Obtaining Public Documents

You may access current case information through the Commission's online Docket Search feature. To obtain official copies of documents, contact the Document Control Center of the Clerk's Office where you may order documents for a fee. You may also visit the Document Control Center to review documents on site.

Generally, information and public examination of SCC records are available to the same extent as the records and files of the courts of the Commonwealth. The SCC’s overall policy regarding public access to its records is to promote an increased awareness by all persons of the SCC’s activities.

In furthering this policy, the SCC has made most of its public case-related documents available electronically via its website. Documents can be printed or downloaded from the website at no charge.

Statutory Authority to Access SCC Case Records

§ 12.1-19. Duties of clerk; records; copies.

The clerk of the Commission shall:

• Keep a record of all the proceedings, orders, findings, and judgments of the public sessions of the Commission, and the minutes of the proceedings of each day's public session shall be read and approved by the Commission and signed by its chairman, or acting chairman;
• Subject to the supervision and control of the Commission, have custody of and preserve all of the records, documents, papers, and files of the Commission, or which may be filed before it in any complaint, proceeding, contest, or controversy, and such records, documents, papers, and files shall be open to public examination in the office of the clerk to the same extent as the records and files of the courts of this Commonwealth;
• When requested, make and certify copies from any record, document, paper, or file in his office, and if required, affix the seal of the Commission (or a facsimile thereof) thereto, and otherwise furnish information from the Commission records by any means the Commission may deem suitable; and, except when made at the instance of the Commission or on behalf of the Commonwealth, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or the government of the United States, he shall charge and collect the fees fixed by §§12.1-21.1 and 12.1-21.2; and any such copy, so certified, shall have the same faith, credit, and legal effect as copies made and certified by the clerks of the courts of this Commonwealth from the records and files thereof.

Obtaining Non-case Documents

Virginia laws govern the various forms of information held or received by the State Corporation Commission (SCC) that are specifically applicable to the SCC’s regulatory responsibilities and its various operating divisions.

Except as otherwise required by law, SCC divisions have been instructed to liberally favor access to documents maintained by those divisions. While certain information may be available on the specific web page of an SCC division, the majority of such documents may not be available electronically via the SCC website.

Statutory Authority to Charge for Copies of SCC Documents

Applicable statute:

§ 12.1-21.2. Miscellaneous charges.

B. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Commission shall charge and collect reasonable fees for furnishing and certifying a copy of any document or any information from its records and may charge and collect reasonable fees for providing access to or utilization of its records by computer or other means. Such fees, when collected, shall be set aside and paid into the special fund created under § 13.1-775.1.

Applicable SCC regulation:

5VAC5-40-10. Fees to be charged by the commission.

B. The commission shall charge and collect for furnishing and certifying a copy of any document, instrument, or paper or any information from its records $ .50 per page and $3.00 for the certificate and affixing thereto the seal of the commission or a facsimile thereof.

Procedure for Requesting Copies of SCC Documents:

For copies of case-related documents, contact the Document Control Center of the Office of the Clerk, (804) 371-9838.

For copies of business entity, UCC, and Federal tax lien documents, contact the Call Center of the Office of the Clerk, (804) 371-9733.

Both the Document Control Center and the Call Center can be reached toll-free (in Virginia only) at 1-866-SCC-CLK1 (1-866-722-2551).

You also may visit the Clerk’s Office to review documents. The Office of the Clerk is on the 1st floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, in downtown Richmond. Normal working hours are from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Correspondence regarding requests for copies of documents maintained by a particular SCC division should be directed to:

The State Corporation Commission
(Specify the Division)
P.O. Box 1197
Richmond, Virginia 23218

You may also visit SCC divisions to view public documents. An appointment should be arranged in advance of the visit.

The SCC’s Division of Information Resources coordinates various public information activities of the SCC and handles all general information inquiries from the news media and the public:

1-800-552-7945 (toll free in Virginia only)
(804) 371-9141 or 371-9967 from the Richmond metro area
(804) 371-9211 (fax)
e-mail: sccinfo@scc.virginia.gov