OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ADMINISTRATOR

Office of the Public Records Administrator

The Office of the Public Records Administrator (OPRA) plans and runs the program for managing records in the State of Connecticut. This system makes sure government records are protected, accessible, and transparent. It also helps preserve public records for emergencies and future use. 

Public agencies include state agencies within the executive branch, municipalities (towns, cities, boroughs, and districts), certain quasi-public agencies, and other political subdivisions of the State of Connecticut.  

Public Records are defined by CGS §1-200(5) as “any recorded data or information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, received or retained by a public agency.” All public agency records are public records regardless of format (i.e., paper, electronic) or level of access (i.e., open, restricted). 

Responsibilities of the Office of the Public Records Administrator include: 

• Overseeing the life cycle of public records in all formats from creation to use to maintenance to disposition 
• Publishing and editing records retention schedules  
• Producing manuals, policies, and guidelines to keep state and local government agencies informed about new records management issues and requirements 
• Training government employees on a wide range of records management issues 
• Developing standards for records creation  
• Overseeing the disposition of public records 
• Identifying and preserving records needed to continue government operations in case of a disaster or emergency 
• Publishing regulations for land and property records, as well as for the construction of town record storage vaults 
• Conducting the annual examination of land record indexes 
• Running a grant program for towns to enhance and improve the preservation or management of local historic documents  
• Managing the State Records Center for the safe storage of state agency records

State agencies, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of Connecticut that are part of the Records Management Program: 

• Constitutional Offices, including the Office of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of the State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller, and State Attorney General
• Agencies in the executive department, like the Department of Administrative Services, and the Department of Transportation 
• Public colleges and universities 
• Quasi-public agencies, like Access Health CT, CT Paid Leave Authority, and several others
• Towns, cities, boroughs, districts, and other political subdivisions of the state

To obtain records from a public agency in Connecticut, you must request them from the agency that has those records. The Office of the Public Records Administrator does not have access to the records of other public agencies.  

Contact the Public Records Administrator

View State Statutes

View state statutes about OPRA, the Records Management Program, and retention, destruction and transfer of documents. 
Connecticut General Statute 11-8