FAQs

What types of records can I request?

               The City is custodian of City of Sedona records only. We do not create or maintain records for other agencies or jurisdictions. For birth or death records, please contact the Vital Records Department of the appropriate county (Coconino or Yavapai). For deeds or other property records, please contact the appropriate County Recorder’s office. For property tax records, please contact your County Treasurer’s office. For marriage records, contact the county superior court that issued the original marriage license. (A marriage license can be issued by any county court in the state of Arizona. For fire records, please contact the Sedona Fire District.

               Requests for public records must be for existing records. The City cannot create new records or custom reports in response to requests for records.

What is the date range of records held by the City of Sedona?

               The City of Sedona incorporated on January 4th, 1988. City records begin from this date. Prior to this date, the area was the jurisdictions of Coconino and Yavapai Counties. You may wish to contact them for records prior to January 4, 1988. The City of Sedona maintains records in conformance with records retention schedules set by the state of Arizona.

What charges may be associated with obtaining City of Sedona records?

There is no charge for non-commercial use of City of Sedona public records. Charges do apply for certain requested services in the production of public records however.

Electronic records delivery - No charge

Paper copies - $0.25 per sheet of paper

CD or DVD - $15 per disc

Maps – Contact City of Sedona G.I.S. Department

Requests for voluminous document reproduction will pay the cost for outsourced copying services

Can I access the complete record of City Codes, Legislation and City Council meetings?

               Yes, more recent years are archived on the City’s Web site: Meetings - Agendas, Packets, Minutes | City of Sedona, City Codes | City of Sedona. For directions to access earlier years, please contact the City Clerks Department city clerksdept@sedonaaz.gov or call: 928-282-3113.

Requesting Public Documents for a Commercial Purpose

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, when a person requests copies, printouts, or photographs of public records for a commercial purpose, the person shall provide a statement setting forth the commercial purpose for which the copies, printouts or photographs will be used. Upon being furnished the statement, the custodian of such records may furnish reproductions, the charge for which shall include the following:

  1. A portion of the cost to the public body for obtaining the original or copies of the documents, printouts, or photographs.
  2. A reasonable fee for the cost of time, materials, equipment, and personnel in producing such reproduction.
  3. The value of the reproduction on the commercial market as best determined by the public body. A commercial purpose includes but is not limited to using the requested information for any of the following:
  4. Sale or resale or for the purpose of producing a document containing all or part of the copy printout or photograph for sale.
  5. Obtaining names and addresses for such public records for the purpose of solicitation, or
  6. Monetary gain from direct or indirect use of the public record.

A commercial purpose does not include use of the public record as evidence or research, or for publication of all or part of the public record in a newspaper for its news value.

A person who obtains a public record for a commercial purpose without indicating the commercial purpose or who obtains a public record for a noncommercial purpose and uses or knowingly allows the use of such public record for a commercial purpose shall in addition to other penalties be liable to the City of Sedona for damages in the amount of three times the amount which would have been charged for the public record had the commercial purpose been stated plus costs and reasonable attorney fees or shall be liable to the City of Sedona for the amount of three times the actual damages if it can be shown that the public record would not have been provided had the commercial purpose of actual use been stated at the time of obtaining the records.

A.R.S. § 39-121.03.C.