Public Records Online
New Public Search Portal is Live: To access Transportation and Natural Resources (TNR) business records, such as construction plans, permits, and septic documents, created prior to January 2014, please visit the website below:
For more information on the Portal and tips on how to use it, please refer to the User Guide (pdf).
Request For Public Information
To request information available under the Texas Public Information Act, please submit a request through the online form below:
Procedures for Requesting Public Information
A public information request must be in writing to the governmental body you believe maintains the information. However, your written request needs to be for information already in existence. A governmental body is not required to answer questions, perform legal research, or create new information in response to your public information request.
Pursuant to section 552.234 of the Government Code, a person may make a request for public information only by delivering the written request by one of the following methods to the governmental body’s public information officer or the officer’s designee:
- United States Mail
- Electronic Mail
- Fax
- Hand Delivery; or
- Online Request Form Submittal
Mail written request to:
Transportation & Natural Resources
Attn. Records Management
P.O. Box 1748
700 Lavaca Street
Austin, TX 78767-1748
Fax written request to:
Transportation & Natural Resources
Attn. Records Management
Fax 512-854-9436
E-mail written request to: [email protected]
In person office visit (hand delivery):
700 Lavaca, Travis County Administration Bldg.
5th floor Ste. 540 (Records Service Counter)
Please make sure to include a clear and specific description about what information you are requesting.
TNR may seek clarification on unclear or overbroad requests. If you do not respond to our request for clarification within a reasonable time, your request will be considered withdrawn.
Before submitting a request, please check the TNR Public Search Portal. The information you are seeking may be online
Public Search Portal User Guide
TNR Public Search Portal
The Public Search Portal provides online access to some of TNR business records created prior to January 2014. The records most requested through the Open Records process are now available through the public portal app.
- The type of records currently available through the Public Search Portal were generated by the TNR Land Development permitting process.
- Septic Records – Category of records generated by the TNR Onsite Wastewater program. Includes Septic Permits, Field Inspections, Site Plan Drawings, Certification Letters, License to Operate, and other associated record types.
- Development Permits – Category of records generated by the TNR Land Development program. Includes “A”, “B”, “Driveway” Permits, Permit Applications, Site Plan Drawings,
- Construction Plans and Other Drawings - Category of records generated by the various types of land development projects. Includes Construction Plan, Site Plans, and Road Strip Map Drawings.
- Records selected for viewing will be displayed as PDF image files.
- As of January 2014, TNR implemented a new online system "MyGovernmentOnline" where permits are electronically applied for, processed, issued, and stored.
Access to MyGovernmentOnline is available to the public by creating a customer portal account online.
Tips for using the TNR Public Search Portal
- To locate a specific record when you can't remember exactly how it is spelled, try using a wildcard character in your search criteria. Wildcards are special characters that can stand in for unknown characters in a text value and are handy for locating multiple items with similar, but not identical data.
- Use an asterisk (*) as a wild card in any of the fields except for the date range.
- When entering the date range, you must use the MM/DD/YYYY format.
- To activate the search criteria, click the on screen “Search” button or keyboard “Enter” key.
- The search result list will display the records that match all the field criteria you set.
- When using more than one field for your search criteria, the query will use the “and” condition.
- To view the desired record, click on a record from the displayed results list. The selected record will open as a PDF document to view, download and save if desired.
The Public Information Act
The Public Information Act
Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, gives you the right to access government records; and an officer for public information and the officer’s agent may not ask why you want them. All government information is presumed to be available to the public. Certain exceptions may apply to the disclosure of the information. Governmental bodies shall promptly release requested information that is not confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision, or information for which an exception to disclosure has not been sought.
Rights of Requestors
You have the right to:
- Prompt access to information that is not confidential or otherwise protected;
- Receive treatment equal to all other requestors, including accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements;
- Receive certain kinds of information without exceptions, like the voting record of public officials, and other information;
- Receive a written statement of estimated charges, when charges will exceed $40, in advance of work being started and opportunity to modify the request in response to the itemized statement;
- Choose whether to inspect the requested information (most often at no charge), receive copies of the information or both;
- A waiver or reduction of charges if the governmental body determines that access to the information primarily benefits the general public;
- Receive a copy of the communication from the governmental body asking the Office of the Attorney General for a ruling on whether the information can be withheld under one of the accepted exceptions, or if the communication discloses the requested information, a redacted copy;
- Lodge a written complaint about overcharges for public information with the Office of the Attorney General. Complaints of other possible violations may be filed with the county or district attorney of the county where the governmental body, other than a state agency, is located. If the complaint is against the county or district attorney, the complaint must be filed with the Office of the Attorney General.
