Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 39-121.03 (2026)

Request for copies, printouts or photographs; statement of purpose; commercial purpose as abuse of public record; determination by governor; civil penalty; definition

✓ text as last checked Oct. 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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A. When a person requests copies, printouts or photographs of public records for a commercial purpose, the person shall provide a statement setting forth the commercial purpose for which the copies, printouts or photographs will be used.  Upon being furnished the statement the custodian of such records may furnish reproductions, the charge for which shall include the following:

1. A portion of the cost to the public body for obtaining the original or copies of the documents, printouts or photographs.

2. A reasonable fee for the cost of time, materials, equipment and personnel in producing such reproduction.

3. The value of the reproduction on the commercial market as best determined by the public body.

B. If the custodian of a public record determines that the commercial purpose stated in the statement is a misuse of public records or is an abuse of the right to receive public records, the custodian may apply to the governor requesting that the governor by executive order prohibit the furnishing of copies, printouts or photographs for such commercial purpose. The governor, upon application from a custodian of public records, shall determine whether the commercial purpose is a misuse or an abuse of the public record. If the governor determines that the public record shall not be provided for such commercial purpose the governor shall issue an executive order prohibiting the providing of such public records for such commercial purpose.  If no order is issued within thirty days of the date of application, the custodian of public records shall provide such copies, printouts or photographs upon being paid the fee determined pursuant to subsection A.

C. A person who obtains a public record for a commercial purpose without indicating the commercial purpose or who obtains a public record for a noncommercial purpose and uses or knowingly allows the use of such public record for a commercial purpose or who obtains a public record for a commercial purpose and uses or knowingly allows the use of such public record for a different commercial purpose or who obtains a public record from anyone other than the custodian of such records and uses it for a commercial purpose shall in addition to other penalties be liable to the state or the political subdivision from which the public record was obtained for damages in the amount of three times the amount which would have been charged for the public record had the commercial purpose been stated plus costs and reasonable attorney fees or shall be liable to the state or the political subdivision for the amount of three times the actual damages if it can be shown that the public record would not have been provided had the commercial purpose of actual use been stated at the time of obtaining the records.

D. For the purposes of this section, "commercial purpose" means the use of a public record for the purpose of sale or resale or for the purpose of producing a document containing all or part of the copy, printout or photograph for sale or the obtaining of names and addresses from public records for the purpose of solicitation or the sale of names and addresses to another for the purpose of solicitation or for any purpose in which the purchaser can reasonably anticipate the receipt of monetary gain from the direct or indirect use of the public record. Commercial purpose does not mean the use of a public record as evidence or as research for evidence in an action in any judicial or quasi-judicial body.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1984–2023 · leading case: Primary Consultants, L.L.C. v. Maricopa Cnty. Recorder, 111 P.3d 435 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005).
Primary Consultants, L.L.C. v. Maricopa Cnty. Recorder, 111 P.3d 435 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 11× “The statute further states that the information derived from registration forms “may not be used for a commercial purpose as defined in § 39-121.03. The sale of registers, lists and information derived from registration forms to a candidate or a registered political committee…”
State v. Ross, 151 P.3d 1261 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “See A.R.S. § 39-121.03(C) (2001). ¶ 30 Ross responds that under this analysis “a public official who wrongly takes pencils and paper from the office for use in his private business enterprise, or makes a business call on a county issued cellular phone, would be guilty of a…”
Star Publ'g Co. v. Parks, 875 P.2d 837 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 4× “00 fee because it was seeking the records for a commercial purpose under A.R.S. § 39-121.03. The County now appeals from adverse rulings on both points.”
LaWall v. R.R. Robertson, 353 P.3d 375 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 49× “¶ 26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Carlson v. Pima Cnty., 687 P.2d 1242 (Ariz. 1984). “Access may also be limited by restrictions on commercial use (§ 39-121.03), and restrictions specifically imposed by law on certain records or documents.”
Lake v. City of Phoenix, 207 P.3d 725 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “Subject to § 39-121.03: 1. Any person may request to examine or be furnished copies, printouts or photographs of any public record during regular office hours or may request that the custodian mail a copy of any public record not otherwise available on the public body's web site…”
Griffis v. Pinal Cnty., 141 P.3d 780 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2006). “” Subsection (D) of that statute provides that, “[s]ubject to § 39-121.03[,][a]ny person may request to examine or be furnished copies, printouts, or photographs of any public record during regular office hours.”
Lawall v. Rr Robertson, No. 1 CA-CV 14-0367 (Ariz. Ct. App. July 2, 2015). · cites it 49× “¶26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Scottsdale Unified Sch. Dist. No. 48 of Maricopa Cnty. v. KPNX Broad. Co., 937 P.2d 689 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1997). “section 39-121.03, agencies can charge a portion of the cost to the state for obtaining copies of printouts and a reasonable fee for the cost of time, equipment, and personnel in producing such reproduction.”
Photography By Frank Diaz LLC v. Friends of David Schweikert, No. 2:22-cv-01170 (D. Ariz. Apr. 25, 2023). “te states: “Precinct registers and other lists 4 and information derived from registration forms may be used only for purposes relating to 5 a political or political party activity, a political campaign or an election, for revising 6 election district boundaries or for any other…”
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 39-121.03(A): 3 cases
Primary Consultants, L.L.C. v. Maricopa Cnty. Recorder, 111 P.3d 435 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005). “The statute further states that the information derived from registration forms “may not be used for a commercial purpose as defined in § 39-121.03. The sale of registers, lists and information derived from registration forms to a candidate or a registered political committee…”
LaWall v. R.R. Robertson, 353 P.3d 375 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2015). “¶ 26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Lawall v. Rr Robertson, No. 1 CA-CV 14-0367 (Ariz. Ct. App. July 2, 2015). “¶26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 39-121.03(B): 1 case
Primary Consultants, L.L.C. v. Maricopa Cnty. Recorder, 111 P.3d 435 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005). “The statute further states that the information derived from registration forms “may not be used for a commercial purpose as defined in § 39-121.03. The sale of registers, lists and information derived from registration forms to a candidate or a registered political committee…”
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 39-121.03(C): 3 cases
State v. Ross, 151 P.3d 1261 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007). “See A.R.S. § 39-121.03(C) (2001). ¶ 30 Ross responds that under this analysis “a public official who wrongly takes pencils and paper from the office for use in his private business enterprise, or makes a business call on a county issued cellular phone, would be guilty of a…”
LaWall v. R.R. Robertson, 353 P.3d 375 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2015). “¶ 26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Lawall v. Rr Robertson, No. 1 CA-CV 14-0367 (Ariz. Ct. App. July 2, 2015). “¶26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 39-121.03(D): 3 cases
Primary Consultants, L.L.C. v. Maricopa Cnty. Recorder, 111 P.3d 435 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005). “The statute further states that the information derived from registration forms “may not be used for a commercial purpose as defined in § 39-121.03. The sale of registers, lists and information derived from registration forms to a candidate or a registered political committee…”
LaWall v. R.R. Robertson, 353 P.3d 375 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2015). “¶ 26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
Lawall v. Rr Robertson, No. 1 CA-CV 14-0367 (Ariz. Ct. App. July 2, 2015). “¶26 The 1985 amendment to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, removing the requirement that a requester make a statement of noncommercial purpose, also supports our determination that the requests here satisfy the plain language of the exception notwithstanding the legislature’s use of the…”
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