Oklahoma Statutes

Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026

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As used in the Oklahoma Open Records Act: 1. “Record” means all documents including, but not limited to, any book, paper, photograph, microfilm, data files created by or used with computer software, computer tape, disk, record, sound recording, film recording, video record or other material regardless of physical form or characteristic, created by, received by, under the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession of public officials, public bodies or their representatives in connection with the transaction of public business, the expenditure of public funds or the administering of public property. Record shall also mean applications and other documents related to licensure matters that are filed of record in a district court, including, but not limited to, marriage licenses, process server licenses, closing out sale licenses, transient merchant licenses, pool hall licenses, and bail bondsmen registration. Record does not mean:

a. computer software, or b. nongovernment personal effects; 2. “Public body” shall include, but not be limited to, any office, department, board, bureau, commission, agency, trusteeship, authority, council, committee, trust or any entity created by a trust, county, city, village, town, township, district, school district, fair board, court, executive office, advisory group, task force, study group or any subdivision thereof, supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with the expenditure of public funds or administering or operating public property, and all committees, or subcommittees thereof. Except for the records required by Section 24A.4 of this title, public body does not mean judges, justices, the Council on Judicial Complaints, the Legislature or legislators. Public body shall not include an organization that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and whose sole beneficiary is a college or university, or an affiliated entity of the college or university, that is a member of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Such organization shall not receive direct appropriations from the Legislature. The following persons shall not be eligible to serve as a voting member of the governing board of the organization: a. a member, officer, or employee of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, b. a member of the board of regents or other governing board of the college or university that is the sole beneficiary of the organization, or c. an officer or employee of the college or university that is the sole beneficiary of the organization; 3. “Public office” means the physical location where public bodies conduct business or keep records; 4. “Public official” means any official or employee of any public body as defined herein; and 5. “Law enforcement agency” means any public body charged with enforcing state or local criminal laws and initiating criminal prosecutions including, but not limited to: police departments; state and local fire marshals when investigating potential violations of federal, state, or local criminal laws or when acting on behalf of a law enforcement agency; county sheriffs; the Department of Public Safety; the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control; the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission; and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Added by Laws 1985, c. 355, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1985. Amended by Laws 1987, c. 222, § 117, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 187, § 3, emerg. eff. June 6, 1988; Laws 1993, c. 39, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Laws 1996, c. 209, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1998, c. 315, § 4, emerg. eff. May 28, 1998; Laws 1998, c. 368, § 11, eff. July 1,

1998; Laws 2001, c. 355, § 1, emerg. eff. June 1, 2001; Laws 2002, c. 478, § 2, eff. July 1, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 3, § 42, emerg. eff. March 19, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 328, § 1, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws 2005, c. 199, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2014, c. 266, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2022, c. 307, § 1; Laws 2022, c. 402, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2022; Laws 2023, c. 271, § 11, eff. Nov. 1, 2023; Laws 2024, c. 116, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2024; Laws 2024, c. 358, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2024; Laws 2025, c. 404, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2025. NOTE: Laws 2002, c. 293, § 3 repealed by Laws 2003, c. 3, § 43, emerg. eff. March 19, 2003.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 16 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1989–2026 · leading case: Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016).

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Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). · cites it 3× “" 36 Records of a public body are open for copying.”

Hunsucker v. Fallin, 2017 OK 100 (Okla. 2017). · cites it 2× “2011 § 1 (listing all property exempt from attachment and forced sale); 51 O.S.Supp.2017 § 24A.3(2) (listing public bodies to which the Open Records Act applies); 63 O.”

Fabian & Assocs., P.C. v. State ex rel. Dep't of Pub. Saf., 100 P.3d 703 (Okla. 2004). · cites it 3× “2001, § 203(a); and The Oklahoma Open Records Act, 51 O.S.2001, § 24A.3(1); and whether the Department of Public Safety is required to provide copies for public inspection.”

