business days; 5-day extension (§3(d), (e))	Public Access Counselor within 60 days (§9.5) or circuit court (§11)
Montana	Mont. Code Ann. §2-6-1001 et seq.	Timely acknowledgment and reasonable time (§2-6-1006)	District court (Mont. Const. art. II, §9)
Nevada	NRS ch. 239	5 business days (NRS 239.0107)	District court (NRS 239.011)
New Jersey	N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.	7 business days (47:1A-5(i))	Government Records Council or Superior Court (47:1A-6)
New Mexico	NMSA §14-2-1 et seq.	15 days; acknowledgment in 3 business days (§14-2-8)	District court (§14-2-12)
New York	N.Y. Pub. Off. Law §§84-90	5 business days to acknowledge, then a reasonable time (§89(3))	Agency appeal within 30 days, then Article 78 (§89(4))
North Carolina	N.C.G.S. ch. 132	“As promptly as possible” (§132-6)	Superior court (§132-9)
Ohio	Ohio Rev. Code §149.43	“Promptly,” within a reasonable period (§149.43(B))	Mandamus or Court of Claims complaint (§149.43(C); §2743.75)
Pennsylvania	65 P.S. §67.101 et seq.	5 business days; 30-day extension (§§67.901-.902)	Office of Open Records within 15 business days (§67.1101)
Texas	Tex. Gov’t Code ch. 552	“Promptly”; 10 business days to seek an Attorney General ruling (§§552.221, .301)	Attorney General ruling; mandamus (§552.321)
Utah	Utah Code §63G-2-101 et seq.	10 business days (§63G-2-204)	Agency appeal within 30 days, then State Records Committee or court (§§63G-2-401, -403)
Virginia	Va. Code §2.2-3700 et seq.	5 working days; 7-day extension (§2.2-3704)	Petition for mandamus or injunction (§2.2-3713)
Washington	RCW ch. 42.56	5 business days to respond or estimate (§42.56.520)	Superior court (§42.56.550)

Periods are stated as of October 2026. Many states let the agency extend or deem a request withdrawn if the requester does not respond to a clarification request, so answer agency correspondence quickly.

When to use. Records held by state or local agencies: 911 and dispatch logs, police reports and video, state aviation and emergency management records, National Guard records in state status. Not for: Federal agencies (Forms A2-1, B1-1).

Deadlines. See the table below; periods differ by state.

The document

1 page, laid out as in the PDF and Word downloads. Select a page to open the PDF at that page.

[Requester name, address, email]

[Date]

[Records custodian] [Agency] [Address / portal]

Re: Public records request under [statute] for records concerning unidentified anomalous phenomena

Dear Records Custodian:

Under [statute] [and Article ___, Section ___ of the [State] Constitution], I request copies of the following records in the possession, custody, or control of [agency], including records held by its contractors:

All incident reports, dispatch and call logs, CAD entries, radio logs, body-worn and dash camera recordings, photographs, and notes concerning reports of unidentified aerial, aerospace, or anomalous objects, lights, or craft, “UFOs,” “UAPs,” “drones” of unknown origin, or “unidentified objects,” [at/near location] [between dates].
All communications between [agency] and any federal agency or office (including the Department of War, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, the FAA, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Energy) concerning the events or subjects in item 1.
Any policy, procedure, training material, or guidance concerning how [agency] personnel should respond to or report sightings of unidentified aerial or anomalous objects.
Any nondisclosure agreement, confidentiality request, or instruction from a federal agency concerning the events or subjects in item 1.

Search terms. Please search using at least: “UAP,” “UFO,” “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” “unidentified aerial phenomena,” “unidentified flying object,” “unidentified object,” “orb,” “drone,” “unknown aircraft,” and “AARO.”

Federal records. If [agency] withholds any record on the ground that it belongs to or was provided by a federal agency, please identify the record, the federal agency, and the legal basis for withholding, and release any portion created by [agency].

Format and fees. Please provide records electronically. [Request fee waiver or reduction under (statute), stating public interest.] Please notify me before incurring fees over $[amount].

Response. [State] law requires a response within [time]. If any record is withheld, please identify it and the specific exemption claimed, and release all reasonably segregable portions.

Sincerely, [Name]