NOTICE OF RIGHT TO INSPECT PUBLIC RECORDS

By law, under the Inspection of Public Records Act, NMSA 1978, Chapter 14, Article 2 (The “Act”), every person has the right to inspect public records of Taos County.

Procedures for Requesting Inspection: Requests to inspect public records should be submitted to the Records custodian, Chief Deputy Clerk, Anna Martinez, 105 Albright St, Suite D, Taos, New Mexico, 87571, telephone (575) 737-6380, facsimile (575) 737-6390, email: anna.martinez@taoscounty.org.

A person desiring to inspect public records may submit a request to the records custodian orally or in writing.  However, the procedures and penalties prescribed by the Act apply only to written requests.

A written request must contain the name, address and telephone number of the person making the request.  A written request includes a request by facsimile or email.

The request must describe the records sought in sufficient detail.  To enable the records custodian to identify and locate the requested records.  There is no requirement to create a record that does not exist at the time of the request.

The records custodian must permit inspection as soon as practicable, but no later than 15 calendar days after the records custodian receives the inspection request.  If inspection is not permitted within three business days, the person making the request will receive a written response explaining when the records will be available for inspection, or when the public body will respond to the request.  If any of the records sought are not available for public inspection, the person making the request is entitled to a written response from the records custodian explaining the reasons inspection has been denied.  The written denial shall be delivered or mailed within 15 calendar days after the records custodian received the request for inspection.

Online Request for Public Records

You can now submit a request for public records, please use the following link. If you have any issues pleas call (575) 737-6380 or email: anna.martinez@taoscounty.org.

Procedures for Requesting Copies and Fees: 

If a person requesting inspection would also like a copy of a public record, a reasonable fee may be charged and these procedures shall be followed.  Copies may be in hard copy form or in the electronic file format in which they are kept.  The custodian is required to make reasonable facilities available for making copies during regular business hours, and so as to not interrupt other normal business, but not to actually make copies.  

If hard copies are needed, the fee for copies made using the provided facilities is as follows: 

For documents 

8 inches by 11 inches or smaller $0.50 per page 

larger than 8 inches by 11 inches up to 11 inches by 17 inches - $1.00 per page. 

The fee for larger documents is $2.00 per page.

For records other than hard copy records, including electronic records, the fee is the cost to Taos County to reproduce and transmit the records as we ll as the cost of any storage media or device.  The cost of copying of such non - hard copy records is extremely variable, the price must be quoted on a case by case basis.  The records custodian may request that applicable fees for copying public records be paid in advance, before the copies are made.  Although the custodian is not required to make copies, only to furnish reasonable facilities for making copies, the custodian may in the custodian’s sole discretion, decide voluntarily to make copies rather than furnish facilities.  A receipt indicating that the fees have been paid for making copies of public records will be provided upon request to the person requesting the copies.