Nichols v. Jackson, 2001 OK CR 35 (Okla. Crim. App. 2001). “51 O.S.Supp.2000, § 24A.3(2). 110 Records filed in the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Petitioner's original action, being documents and papers coming into the custody and control of the Supreme Court in connection with the transaction of the public business of the eriminal…”

Milton v. Hayes, 770 P.2d 14 (Okla. 1989). “See: 51 O.S.Supp.1987 § 24A.3. It is a general statutory provision allowing the public access to government records.”

Brooke v. Reed, 2025 OK 86 (Okla. 2025). · cites it 14× “5 51 O.S. § 24A.3 ¶10 The native file format for Outlook email messages is a Personal Storage Table (PST).”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Glen Mulready, Ins. Comm'r, Oklahoma Ins. Dept., 2023 OK AG 1 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2023). · cites it 2× “" 51 O.S.Supp.2022, § 24A.3(1) (emphasis added).”

Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). · cites it 6× “35 51 O.S.2011§ 24A.3(1)(2) states in part: "'Record' means .”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Mike Ritze, State Rep., Dist. 80, 2015 OK AG 3 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2015). · cites it 7× “Given: 1) the Oklahoma Open Record Act's broad definition of "record" at 51 O.S.Supp.2014, § 24A.3 (1)--a definition which encompasses a written request for a formal written Attorney General Opinion; 2) the law's requirement, at 74 O.”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable John Waldron, Oklahoma House of Representatives, Dist. 77, 2025 OK AG 9 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2025). · cites it 4× “See 51 O.S.Supp.2024, § 24A.3 e.g. , "data files created by or used with computer software").”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Scott C. Martin, State Rep., Dist. 46, 2014 OK AG 1 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2014). · cites it 4× “51 O.S.2011, § 24A.3(1). Accordingly, sound recordings of court proceedings filed with or maintained by a court clerk are open records.”

Show all 16 citing cases →

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(1) — 5 cases

Fabian & Assocs., P.C. v. State ex rel. Dep't of Pub. Saf., 100 P.3d 703 (Okla. 2004). “2001, § 203(a); and The Oklahoma Open Records Act, 51 O.S.2001, § 24A.3(1); and whether the Department of Public Safety is required to provide copies for public inspection.”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Glen Mulready, Ins. Comm'r, Oklahoma Ins. Dept., 2023 OK AG 1 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2023). “" 51 O.S.Supp.2022, § 24A.3(1) (emphasis added).”

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Scott C. Martin, State Rep., Dist. 46, 2014 OK AG 1 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2014). “51 O.S.2011, § 24A.3(1). Accordingly, sound recordings of court proceedings filed with or maintained by a court clerk are open records.”

Stipek v. Oklahoma ex rel. Bd. of Regents of Univ., 21 F. Supp. 3d 1187 (W.D. Okla. 2014).

Question Submitted by: The Honorable Mike Ritze, State Rep., Dist. 80, 2015 OK AG 3 (Okla. Att’y Gen. 2015). “Given: 1) the Oklahoma Open Record Act's broad definition of "record" at 51 O.S.Supp.2014, § 24A.3 (1)--a definition which encompasses a written request for a formal written Attorney General Opinion; 2) the law's requirement, at 74 O.”

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(1)(2) — 2 cases

Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). “" 36 Records of a public body are open for copying.”

Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). “35 51 O.S.2011§ 24A.3(1)(2) states in part: "'Record' means .”

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(1)(b) — 1 case

Meritor, Inc. v. State Ex Rel. Bd. of Regents of Univ. of Okla., 2019 OK CIV APP 64 (Okla. Civ. App. 2019).

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(2) — 7 cases

Hunsucker v. Fallin, 2017 OK 100 (Okla. 2017). “2011 § 1 (listing all property exempt from attachment and forced sale); 51 O.S.Supp.2017 § 24A.3(2) (listing public bodies to which the Open Records Act applies); 63 O.”

Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). “" 36 Records of a public body are open for copying.”

Oklahoma Assoc. of Broadcasters, Inc. v. City of Norman, 2016 OK 119 (Okla. 2016). “35 51 O.S.2011§ 24A.3(1)(2) states in part: "'Record' means .”

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(4) — 1 case

— Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 24A.3(5) — 1 case

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