Massachusetts Public Records

How the Massachusetts Public Records Law Actually Works

Massachusetts's public records law is codified at M.G.L. c. 66, § 10 (Massachusetts Public Records Law). It gives any person — resident or not, citizen or not, journalist or not — the right to inspect and copy public records held by state and local agencies. In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the record.

Response time: 10 business days to provide records or estimated date. The agency's response is not necessarily a deadline to deliver records — it tells you whether the records exist and when they'll be produced.

Fee rules: $0.05/page black-and-white, no charge for first 4 hours of work; commercial use up to $25/hour. Agencies cannot inflate charges to discourage requests.

If your request is denied or unreasonably delayed, the law typically provides a mechanism to appeal — either administratively or by filing a petition in state court. Many states award attorney's fees to requesters who prevail on a wrongfully denied request.

What You Cannot Get in Massachusetts (the honest answer)

Many directory sites promise things Massachusetts law specifically restricts. Here's what's actually true:

• Rap sheet access: Cori requires registration; not freely public. Third-party "instant background check" sites that promise a full Massachusetts criminal history are typically aggregating older court data — not the official state record.
• Sealed and expunged records: records cleared under Massachusetts's expungement law (M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A et seq.) are removed from public criminal history reports.
• Juvenile records are generally confidential under Massachusetts law and not available without court order.
• Active investigation records, attorney-client privileged documents, draft notes, and personnel files are exempt under standard exceptions to the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
• Booking photos (mugshots) have increasingly restricted commercial use across Massachusetts and most states — paid "mugshot removal" sites are exposed to civil liability in many jurisdictions.

Expungement and Record Clearing in Massachusetts

Massachusetts's record-clearing law is found at M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A et seq..

Eligibility: many records sealable after 3-7 years; expungement for younger-offender records and certain misdemeanors after waiting period.

The petition or application is typically filed in the court of conviction. Filing fees, waiting periods, and exclusions vary by offense type — serious violent crimes and most sexual offenses are commonly excluded. Many states are moving toward automatic ("Clean Slate") sealing for qualifying records.

If you believe your Massachusetts record contains an error or includes an offense that should have been cleared, you have the right to challenge it through the state criminal history repository — typically by submitting a written claim with documentation.

How to Get Your Own Massachusetts Criminal Record

If you need your own Massachusetts criminal history — for an employer, a licensing board, an immigration application, or just to know what's there — the state record is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS).

Walkthrough:

1. Choose your method: DCJIS iCORI online $25 self-request.
2. Complete the required form (most states use a standard request form available from the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services website).
3. Submit your request along with the fee. Fingerprint-based methods provide the most complete and accurate record but take longer.
4. Turnaround: online: same day; mail: 2-3 weeks.
5. Review the response. If you find errors, the law at M.G.L. c. 6, § 167-178B (CORI Reform Act) provides procedures for correcting or challenging inaccurate criminal history information.

Fingerprint-based criminal history checks are considered the official record. Name-based checks are faster and cheaper but can miss records or include records belonging to people with similar names — verify identity carefully.

Notable Massachusetts Record Laws You Should Know

• An Act Relative to Criminal Justice Reform (2018): Expanded sealing and added expungement provisions.
• M.G.L. c. 6, § 167-178B (CORI Reform Act): the statute governing the maintenance, dissemination, and inspection of state criminal history records in Massachusetts.
• Federal interaction: the FBI maintains a separate national criminal history database (the Identification, Information & Investigation Services / NGI). Some Massachusetts background checks include a fingerprint forward to the FBI for $13–$32 additional fee, depending on purpose.