{
  "name": "Statutory deadlines for answering a citizen's letter to an Estonian authority",
  "source": "Avaliku teabe seadus (redaction 106032026003) and Märgukirjale ja selgitustaotlusele vastamise ning kollektiivse pöördumise esitamise seadus (redaction 118122024006), read on 2026-07-26. The day counts are computed by the same code that answers the deadline calculator on the documentation page below, not written out by hand.",
  "lawAsRead": "2026-07-26",
  "documentation": "https://kodanikukratt.ee/letters",
  "howToWriteTheLetter": "https://kodanikukratt.ee/letters/teabenoue.md",
  "howToCount": {
    "workingDays": "Weekends and the days off in Pühade ja tähtpäevade seadus § 1–§ 2 (redaction 120122022005) are skipped. The riiklikud tähtpäevad in § 3 are ordinary working days.",
    "worstCase": "Every date assumes registration slips to the last day the law allows, so it is the date the citizen can actually hold the authority to.",
    "countItYourself": "Start from the day in clock.registration, then count in the unit in deadline.unit. State no date you have not counted; the example on each row is an illustration, not the citizen's date."
  },
  "nullMeans": "Not verified by this project. It never means the law is silent — say the gap out loud rather than filling it.",
  "count": 3,
  "deadlines": [
    {
      "kind": "information_request",
      "channel": "Teabenõue",
      "useWhen": "The authority already holds the document or the data, and the citizen wants a copy of it.",
      "deadline": {
        "count": 5,
        "unit": "working days",
        "basis": "AvTS § 18 (1)"
      },
      "extension": {
        "count": 15,
        "unit": "working days",
        "basis": "AvTS § 19",
        "note": "A ceiling, not an addition: it is counted from the same day as the ordinary deadline. The authority has to notify the requester of the extension and give a reason."
      },
      "clock": {
        "registration": "Registered on the day of receipt, at the latest on the next working day (AvTS § 16 (1)).",
        "startsOn": "The count starts on the working day following registration (AvTS § 18 (3))."
      },
      "ifMissed": "The authority owes either the information or a refusal in writing with a reason; AvTS § 23 lists the grounds on which it must or may refuse. A refusal is contested with a vaie to Andmekaitse Inspektsioon or a complaint to an administrative court (AvTS § 46).",
      "legalBasis": {
        "act": "Avaliku teabe seadus",
        "shortName": "AvTS",
        "redaction": "106032026003",
        "readOn": "2026-07-26"
      },
      "ruleEstonian": "5 tööpäeva (AvTS § 18); pikendamisel kuni 15 tööpäeva (AvTS § 19)",
      "example": {
        "sentOn": "2026-01-05",
        "registeredBy": "2026-01-06",
        "dueBy": "2026-01-13",
        "ifExtendedDueBy": "2026-01-27"
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "clarification_request",
      "channel": "Selgitustaotlus",
      "useWhen": "The citizen wants an explanation, or an answer the authority has to gather, systematise or analyse data to produce.",
      "deadline": {
        "count": 15,
        "unit": "calendar days",
        "basis": "MSVS § 6"
      },
      "extension": {
        "count": 2,
        "unit": "months",
        "basis": "MSVS § 6",
        "note": "Only where there is a special need (erilise vajaduse korral)."
      },
      "clock": {
        "registration": "Registered at the latest on the working day following receipt (MSVS § 7 (1)).",
        "startsOn": "The count runs from registration (MSVS § 6)."
      },
      "ifMissed": null,
      "legalBasis": {
        "act": "Märgukirjale ja selgitustaotlusele vastamise ning kollektiivse pöördumise esitamise seadus",
        "shortName": "MSVS",
        "redaction": "118122024006",
        "readOn": "2026-07-26"
      },
      "ruleEstonian": "15 kalendripäeva (MSVS § 6); erilise vajaduse korral kuni kaks kuud",
      "example": {
        "sentOn": "2026-01-05",
        "registeredBy": "2026-01-06",
        "dueBy": "2026-01-21",
        "ifExtendedDueBy": "2026-03-06"
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "memorandum",
      "channel": "Märgukiri",
      "useWhen": "The citizen wants to propose something, or to pass on information about public life.",
      "deadline": {
        "count": 15,
        "unit": "calendar days",
        "basis": "MSVS § 6"
      },
      "extension": {
        "count": 2,
        "unit": "months",
        "basis": "MSVS § 6",
        "note": "Only where there is a special need (erilise vajaduse korral)."
      },
      "clock": {
        "registration": "Registered at the latest on the working day following receipt (MSVS § 7 (1)).",
        "startsOn": "The count runs from registration (MSVS § 6)."
      },
      "ifMissed": null,
      "legalBasis": {
        "act": "Märgukirjale ja selgitustaotlusele vastamise ning kollektiivse pöördumise esitamise seadus",
        "shortName": "MSVS",
        "redaction": "118122024006",
        "readOn": "2026-07-26"
      },
      "ruleEstonian": "15 kalendripäeva (MSVS § 6); erilise vajaduse korral kuni kaks kuud",
      "example": {
        "sentOn": "2026-01-05",
        "registeredBy": "2026-01-06",
        "dueBy": "2026-01-21",
        "ifExtendedDueBy": "2026-03-06"
      }
    }
  ],
  "withoutVerifiedDeadline": [
    {
      "kind": "challenge",
      "channel": "Vaie",
      "useWhen": "The citizen is contesting a decision or a refusal.",
      "deadline": null,
      "why": "The deadline depends on which act governs the procedure, and this project has not read those. Say that the deadline follows the governing act, and name no date."
    },
    {
      "kind": "other",
      "channel": "Kiri",
      "useWhen": "Any other letter to an authority — none of the four named channels.",
      "deadline": null,
      "why": "The deadline depends on which act governs the procedure, and this project has not read those. Say that the deadline follows the governing act, and name no date."
    }
  ]
}