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Texas Law Reference

Texas Government Code chapter 552: public information requests for crash, 911 and police records

The official text of the Texas Public Information Act on what counts as public information, how to make a written request, how fast a governmental body must respond, and the law enforcement and motor vehicle record exceptions, with where the City of Houston says to send requests for 911, accident and EMS records. Text last checked October 29, 2026.

9 min readPublished October 29, 2026Last updated October 29, 2026Edited by Joseph Budzinski, CTO, InjuryClaimGuide

The short answer

The Texas Public Information Act says that "each person is entitled, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, at all times to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees" (Gov't Code §552.001). A request must be in writing, delivered by mail, email, hand delivery or another method the governmental body approves (§552.234), and the officer for public information must "promptly produce" the information, certifying in writing if that cannot happen within 10 business days (§552.221). Some police records are excepted if release would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime, but basic information about an arrest or a crime is not (§552.108).

This entry provides general informational guidance and is not legal advice.

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Key facts (as of October 29, 2026)

  • Recordings count. Public information can be held as a sound recording, film, tape, or "a voice, data, or video representation held in computer memory" (§552.002(c)).
  • In writing, by an accepted method. Mail, email, hand delivery, or another method the body approves, such as fax or its website (§552.234(a)).
  • 10 business days. If the information cannot be produced within 10 business days, the officer must certify that in writing and set a date and hour when it will be available (§552.221(d)).
  • Withholding needs a ruling request. A body that wants to withhold information under an exception must ask the attorney general for a decision not later than the 10th business day after receiving the request (§552.301(b)); if it does not, the information is presumed public (§552.302).
  • Crash reports have their own rule. A written collision report is released to the people listed in Transp. Code §550.065(c), including any person involved in the collision (§550.065).
  • Last amended in 2025. The history line for §552.234, the request-method section, lists Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., ch. 1097 (H.B. 4214) as its most recent amendment.

What does the Act say?

The official text of key provisions, as published by the Texas Legislature. The definition of public information, §552.002(a):

Sec. 552.002. DEFINITION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; MEDIA CONTAINING PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) In this chapter, "public information" means information that is written, produced, collected, assembled, or maintained under a law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business:

(1) by a governmental body;

Production of information, §552.221(a) and (d):

Sec. 552.221. APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION; PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) An officer for public information of a governmental body shall promptly produce public information for inspection, duplication, or both on application by any person to the officer. In this subsection, "promptly" means as soon as possible under the circumstances, that is, within a reasonable time, without delay.

(d) If an officer for public information cannot produce public information for inspection or duplication within 10 business days after the date the information is requested under Subsection (a), the officer shall certify that fact in writing to the requestor and set a date and hour within a reasonable time when the information will be available for inspection or duplication.

The law enforcement exception, §552.108(a)(1)-(2) and (c):

Sec. 552.108. EXCEPTION: CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONS, AND PROSECUTORIAL INFORMATION. (a) Information held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021 if:

(1) release of the information would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime;

(2) it is information that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime only in relation to an investigation that did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication;

(c) This section does not except from the requirements of Section 552.021 information that is basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime. A governmental body shall promptly release basic information responsive to a request made under this chapter unless the governmental body seeks to withhold the information as provided by another provision of this chapter, and regardless of whether the governmental body requests an attorney general decision under Subchapter G regarding other information subject to the request.

Source: Tex. Gov't Code ch. 552, statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Text last checked October 29, 2026.

What does it mean in plain language?

  • Read in favor of release. The chapter "shall be liberally construed in favor of granting a request for information" (§552.001(b)).
  • Existing records, not answers. The Attorney General's page says a request "needs to be for information already in existence" and that a governmental body "is not required to answer questions, perform legal research, or create new information" (Office of the Attorney General).
  • How to send it. A person may make a written request "only by delivering the request by one of the following methods to the applicable officer for public information or a person designated by that officer": United States mail, electronic mail, hand delivery, or another appropriate method the body approves, including fax and electronic submission through its website. A body that posts a designated mailing address and email address need not respond to a written request unless it arrives at one of them, by hand delivery, or by an approved method (§552.234).
  • No questions about why. The officer "may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish proper identification" or as §552.222 allows. A body may ask to clarify or narrow a request, "but the governmental body may not inquire into the purpose for which information will be used". For a motor vehicle record, it may require identifying information to decide eligibility under Transportation Code chapter 730 (§552.222).
  • No records at all. If the body has no information responsive to the request, the officer must notify the requestor in writing not later than the 10th business day after the request is received (§552.221(f)).
  • The attorney general decides disputes. A body that wishes to withhold information under an exception, and has no previous determination, must ask for an attorney general decision and state the exceptions not later than the 10th business day after receiving the written request, and must tell the requestor in writing within the same period (§552.301(b), (d)). If it does not, the information "is presumed to be subject to required public disclosure and must be released", subject only to the one exception the section states (§552.302).
  • Copies can cost money. The charge for a copy "shall be an amount that reasonably includes all costs related to reproducing the public information", with limits for requests of 50 or fewer pages of paper records (§552.261). This entry does not restate any charge.

Which crash-related records have special rules?

