How to file an RTI application, step by step
Any citizen can ask a government office for information under the Right to Information Act, 2005. Here is how to write the application, what it costs, how long the reply takes, and how to appeal.
Who can file and what you can ask
Any citizen of India can ask a public authority (a ministry, department, municipal body, public sector bank, government school or hospital, and similar bodies) for information it holds: documents, file notings, records, data or the status of your own application. You do not have to give a reason for asking (Section 6(2)).
Step 1: Find the right office
Address your application to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the office that holds the information. Most offices list their PIO on their website or notice board. If you send it to the wrong office, that office must transfer it to the right one within five days (Section 6(3)).
Step 2: Write the application
Keep it short and specific. Include:
- the name and address of the public authority, addressed to “The Public Information Officer”;
- the information you want, as numbered questions;
- the period it covers (for example, “from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026”);
- your name, address and signature;
- how you paid the fee.
You can write in English, Hindi or the official language of the area (Section 6(1)).
Step 3: Pay the fee
For Central Government offices the fee is ₹10. States set their own fees, so check the state’s RTI rules. Applicants below the poverty line do not pay a fee, but must attach proof such as a BPL card (Section 7(5)).
For Central Government offices you can file and pay online at rtionline.gov.in. Many states run their own RTI portals.
Step 4: Wait for the reply
| Situation | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Normal reply | 30 days from receipt (Section 7(1)) |
| Information concerns someone’s life or liberty | 48 hours (Section 7(1)) |
| Filed through an Assistant PIO | 5 more days (Section 5(2)) |
If you get no reply in time, the law treats it as a refusal (Section 7(2)), and you can appeal. The office may ask you to pay extra for photocopies.
Step 5: Appeal if you are not satisfied
- First appeal: within 30 days of the reply (or of the deadline passing), to the First Appellate Authority, an officer senior to the PIO in the same office (Section 19(1)).
- Second appeal: within 90 days of the first appeal decision, to the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission (Section 19(3)).
What can be refused
Some information is exempt under Section 8, for example information affecting national security, cabinet papers before a decision, or personal information with no link to public activity. Certain intelligence and security organisations are largely outside the Act (Section 24). A refusal must give reasons and name the appellate authority.