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Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)

New York State’s Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law §87 et. seq. ) allows members of the public to access records of governmental agencies.  FOIL provides a process for the review and copying of an agency’s records.

How to File a FOIL Request:

Your request for records must be in writing and can be emailed, faxed or mailed to the Records Access Officer within the Erie County Comptroller’s Office.  Please describe in detail the records that you are seeking. Please include your phone number and mailing address so our office can contact you with any questions.  Please note that the Erie County Comptroller's Office is an independently elected office within County government (Board of Elections, Clerk, Sheriff and Legislature are as well) and as such, administers its own FOIL request and appeals process, independent of the current administration's process. 

FOIL Application Form

FOIL Appeal Procedures:

Any person denied access to a record may within thirty days appeal in writing.

FOIL Appeal Form

Mailing Address:

Records Access Officer

Erie County Comptroller’s Office

Edward A. Rath County Office Building

95 Franklin Street, Room 1100 

Buffalo, NY 14202



Phone: (716) 858-8400

Fax: (716) 858-6149



Read the entire Freedom of Information Law.




Information on other important contacts are listed below:


U.S. Department of Justice

NYS Comptroller

Other NYS Agencies