  • Crash reports. A written collision report required under Transp. Code §550.062 is "privileged and for the confidential use of" the department and listed agencies, except as §550.065 provides, and on written request and payment of any required fee it must be released to listed people, including "any person involved in the collision" and the authorized representative of any person involved (§550.065(b)-(c)). The Act separately excepts "information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision" (§552.101). The §550.065 entry quotes the crash report rule.
  • Investigation files. Under §552.108(a), a law enforcement agency or prosecutor may except crime-related information in the listed cases, such as when release would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime. The exception in (a)(2), for an investigation that did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication, does not apply if a person described or depicted in the information, other than a peace officer, "is deceased or incapacitated" (§552.108(c-1)). Basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime is not excepted (§552.108(c)).
  • Driver's license and registration information. Information that relates to a driver's license or permit, a motor vehicle title or registration, or a personal identification document issued by an agency of this state or another state or country "may be released only if, and in the manner, authorized by Chapter 730, Transportation Code" (§552.130).
  • Medical information. "Protected health information" as defined by Health and Safety Code §181.006 "is not public information and is not subject to disclosure under this chapter" (§552.002(d)).
  • Information about yourself. "A person or a person's authorized representative has a special right of access, beyond the right of the general public, to information held by a governmental body that relates to the person and that is protected from public disclosure by laws intended to protect that person's privacy interests" (§552.023(a)).
  • Lawsuits use discovery. "This chapter does not affect the scope of civil discovery under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure", and exceptions under the chapter "do not create new privileges from discovery" (§552.005).

What applies in Houston and Harris County?

The Act applies to the City of Houston, Harris County and other local governmental bodies as it does statewide. The City of Houston's Public Information Act Requests page says "The TPIA is triggered when a person submits a written request to the City", that "The request must ask for information that is already in existence", and that "A request should be sent to the City department that has the information" (City of Houston, Public Information Act Requests). Its list of records and contacts routes:

  • 911 Record Information to the Houston Emergency Center;
  • Accident Reports and Call for Service Reports to Police;
  • EMS or Fire Records, Citizen requesting their own to Fire (Personal EMS).

The page also says the City's online GovQA portal takes public records requests for most City departments. No Harris County page was read for this entry, so none is described. For a Houston crash report itself, the Houston crash report guide lists how each local agency says to request a copy, and the guide to preserving dashcam and video evidence covers video held by governmental bodies.

When was this checked, and can it change?

The text above was last checked on October 29, 2026, against the official text published by the Texas Legislature, and the Attorney General's and City of Houston's pages were read the same day. The Legislature can amend a statute in any session; it amended §552.234 in 2025. It convenes in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year (Gov't Code §301.001), so the next regular session begins on January 12, 2027. This entry is scheduled to be rechecked against the official text by April 2027 and again after the 2027 regular session ends.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I make a public information request in Texas?
Under Tex. Gov't Code §552.234(a), a person may make a written request for public information only by delivering it to the officer for public information, or a person that officer designates, by United States mail, electronic mail, hand delivery, or another appropriate method the governmental body approves, such as fax or electronic submission through its website. The Attorney General's page says the request must be for information already in existence.
How long does a Texas agency have to answer a public information request?
Section 552.221(a) says the officer for public information shall promptly produce public information, and that promptly means as soon as possible under the circumstances, that is, within a reasonable time, without delay. If the information cannot be produced within 10 business days, §552.221(d) requires the officer to certify that in writing and set a date and hour within a reasonable time when it will be available. A body that wants to withhold information under an exception must ask for an attorney general decision not later than the 10th business day after receiving the request (§552.301(b)).
Can I get a 911 recording or police video under the Public Information Act?
The Act's definition of public information covers media including a sound recording, film, tape, and a voice, data, or video representation held in computer memory (§552.002(c)). Whether a particular recording is released depends on the Act's exceptions, such as §552.108 for certain law enforcement information, and any other law that makes information confidential (§552.101). This entry does not say whether any record will be released.
Can police withhold records about a crash investigation?
Section 552.108(a) excepts information held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime if, among other listed cases, release would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime. Section 552.108(c) says the section does not except basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime, which a governmental body shall promptly release unless another provision applies.
Is a Texas crash report available through a public information request?
A crash report has its own statute. Transp. Code §550.065(b) makes a written collision report privileged and for the confidential use of listed agencies, except as the section provides, and §550.065(c) requires its release on written request and payment of any required fee to listed people, including any person involved in the collision. The Public Information Act excepts information considered to be confidential by law (§552.101).
Does the agency get to ask why I want the records?
Only in limited ways. Section 552.222 says the officer may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish proper identification or as the section allows; a body may ask to clarify an unclear request or discuss narrowing a large one, but may not inquire into the purpose for which information will be used. For a motor vehicle record, it may require identifying information to decide eligibility under Transportation Code chapter 730.
Where do I send a request for City of Houston 911 or accident records?
The City of Houston's Public Information Act Requests page says a request should be sent to the City department that has the information. Its list routes 911 Record Information to the Houston Emergency Center, Accident Reports and Call for Service Reports to Police, and a citizen's own EMS or fire records to Fire (Personal EMS). The City also takes requests for most departments through its online GovQA portal.
Is a public information request the same as discovery in a lawsuit?
No. Section 552.005 says the chapter does not affect the scope of civil discovery under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, and that exceptions from disclosure under the chapter do not create new privileges from discovery. An attorney can advise you about your specific situation.

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