Access to government data

Your rights as a member of the public to access government data

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act gives you, and all other members of the public, the right to see and have copies of all public data that government entities keep. The law also controls how government entities keep government data and how they respond to requests for data.

• The law says that all the data that government entities keep are public and can be seen by anybody unless there is a state or federal law that classifies the data as not public.
• You have the right to see or inspect all public data that government entities keep. The entities cannot charge you a fee for looking at the data.
• You have the right to have public data explained to you in a way you understand.
• You have the right to get copies of public data. Government entities have the right to charge you a reasonable fee for providing these copies.
• If the information you want to see is not public data, the entity must tell you this, and must tell you what part of the law says you cannot see the data.
• If you ask to see or get copies of government data, the entity must respond to your request promptly and in an appropriate way.

Rights of the public to access government data

Data Request Form - Make sure that you save and open the PDF, then verify that the information is complete and correct before attaching it to an email.

You can submit form by mail or email to:

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Data Practices Compliance Official
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4075
[email protected]

Your rights as the subject of government data

Several state laws protect your privacy rights with regard to the information we collect, use and disseminate about you. These rights are described below. The information that we collect about you may be classified as one or more of the following:

• You have the right to be informed, upon request, whether you are a subject of government data and the classification of that data.
• You have the right to be shown any public and private information we have on you at no charge.
• You have the right to have copies of any public or private information we have on you but you may be charged a reasonable fee.
• We will provide copies of the requested data about you immediately, if possible, or within ten working days.
• You have the right to contest the accuracy and completeness of any public or private data we have on you.
• You have the right to appeal any decision we make about your challenge to the accuracy and completeness.
• If you are under the age of 18, you have the right to ask us to withhold information about you from your parents or guardians.
• You have the right to consent or revoke consent to the release of information we have on you.
• You have the right to release all, part, or none of the private data we have on you.

Requesting government data about you

Data Subject Request Form - Make sure that you save and open the PDF, then verify that the information is complete and correct before attaching it to an email.

You can submit form by mail or email to:

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Data Practices Compliance Official
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4075
[email protected]