Reviewed by: ITLawCo’s Access to Information Team
Last updated: 20 November 2025
Jurisdiction: South Africa
PAIA allows anyone to request access to records held by private bodies, but it also permits organisations to charge regulated fees for processing those requests. These fees ensure cost recovery for search time, reproduction, redactions, and preparation. This page explains exactly what private bodies may charge under section 54 of PAIA and the 2021 Regulations, when those fees apply, and how to remain compliant while managing operational impact.
1. Why PAIA fees exist
PAIA gives everyone the constitutional right to request access to information held by public and private bodies. To prevent frivolous use of the system and to ensure that processing does not impose an unreasonable financial burden on organisations, PAIA allows private bodies to charge regulated, cost-recovery fees.
These fees are mandated by section 54 of the Act and by Annexure B of the 2021 PAIA Regulations (GNR.757).
Private bodies may not create their own fees or deviate from the prescribed tariffs.
2. Key statutory definitions that apply to fees
“record”
Any recorded information, regardless of form, medium, or origin. This includes emails, PDFs, databases, multimedia files, and physical documents.
Impact: Fees apply to all forms of reproduction and preparation.
“requester”
Any person making a PAIA request for a private body’s records, whether acting personally or on behalf of someone else.
Impact: Anyone may be charged the R140 request fee unless the request relates to their own personal information.
“private body”
Includes natural or juristic persons carrying on a trade, business, or profession; partnerships; companies; trusts; and political parties.
Impact: The fee schedule applies broadly across the private sector.
3. Where fees fit in the private-body PAIA workflow
- s50 – Right of access
- s53 – Form of request (Form 02)
- s54 – Fees (request fee, access fees, deposit, withholding)
- s55–s59 – Decisions, extensions, refusals, severability
Placing fees within this flow helps organisations understand the timing and purpose of each fee.
4. The request fee (R140)
A non-refundable request fee of R140 may be charged before processing a request, unless the requester seeks their own personal information. This fee must be detailed in a PAIA fee notice.
5. Access fees once the request is granted
Access fees consist of:
- Reproduction fees, and
- Search and preparation fees
These fees apply only once access is granted.
5.1 Reproduction fees (Annexure B tariffs)
| Record type | Fee |
|---|---|
| A4 photocopy/print (black & white) | R2.00/page |
| Flash drive (requester provides) | R40.00 |
| CD/USB (provided by requester) | R40.00 |
| CD/USB (supplied by private body) | R60.00 |
| Transcription of audio (per A4 page) | R24.00 |
| Copies/transcription of visual images | Outsourced (quoted) |
These fees apply uniformly, regardless of internal copying costs.
5.2 Search and preparation fees
Private bodies may charge:
R145 per hour (or part thereof)
after the first free hour, including:
- locating records
- collating and retrieving information
- redacting confidential or third-party content
- preparing copies or electronic exports
Maximum charge
R435 per request
6. Deposits for large requests
Where more than six hours of search or preparation is anticipated, a private body may require a deposit equal to one-third of the estimated total access fee.
Every fee or deposit notice must notify the requester of:
- their right to complain to the Information Regulator,
- their right to approach a court, and
- the applicable procedure and timeframe.
If access is refused, the deposit must be refunded.
7. Postage, courier, email or transfer costs
The requester must pay the actual cost of transmitting the record.
No uplift or handling fee may be added.
8. Withholding records until fees are paid
A private body may withhold the record until all applicable fees have been paid.
This prevents unrecovered search, redaction, or reproduction costs.
9. Who these fees apply to
The prescribed fee structure applies to all private bodies, including:
- companies and subsidiaries
- SMEs and professional practices
- partnerships and sole proprietors
- NGOs and NPOs
- trusts
- political parties
Any organisation meeting the definition of a private body must apply these fees.
10. Common organisational scenarios
Scenario A: Employee requests their HR file
No R140 request fee; reproduction and preparation fees may still apply.
Scenario B: Journalist requests financial records
R140 request fee; search fees and deposit likely.
Scenario C: Supplier requests a contract
Depends on whether it is their personal information; redactions affect preparation time.
11. Practical compliance guidance
Private bodies should:
- include the 2021 fee schedule in their PAIA Manual,
- use compliant fee and deposit notices,
- document how fees were calculated,
- align PAIA and POPIA processes (especially identity verification and redaction),
- train deputy information officers on personal-requester exemptions.
This ensures defensible, consistent and legally compliant request handling.
12. How ITLawCo can help
We support private bodies with:
- drafting and updating PAIA Manuals,
- preparing PAIA fee, deposit, decision, and refusal notices,
- designing access-to-information workflows,
- handling complex or high-volume requests,
- conducting PAIA/POPIA training for internal teams.