Aktindsigt: handling access-to-documents requests in Denmark
Under the Danish Access to Public Administration Files Act (offentlighedsloven), a request must be decided as soon as possible. If it is not answered within 7 working days of receipt, the authority must tell the requester why and when a decision can be expected. Information about private individuals' private matters can be withheld, and the rest of the document is released.
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The 7 working day rule
Section 36 of offentlighedsloven sets the main rule: decide quickly, and if the 7 working days pass, explain the delay and give an expected date. Large or complex requests can take longer, but the requester should never wait without hearing from you.
A party to a case may also have access under the Public Administration Act (forvaltningsloven), with its own rules. Check which act applies before you start.
What to remove before release
Section 30 lets an authority withhold information about private individuals' private matters, including financial matters, and certain business information. In practice, municipalities usually remove:
- CPR numbers, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of citizens.
- Health, social and family information.
- Names of private individuals where the context reveals private matters.
- Business secrets and pricing where disclosure would cause harm.
Partial access, not refusal
Withhold the protected information and release the rest. Keep a record of what was withheld and the legal basis, so the decision can be explained if it is appealed.
A release that does not leak
Most leaks come from overlay redaction, scanned pages with an OCR layer and forgotten metadata. Northdocs runs the 7 working day clock, finds CPR numbers and names, lets the caseworker accept each person once across the case, writes the exemption schedule, connects to Danish case systems, and verifies every release before download.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Follow your municipality's own practice and the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman's guidance.