Records retention schedules explained

What a schedule does

A schedule ties each class of record to a retention period and a final action. Without one, a body has no lawful basis to destroy records in several systems. US federal law makes the disposal procedures in chapter 33 of title 44 exclusive ⁶. Australia's National Archives says Commonwealth records can be destroyed only where a law requires it, where it permits it through a records authority, or under normal administrative practice it has not disapproved ³.

United States: agency schedules and the GRS

Agencies submit lists and schedules to the Archivist. For records that lack enough administrative, legal, research or other value, the Archivist may authorise disposal after notice in the Federal Register and public comment ⁴. The law says these disposal authorisations are mandatory, and where two conflict the shorter retention period applies ⁴.

The Archivist must in addition issue general schedules for records of a common form across agencies ⁴. NARA says use of the General Records Schedules is mandatory, and an agency may depart from them only if it can justify an agency-specific schedule ¹. The GRS cover administrative and support functions and typically do not cover records documenting an agency's mission ¹.

United Kingdom: selection and disposal

Section 3 of the Public Records Act 1958 makes those responsible for public records arrange to select records worth permanent preservation, under the guidance of the Keeper of Public Records ². All public records created before 1660 must be preserved ². Selected records go to The National Archives or an approved place of deposit no later than 20 years after creation ². Records rejected as not needed for permanent preservation are to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of ².

Australia: records authorities

The National Archives of Australia issues general records authorities. AFDA Express version 2 covers the destruction and transfer of records from 15 common administrative functions, such as financial management, personnel, procurement and ICT ³. Other general authorities cover activities such as grant management, outsourcing and scanning of original records ³.

Agencies cannot dispose of records of their unique business functions without a specific law or an agency-specific records authority ³.

India and the link to access requests

India's Right to Information Act requires each public authority to keep all its records catalogued and indexed, and to computerise suitable records subject to resources ⁵. The Information Commission can require an authority to change its practices on the maintenance, management and destruction of records ⁵.

Deletion under a schedule affects what an access request can find. The UK ICO says information is not held once it has been overwritten, but may still be held in a recycle bin or backup before then ⁷.