Access to Public Records

Town of North Providence
Access to Public Records Guidelines

Public Records Request Form & Guidelines (.pdf)

The Town of North Providence has instituted the following procedure to help you obtain public records.

1. The contact person for a Public Records request is the Town Clerk.
2. To reach us by telephone, please call (401) 232-0900 and ask to be connected to the Town Clerk.
3. The regular business hours of the North Providence Town Hall are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you come into the Town Hall during business hours, please complete the Public Records Request Form at the Office of the Clerk.
4. Requests to inspect public records can also be mailed to the Office of the Town clerk, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911, or emailed to:
5. The Town Clerk may ask you the reason for your request, as its regular course of business. However, you are not required to provide identification or the reason you seek the information, and your right to access public records will not depend upon providing identification or reasons.
6. A copy of the Attorney General’s Guide to Open Government can be found at www.riag.ri.gov/Forms/AGguidetoopengovernment.pdf
7. There are times when the public records you seek are not available at the time of your request. Please be advised that the Access to Public Records Act allows a public body ten (10) business days to respond, which can be extended an additional twenty (20) days for “good cause”. We appreciate your understanding and patience.
8. If you feel that you have been denied access to public records, you have the right to petition the chief administrative officer for a review of the determination made by the Town Clerk, and the chief administrative officer shall make a final determination whether or not to allow public inspection within ten (10) business days after the submission of the review petition.
9. If the custodian of the records or the chief administrative officer determine that the record is not subject to public inspection, you may file a complaint with the attorney general in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-8. If you are still not satisfied, you may file a lawsuit in Superior Court.
10. The Town of North Providence is committed to providing you with public records in an expeditious and courteous manner. 

Public Records Request Form & Guidelines (.pdf)