The PDC may suspend or modify the reporting requirements of persons subject to the disclosure law if it decides that the law works a "manifestly unreasonable hardship" on the filer and the modification "will not frustrate the purposes" of the law. If a candidate believes his or her circumstances meet these two statutory tests and is able to provide convincing arguments to that effect, the candidate has the option of requesting that the PDC grant a reporting modification.

The most common type of reporting modification requests that the PDC receives involves the Personal Financial Affairs Statement. These requests typically come from law enforcement officials who have safety concerns about disclosing their residential address or people who own a business and who would face a competitive disadvantage by disclosing the names of business customers.

The request can be made by completing an application that explains what relief is requested and why. Along with the application, the requester should submit a Personal Financial Affairs Statement that has been completed, except for the section covered by the reporting modification request. Send the modification application and form to pdc@pdc.wa.gov. A hearing will be scheduled to consider the request. It's best if the candidate attends the hearing, but his or her presence is not required.