The mission of the Public Information Office is to provide transparency, education and County information for the public through the use of news media outlets, the website, social media, public records, and other methods.

The Public Information Office responds to news media inquiries for information, processes Inspection of Public Records Act requests, manages the social media pages and website for the County and provides marketing, advertising and community relations support for all Sandoval County departments and offices.

As part of the Administration Department, the Public Information Office works diligently to ensure that accurate information is disseminated to the public and to residents of Sandoval County.

The New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) grants all citizens the right to inspect public records, related to the conduct of government business, at no charge. Sandoval County processes all requests for public records in accordance with New Mexico IPRA regulations.

Sandoval County Notice of Right to Inspect Public Records

The processing time frame for IPRA requests can vary. We always strive to fulfill requests in three days, however, IPRA regulations do allow up to 15 days for processing of requests in most cases.

Sandoval County, in accordance with IPRA regulations, provides for the inspection of public records at no charge. However, the County, also per IPRA regulations, reserves the right to redact personal identifier information in public records and also to charge a fee related to the requested production of physical paper copies of documents or other delivery methods such as electronic documents delivered on CD, USB/Thumb Drives or DVDs. All requesters will be notified in advance of any fees related to their public records copying requests, should they request copies. Payment must be received before copies of records will be created and released. Click here to read through our copy charges policy.

Again, please note that it is free to inspect public records and we will only charge a fee if you request that we make copies of documents for you. In addition, a requester is welcome to utilize their own copying device (such as a cell phone camera or portable scanner) to make their own free copies of responsive documents as long as the document does not leave the County facility where it is being viewed and the document has already been redacted to protect personal identifier information. Please note that documents held with the Clerk’s Office must be redacted prior to release and therefore, the Clerk’s Office does not permit a requester to take a cell phone or other photo of documents which are viewable on their publicly accessible computers.

In an effort to assist with communication and processing of IPRA requests, Sandoval County has an online public records portal. This portal is free to use and allows for submission of requests, tracking of requests, dissemination of responsive records, payment processing and more. You may also request records by clicking on the button below.