Responsibilities of Governmental Bodies
- All governmental bodies responding to information requests have the responsibility to:
- Establish reasonable procedures for inspecting or copying public information and inform requestors of these procedures;
- Treat all requestors uniformly and shall give to the requestor all reasonable comfort and facility, including accommodation in accordance with ADA requirements;
- Be informed about open records laws and educate employees on the requirements of those laws;
- Inform requestors of the estimated charges greater than $40 and any changes in the estimates above 20 percent of the original estimate, and confirm that the requestor accepts the charges, or has amended the request, in writing before finalizing the request;
- Inform the requestor if the information cannot be provided promptly and set a date and time to provide it within a reasonable time;
- Request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding any information the governmental body wishes to withhold, and send a copy of the request for ruling, or a redacted copy, to the requestor;
- Segregate public information from information that may be withheld and provide that public information promptly;
- Make a good faith attempt to inform third parties when their proprietary information is being requested from the governmental body;
- Respond in writing to all written communications from the Office of the Attorney General regarding charges for the information. Respond to the Office of the Attorney General regarding complaints about violations of the Act.
Procedures to Obtain Information
- Submit a request by mail, e-mail, or in person, or any other appropriate method approved by the governmental body.
- Include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the governmental body to accurately identify and locate the information requested.
- Cooperate with the governmental body's reasonable efforts to clarify the type or amount of information requested.
A. Information to be released
- You may review it promptly, and if it cannot be produced within 10 working days the public information officer will notify you in writing of the reasonable date and time when it will be available.
- Keep all appointments to inspect records and to pick up copies. Failure to keep appointments may result in losing the opportunity to inspect the information at the time requested.
Cost of Records
- You must respond to any written estimate of charges within 10 days of the date the governmental body sent it or the request is considered automatically withdrawn.
- If estimated costs exceed $100.00 (or $50.00 if a governmental body has fewer than 16 full time employees) the governmental body may require a bond, prepayment or deposit.
- You may ask the governmental body to determine whether providing the information primarily benefits the general public, resulting in a waiver or reduction of charges.
- Make a timely payment for all mutually agreed charges. A governmental body can demand payment of overdue balances exceeding $100.00, or obtain a security deposit, before processing additional requests from you.
B. Information that may be withheld due to an exception
- If a governmental body determines the requested information is not subject to a previous determination or a statute that allows the information to be withheld without requesting a ruling, by the 10th business day after a governmental body receives your written request, a governmental body must:
- Request an Attorney General Letter Decision and state which exceptions apply;
- Notify the requestor of the referral to the Attorney General; and
- Notify third parties if the request involves their proprietary information.
- Failure to request an Attorney General Letter Decision and notify the requestor within 10 business days will result in a presumption that the information is open unless there is a compelling reason to withhold it.
- Requestors may send a letter to the Attorney General arguing for release, and may review arguments made by the governmental body. If the arguments disclose the requested information, the requestor may obtain a redacted copy.
- The Attorney General must issue a decision no later than the 45th working day from the day after the attorney general received the request for a decision. The attorney general may request an additional 10 working day extension.
- Governmental bodies may not ask the Attorney General to "reconsider" a decision.
More Resources
Helpful Links
We want your feedback! We're conducting a short survey to drive equitable and sustainable improvements in our operations and services as part of the Travis County Forward Initiative. Make a difference and take the survey today! Physical Location Open Records Desk is only open on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am - 2pm. 700 Lavaca Street, 5th Floor PO Box 1748, Austin, Texas 78767 (Map) Public Records Online New Public Search Portal is Live: To access Transportation and Natural Resources (TNR) business records, such as construction plans, permits, and septic documents, created prior to January 2014, please visit the website below: Public Search Portal For more information on the Portal and tips on how to use it, please refer to the User Guide (pdf). Request For Public Information To request information available under the Texas Public Information Act, please submit a request through the online form below: TNR Open Records Request Form More Resources Documents The Public Information Act (pdf) Procedure for Requesting Public Information (pdf) Public Search Portal User Guide (pdf) Helpful Links My Permit Now TX Attorney General Office
