Under RCW 42.56.580, each state and local agency must appoint and publicly identify a public records officer.

For state agencies, the name and contact information of the agency's public records officer must be published in the Washington State Register at the time of designation and maintained thereafter on the office of the code reviser's website for the duration of the designation. To submit a new designation or make changes to an existing designation, send a Word document (preferably on the agency letterhead) to the electronic filing system or send the original and three copies to the office of the code reviser. An agency may use the template found on the office of the code reviser's website at http://leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/Pages/Washington_State_Register.aspx.

Local agencies are not required to publish their designations in the Washington State Register.