Data Request

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) regulates how we collect, create, and keep government data, who and how individuals may access MMB data, and how we respond to requests for data. 

The general rule of the MGDPA is that all government data are presumed to be classified as public unless a state or federal law classifies the data as nonpublic or protected nonpublic, or with respect to data on individuals, as private or confidential. Collectively, all classifications that are not “public” are referred to as “not public” data.

Additional information, including educational resources and assistance with data practices issues, is available on the Minnesota Department of Administration’s Data Practices Office website.

What are government data?

Government data is defined as "all data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by any government entity regardless of its physical form, storage media, or conditions of use." Thus, as long as information is recorded or stored in some way by a government entity, no matter the physical form or where they are stored or used, they are government data. Government data may be stored on paper, in electronic form, on audio or videotape, on charts, maps, etc. Likewise, information does not cease to be government data merely because it is not stored at MMB offices or on MMB servers.

A document, record, or file may contain many data elements. It is important to remember that government data are usually classified at the level of individual items or elements of data. Access the Minnesota Department of Administration’s webpage on data classifications for more information.

Who can make a data request?

Public data is available to any member of the public who submits a request, including individuals, the media, government agencies, government employees, vendors, unions, companies, and attorneys. Information about requesting public data in general is available in our Data Practices Policy for Public Data (PDF).

Individuals who are the subject of data can obtain public data and also private data about themselves. Information about requesting data is available in our Data Practices Policy for Requests for Data about You as the Data Subject (PDF).

How do you make a data practices request?

Your request must be in writing, using any of the following methods:

Please contact us directly if an accommodation is needed.

How long will it take to get the requested information?

  • If you are the data subject, we will provide data within 10 business days unless we require clarification or confirmation of your identity
  • For all other requests, we will provide the data within a reasonable period of time, which may vary depending on the size and complexity of the request, as well as the availability of staff time to complete it.
  • Payment of applicable copy costs, if any, must be received by MMB before the data is provided.

Is there a cost?

Minnesota Statutes section 13.03, subdivision 3(c) and section 13.04 allow MMB to charge for copies.

  • We do not charge for copies if the total cost is $25.00 or less.
  • There is no charge to inspect data at the MMB offices, although inspection is subject to the availability of MMB staff and appropriate space, and arrangement must be made in advance.
  • If the total cost of fulfilling your request is likely to be more than $25.00, we will notify you of the charge prior to fulfilling your request. You must pay for the copies before we will complete your request.
  • Multiple requests made within the same 30 business day period, by the same individual, will be treated as a single request for the purposes of calculating whether the minimum of more than $25.00 is met.
  • We do not charge for requests from the legislature or other government agencies.

For requests by members of the public (i.e. not a data subject)

For more than 100 pages of paper copies and/or the total cost is more than $25, we will charge the sum of:

  • 25 cents per page of black and white paper copies (for up to 100 pages of single-sided or 50 double-sided pages)
  • Materials used for requests that are greater than 100 paper copies or are for data in any other format (e.g. paper, USB Drive, etc.). There is no cost for materials if sent electronically.
  • Employee time (salary and benefit costs) spent searching for and retrieving the data, and copying and sending the data, including any mailing costs.
  • If your request for copies of data is for something we cannot copy ourselves, such as photographs, we will charge you the actual cost we must pay an outside vendor for copies

For requests by a subject of the data

We will charge the actual cost of making copies of data about you. To determine the actual cost, we include the employee-time to create, copy, and send them to you, the cost of the materials onto which we are copying the data (e.g. paper, USB Drive, etc.), and any mailing costs.

If your request is for copies of data that we cannot copy ourselves, such as photographs, we will charge you the actual cost we must pay an outside vendor for the copies.

Responsible Authority

Erin Campbell, Commissioner
Minnesota Management and Budget
400 Centennial Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155

As Responsible Authority, the Commissioner orders the following individuals as data practices official designees:

Gina Washington
Data Practices Compliance Official (DPCO)

data.requests.mmb@state.mn.us