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Government · Estonia
Updated September 2026

📂 How do I request documents or information from a public body?

Direct answer

Every EU country has an access-to-information law: you can ask any public body for documents, without giving a reason, and they must answer within a legal deadline (often 15–30 days) — either with the documents or with a reasoned refusal citing an exception (privacy, security, ongoing decisions). Send the request to the body; if refused or ignored, Andmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalve (627 4135) — the information commissioner or ombudsman for Estonia — reviews it; Õiguskantsler (693 8404) handles the procedural complaint; Halduskohus (kohus.ee) is the court. Documents about you are also a data-protection right (GDPR access), which has no exceptions for "internal" notes.

Call firstAndmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalve
Report toÕiguskantsler
If that failsHalduskohus

🗣️ What to say

"Under [access-to-information law] I request copies of [documents: description, period, subject], including [emails, reports, contracts]. Please provide them in electronic form within the legal deadline. If you refuse any part, please state the exception and the reasoning, and tell me how to appeal."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Describe, do not justifyWhat documents, which period, which department. No reason is needed; a clear description is.
  2. Send it in writingEmail to the body's official address or the online portal. Note the date — the deadline runs from receipt.
  3. Deadline passesA reminder citing the law; then a complaint to Andmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalve for silence.
  4. RefusedRead the exception. Partial disclosure with redactions is the norm; a blanket refusal is reviewable at Andmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalve.
  5. Documents about youUse both routes: access to information and GDPR access. The GDPR route reaches personal notes and assessments.

📇 All contacts

Andmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalveInformation requests, challenge on refusalWhen a body refuses information📞 627 4135🔗 www.aki.ee/avalik-teave
ÕiguskantslerComplaints about authorities, freeWhen the authority does not answer or acts unfairly📞 693 8404🔗 www.oiguskantsler.ee
HalduskohusAppeal against an administrative actWithin 30 days of notification🔗 www.kohus.ee
Riigi õigusabi (Advokatuur) / HUGO.legal tasuta õigusnõuState legal aid on low income; free first adviceWhen you cannot afford a lawyer📞 600 0230🔗 www.advokatuur.ee/est/riigi-oigusabi

❓ Frequently asked

Can they charge me?

Copying costs at most; many countries provide electronic copies free. Excessive fees are appealable.

They say the documents do not exist

Ask how they searched; Andmekaitse Inspektsioon — avaliku teabe järelevalve can check. Emails and messages are documents too.

Can I ask a private company?

Only if it performs a public task or is publicly owned; otherwise, GDPR access for your own data.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “freedom of information request Estonia”
  • “access to documents public body”
  • “foi request refused appeal”
  • “information commissioner Estonia”
  • “request my file from authority”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

⚖️Ombudsman→📩Object to a decision→💡Broken streetlight→🗑️Illegal dumping→

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