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Tamil Nadu RTI Online Portal Help: Department Not Listed, Payment, First Appeal and Offline Filing

Note: FileMyRTI is not a government website. This guide helps citizens use the official RTI portal correctly. If the portal does not support your department or filing route, FileMyRTI can help you file through the correct online or postal method.

Quick answer

You can file an RTI online at rtionline.tn.gov.in for Tamil Nadu Government departments / public authorities available on the portal. The portal says this facility applies to Secretariat departments and offices where online RTI has been implemented, while other offices may still require manual/offline filing. It is not for Central Government offices or other States. Below are the inputs to keep ready, the common portal errors and their fixes, and when to file offline instead.

Go to rtionline.tn.gov.in > Fee: A prescribed RTI fee applies to non-BPL applicants (Rs. 10 under the Tamil Nadu RTI Rules); BPL applicants are exempt with a valid BPL certificate. Some sources say Tamil Nadu RTI is free, but the portal asks non-BPL applicants to "Make Payment" of the prescribed fee. Confirm the current amount on the portal.

CoversTamil Nadu Government departments / public authorities available on the portal. The official portal says RTI applications and First Appeals can be filed online for Secretariat departments and offices where this facility has been implemented. For offices where the facility has not yet been implemented, file manually/offline to the concerned office.

Does NOT coverCentral Government offices, public authorities of other States, and Tamil Nadu offices where online RTI has not yet been implemented. For a Central office use the Central portal (rtionline.gov.in); for another State use that State's route; for a Tamil Nadu office not yet on the portal, file by post.

Before you start, keep these ready

A mobile number and email (for updates and the acknowledgement)
Your full postal address
The Tamil Nadu department / public authority you want information from
Your RTI questions in plain text, within 3000 characters (attach a PDF if longer)
Internet Banking or an ATM-cum-Debit card to pay the prescribed fee (non-BPL applicants)
A copy of your BPL certificate, if you are claiming the fee exemption

Good to know: You can file directly using "Submit Request" - a citizen account is not needed. Non-BPL applicants pay the prescribed fee through Internet Banking or an ATM-cum-Debit card, and the RTI text box is limited to 3000 characters (attach a PDF if your request is longer).

How filing works

Open rtionline.tn.gov.in and use the "Submit Request" option - you can file directly.
Read the portal instructions, then select the concerned Tamil Nadu department / public authority.
Enter your applicant details and postal address.
Write your RTI request in plain text, within the 3000-character limit; attach the rest as a PDF if it is longer.
Non-BPL applicants click "Make Payment" and pay the prescribed fee by Internet Banking or ATM-cum-Debit card (BPL applicants attach the BPL certificate instead).
Submit and save the unique registration number - you need it to track the RTI and to file a First Appeal online.

Good to know: The portal says your application reaches the Nodal Officer of the public authority electronically (not the PIO directly). The Nodal Officer then transmits it to the concerned PIO.

If your department is not listed (the most common problem)

Look for the parent Tamil Nadu department - the office may sit under a larger department or public authority.
If it is a Central Government office, use the Central RTI portal (rtionline.gov.in) - see our Central portal help.
If it is another State's public authority, use that State's RTI route.
If online RTI has not yet been implemented for that Tamil Nadu office, file by post to the concerned PIO - see our guide to filing RTI offline.
Use Section 6(3) transfer only after a reasonable effort to identify the correct public authority. See Section 6(3) explained.
Not sure which office or PIO? Use FindMyPIO, or let FileMyRTI identify it and file for you.

Common portal errors and how to fix them

Department / public authority not listed

Look for the parent Tamil Nadu department - the office may sit under a larger public authority. If it is a Central Government office, use the Central portal; if it is another State, use that State's route. If online RTI is not yet implemented for that Tamil Nadu office, file by post to its PIO.

Your RTI is longer than 3000 characters

The portal limits the request text to 3000 characters. Keep a short summary in the box and attach the full application as a PDF in the supporting-document field.

Payment failed, or amount debited but not confirmed

Do not pay again immediately. Save the bank reference number and check the portal status/history. If the amount was debited but the request is not confirmed, keep the reference and contact the RTI support email before paying again.

Only Internet Banking / Debit card shown at payment

The Tamil Nadu portal accepts the fee through Internet Banking or an ATM-cum-Debit card. If you cannot pay online, file by post instead and pay the fee using a postal order or demand draft.

Portal rejects special characters in your RTI text

Avoid bullets, emojis, smart/curly quotes and copied formatting. Paste your draft into Notepad first to strip the formatting, then use simple punctuation before pasting it into the box.

No registration number generated

Do not assume the RTI was filed. Check the status/history and your email. If no registration number appears, try again or file by post and keep the postal receipt as proof.

Filing a First Appeal

If you filed your RTI through the Tamil Nadu portal, you can file the First Appeal online here using the original registration number and email ID. If your RTI was filed physically by post, file the appeal physically unless the public authority has lodged it on the portal. For a Second Appeal or complaint, use the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission route - not this RTI application / First Appeal flow.

When to use a State portal or file offline instead

The office is a Central Government body or another State's authority - use the Central portal (rtionline.gov.in) or that State's route instead.
Online RTI has not yet been implemented for that Tamil Nadu office - file by post to its PIO.
You cannot pay online (no Internet Banking or debit card) - pay by postal order or demand draft and file by post.
The portal is repeatedly failing, or you want a Speed Post trail as documentary proof.

For the postal route, see how to file an RTI offline (by post), including how to attach the fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is RTI free in Tamil Nadu?

Not for non-BPL applicants. Although some sources say Tamil Nadu RTI is free, the portal asks non-BPL applicants to pay the prescribed RTI fee (Rs. 10 under the Tamil Nadu RTI Rules). BPL applicants are exempt with a valid BPL certificate.

How do I pay the RTI fee on the Tamil Nadu portal?

Non-BPL applicants click "Make Payment" and pay through Internet Banking or an ATM-cum-Debit card. No UPI option is mentioned on the portal.

Is there a limit on the RTI text?

Yes. The request text is limited to 3000 characters. If your RTI is longer, keep a short summary in the box and upload the full application as a PDF.

Can I file Central Government RTI on the Tamil Nadu portal?

No. The Tamil Nadu portal is only for Tamil Nadu State public authorities. For Central Government RTIs, use rtionline.gov.in.

Can FileMyRTI file a Tamil Nadu RTI for me?

Yes. FileMyRTI can draft the RTI, identify the correct Tamil Nadu public authority or PIO, and file it through the correct online or postal route.

Tamil Nadu RTI Online support email: rtisupport@tn.gov.in (the portal does not list a helpline phone number).

Stuck on the portal? FileMyRTI can file it for youWe draft it, identify the correct PIO, and file via the right online or postal route - from Rs. 399

I only need help finding the correct PIO >

Last verified: June 2026 against the official rtionline.tn.gov.in portal. See also: the national RTI online guide, the Fee Calculator, and more portal help guides.