FOIA Friend

Jurisdiction-first help for public records requests.

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Illinois (IL)

Law: Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1–140/11)

Notes: Submit written requests to the agency’s FOIA officer. The law allows the first 50 pages of black-and-white copies free.

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Jurisdiction Facts

Sourced from the jurisdiction registry. Not legal advice.

Best Practice

Submit written requests to the agency’s FOIA officer. The law allows the first 50 pages of black-and-white copies free.

Statutory Response Deadline

5 business days under 5 ILCS 140/3(d), extendable by 5 business days.

Observed Average Response

48 days (MuckRock observed average, not a statutory deadline).

Fee Waivers / Intake

Fee waivers available for public interest requests under 5 ILCS 140/6.

Appeals

Request a review by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) in the Attorney General's office. PAC issues binding or advisory opinions.

Direct links to the governing statute, official requester guidance, and central portal for this jurisdiction.

Common Agencies

Chicago Police Department

Portal: Submit online

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Chicago Police Department Records Division ATTN: FOIA Officer 3510 South Michigan Avenue Chicago Illinois 60653

Fees & notes

CPD has been subject to litigation over FOIA compliance and has a reputation for significant backlogs and for heavily redacting records. Fee waivers are rarely granted.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Chicago Public Schools

Portal: Submit online

Mail: Freedom of Information (FOIA) 1 N. Dearborn Street 9th Floor Chicago IL 60602

Fees & notes

CPS uses a FOIA Center portal for requests. The district has been sued for failing to respond to requests in a timely manner and has a reputation for significant backlogs.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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City of Peoria Clerk

Portal: Submit online

Mail: City Clerk's Office 419 Fulton Street Peoria IL 61602

Fees & notes

The City of Peoria uses the JustFOIA portal for FOIA requests. The office is generally responsive but can be slow due to high volume.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Cook County Health

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Office of the General Counsel Cook County Health Attention: FOIA request 1950 W. Polk St Chicago IL 60612

Fees & notes

Cook County Health was the subject of a FOIA lawsuit that reached the Illinois Supreme Court. The agency has a reputation for asserting HIPAA and privacy exemptions to deny access to records.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Cook County Sheriff's Office

Portal: Submit online

Mail: Cook County Sheriff’s Office Attn: Freedom of Information Officer Richard J. Daley Center 50 West Washington Room 704 Chicago Illinois 60602

Fees & notes

The CCSO uses a GovQA portal for FOIA requests. No specific MuckRock audit data available but the agency is known for significant backlogs and heavy redactions.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Cook County State's Attorney (CCSAO)

Portal: Submit online

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Freedom of Information Act Officer Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office 500 Richard J. Daley Center Chicago Illinois 60602

Fees & notes

The CCSAO uses a GovQA portal for FOIA requests. The office has been sued for repeated FOIA violations and is known for claiming the unduly burdensome exemption to avoid large data pulls.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Highland Park Police Department

Mail: Highland Park Police Department Attn: FOIA Officer 1677 Old Deerfield Road Highland Park IL 60035

Fees & notes

The Highland Park Police Department received numerous FOIA requests related to the July 4 2022 shooting and is working through a significant backlog.

Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Illinois Department of Corrections

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Illinois Department of Corrections 1301 Concordia Court P.O. Box 19277 Springfield IL 62794-9277 Attn: FOI Officer

Fees & notes

IDOC does not have a dedicated public FOIA portal. The agency has a reputation for significant backlogs and for heavily redacting records related to inmate safety and security.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Illinois State Police (ISP)

Portal: Submit online

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Sarah Wheeler Illinois State Police Freedom of Information Officer 801 South 7th Street Suite 1000-S Springfield Illinois 62703

Fees & notes

ISP receives thousands of FOIA requests each year and warns that broad requests may be denied as unduly burdensome. The agency has been the subject of criticism for slow responses and for asserting law enforcement exemptions.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Oak Park Police Department

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Oak Park Police Department FOIA Officer Police Records Supervisor 123 Madison St. Oak Park IL 60302

Fees & notes

The Oak Park Police Department does not have a dedicated public FOIA portal. The department has been the subject of a PAC binding opinion finding it improperly denied a FOIA request.

Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Office of the Governor

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Attn: FOIA Officer 555 W. Monroe St. Chicago IL 60661

Fees & notes

The Governor's Office does not have a dedicated public FOIA portal. The office has a reputation for significant backlogs and for asserting executive privilege exemptions.

Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Peoria County Sheriff

Portal: Submit online

Mail: Peoria County Sheriff's Office 301 N Maxwell Road Peoria IL 61604

Fees & notes

The Peoria County Sheriff's Office uses the JustFOIA portal for FOIA requests. The office was involved in a FOIA lawsuit that was dismissed as moot after records were released.

Source Reviewed 2026-04-27

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Regional Transportation Authority

Mail: Regional Transportation Authority Attn: FOIA Officer 175 W. Jackson Blvd. Suite 1650 Chicago IL 60604

Fees & notes

No specific MuckRock audit data available. The RTA does not have a dedicated public FOIA portal and requires requests to be submitted by mail or fax.

Reviewed 2026-04-27

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