Getting a copy of your TAC documentation

You can ask the TAC to send you a copy of your TAC documentation. You can do this in two ways:

1. Release of Information. This is a free process. It allows you to request certain types of documentation.
2. Freedom of Information. This has a cost of $32.70. It allows you request access to any document held by the TAC. Access can be refused in some cases – see details below.

Release of information (free)

The TAC will give you (or your representative) a copy of the following information for free:

• Your TAC claim form
• Most medical reports
• Decision letters
• A printout of payments made on the claim.

How do I request information from the TAC under the 'Release of Information' process?

All you have to do is contact the TAC via email, phone call or the MyTAC app and tell us which documents you want. It helps us if you can be specific about the documents.

We will respond to you in the time-frames set out in the TAC Service Charter.

'Release of information' requests from solicitors

Solicitors representing TAC clients should use the following form to request documents under this process.

The form provides guidance on the process and information required for the TAC to respond with the necessary documents.

Freedom of Information (there is a cost)

The FOI process is not free, there is an application fee of $32.70 (as of 1 July 2024) payable when a request is lodged. You may also have to pay access charges before documents are provided. If you are suffering financial hardship, you can ask the TAC to consider waiving the FOI application fee and access charges.

What is FOI?

The Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982 gives you a general right to:

• Seek access to documents held by the TAC about your personal affairs (such as details of your TAC claim), a third party or the operations of the TAC in general
• Ask for an amendment to personal records – if the personal records are incomplete, out of date, incorrect or misleading
• Seek a review of an FOI decision from the Victorian Information Commissioner - Public Access.

What documents can I access?

You can request access to any document held by the TAC. However, the TAC may refuse access to some documents or portions of documents when they are subject to the exception and exemption provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

If we refuse access to documents, we will tell you about the ways you can get the FOI decision reviewed.

The Part 2 Statement below provides a snapshot of the types of documents held by the TAC and how to locate them.  It is by no means an exhaustive representation of the information the TAC holds (see also the TAC’s privacy policy).  This Part 2 Statement has been created pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) with the aim of ensuring all individuals and organisations can effectively exercise their right to obtain access to TAC information or documents.

• TAC Part 2 Statement  PDF, 0.38MB
• TAC Part 2 Statement DOCX, 0.53MB

How do I make a formal FOI request?

Online lodgement (requires a credit card)

You can submit your FOI request and payment via the Department of Justice online government FOI portal.

Please note that you need to register for an account before you can make an FOI request using this portal.

By email

You can email the TAC directly at foi@tac.vic.gov.au. You need to include:

• A completed FOI application form or a written request; and
• Complete a bank transfer of the application fee. The FOI team will provide you with the TAC's dedicated FOI EFT details when you send the request through.

By post

You need to send the TAC:

• A completed FOI application form or a written request; and
• A cheque or money order for the $32.70 application fee, payable to the Transport Accident Commission.

Mail the application form and cheque/money order to the TAC at:

Transport Accident Commission
Attention: FOI team
PO Box 2751
MELBOURNE VIC 3001

• TAC Freedom of Information Request form PDF, 0.69MB
• TAC Freedom of Information Request form DOCX, 0.14MB
• TAC Freedom of Information Request form - Represented applicant PDF, 0.42MB
• TAC Freedom of Information Request form - Represented applicant DOCX, 0.14MB

How long does it take?

The TAC has 30 days to make a decision about your FOI request. This time can be extended with your consent or without your consent by 15 days if third parties need to be consulted about the release of their information to you.

If your request takes more than 2 days in total to process, the TAC can also refuse to process your request due to it being an unreasonable diversion of TAC’s resources. In such a case, the FOI team will provide suggestions about how to reduce the scope of your request so that it can be processed.

Consultation about release

If information identifying you is held by the TAC and is subject to an FOI request, the FOI Act requires the TAC to consult with you about your views on release to the applicant. There are several important exceptions to this requirement, however – such as the TAC not needing to consult where it would be impractical or unreasonable to do so. For more detail about consultation or the FOI Act amendments, contact TAC’s Manager, Information & Privacy.

Subpoena of TAC documents/claim files

A subpoena (or summons) is an order of the court that requires the TAC to produce documents to court at a time and place described.

The TAC requests that any subpoena or summons directed to the TAC (irrespective of the issuing court or form of the subpoena) be served personally. In other words, it needs to be provided to the TAC at Ground Floor Reception by a process server. This is for the benefit of the issuing party. Documents sent by post or email risk delays, and are not guaranteed of reaching the intended recipient in time for the TAC to reasonably process and produce documents to Court within the time-frame of the subpoena.

Subpoenas should be directed to:

The Proper Officer
Information & Privacy
The Transport Accident Commission
60 Brougham Street
GEELONG VIC 3220

Conduct Money for subpoena

Conduct money is money handed to the TAC as the recipient where attendance at court is required. The money is provided at the time the subpoena is served. It is an allowance paid for the anticipated travel expenses that will be incurred to comply with the subpoena. Conduct money is separate, and different to, the costs occasionally claimed by an addressee when complying with the terms of a subpoena such as photocopying and postage, etc.  Any party serving a subpoena that does not require a court attendance at Court by a TAC representative does not need to provide the TAC with conduct money.

Ambulance Victoria payments made after 12 December 2016

As of 12 December 2016, all reimbursements made by the TAC to Ambulance Victoria for transport accidents will now be considered TAC ‘business payments' rather than 'claim payments'. This means that payments made from the TAC to Ambulance Victoria after 12 December 2016 will not appear in a print out of payments on a client's claim.

Access to TAC/Ambulance Victoria payments made after 12 December 2016 must be specifically requested under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 via the TAC FOI team at foi@tac.vic.gov.au

This arrangement has been made by agreement with Ambulance Victoria pursuant to section 121 of the Transport Accident Act 1986.

Self-Assessment surveys completed after 27 June 2019

Clients who have given the TAC permission to contact them by mobile phone may receive an SMS asking them to complete an online self-assessment after their transport accident.

From 27 June 2019 the SMS message will include the following secure link: http://mytac.vic.gov.au/myneeds. Please note that this link will not appear in any TAC documentation that we release including your answers to the self-assessment.