Records retention and archive rules: directory

• General Records Schedules (GRS)

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Disposal authority for common administrative and support records. Use is mandatory ¹

  Source

  NARA ¹

• 44 U.S.C. § 3303a

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Archivist approves disposal of records lacking enough value after Federal Register notice. Authorisations are mandatory ⁵

  Source

  US Code ⁵

• 44 U.S.C. § 3314

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Chapter 33 disposal procedures are exclusive ⁶

  Source

  US Code ⁶

• 44 U.S.C. § 2107

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Transfer of historical records to the National Archives, as a rule by 30 years after creation ⁷

  Source

  US Code ⁷

• 44 U.S.C. § 3106

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Agency heads notify the Archivist of unlawful removal or destruction ⁸

  Source

  US Code ⁸

• 18 U.S.C. § 2071

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  What it covers

  Willful destruction or concealment of filed records. Up to 3 years in prison ⁹

  Source

  US Code ⁹

• Public Records Act 1958, s 3(1) to (3)

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  What it covers

  Selection of records for permanent preservation. All records before 1660 kept ²

  Source

  legislation.gov.uk ²

• Public Records Act 1958, s 3(4)

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  What it covers

  Transfer no later than 20 years after creation, with retention allowed for administrative need ²

  Source

  legislation.gov.uk ²

• Public Records Act 1958, s 3(6)

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  What it covers

  Records not selected for preservation are destroyed or otherwise disposed of ²

  Source

  legislation.gov.uk ²

• 20-year rule transition

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  What it covers

  Two years of records transferred each year from 2013 to 2022 ¹⁰

  Source

  The National Archives ¹⁰

• Freedom of Information Act 2000, s 77

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  What it covers

  Offence to alter, erase, destroy or conceal records to prevent disclosure. Level 5 fine ¹¹

  Source

  legislation.gov.uk ¹¹

• Archives Act 1983, s 24

  Jurisdiction

  Australia

  What it covers

  Destruction only as required by law, with National Archives permission, or under normal administrative practice ³

  Source

  National Archives of Australia ³

• AFDA Express version 2

  Jurisdiction

  Australia

  What it covers

  General records authority for 15 common administrative functions ³

  Source

  National Archives of Australia ³

• Open access period

  Jurisdiction

  Australia

  What it covers

  Most archival records open after 20 years, Cabinet notebooks after 30, census data after 99 ¹²

  Source

  National Archives of Australia ¹²

• Access to Information Act, s 67.1

  Jurisdiction

  Canada

  What it covers

  Offence to destroy, alter, falsify or conceal records to deny access. Up to 2 years and $10,000 on indictment ⁴

  Source

  Justice Laws Website ⁴

• Right to Information Act 2005, s 4(1)(a)

  Jurisdiction

  India

  What it covers

  Records kept catalogued and indexed ¹³

  Source

  RTI Act text ¹³

• Right to Information Act 2005, s 8(3)

  Jurisdiction

  India

  What it covers

  Information on events 20 years old to be provided, subject to some exemptions ¹³

  Source

  RTI Act text ¹³

• Regulation (EC) 1049/2001, Art 4(7)

  Jurisdiction

  European Union

  What it covers

  Access exceptions apply for a maximum of 30 years, with some exceptions continuing ¹⁴

  Source

  EUR-Lex ¹⁴

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