Most federal records are eventually destroyed under approved schedules. A small, important fraction are appraised as permanent — records of enduring legal, evidential, or historical value. These do not stay with the agency forever; they are transferred to the National Archives for permanent preservation and public access.
When transfer happens
Permanent records are typically kept by the agency for a defined period of active and inactive use, then transferred to NARA according to the disposition instructions in the records schedule. The schedule specifies both that the records are permanent and when they should be transferred. Transfer moves legal custody of the records to the National Archives, which then becomes responsible for preserving them and making them available.
The shift to electronic transfer
The defining change in recent years is that transfers are now electronic by default. Under OMB/NARA guidance (notably M-23-07), NARA no longer accepts transfers of permanent records in paper or other analog formats except by approved exception — they must be transferred electronically, in acceptable formats, with the required metadata. This reflects the broader federal move to fully electronic recordkeeping.
What a transfer requires
A successful electronic transfer generally involves:
- Confirming the records are scheduled as permanent and due for transfer.
- Preparing the records in NARA-acceptable file formats.
- Supplying metadata that describes the records and preserves their context.
- Validating completeness and integrity before transfer.
- Submitting through NARA’s electronic transfer processes.
Analog permanent records that have not yet been transferred typically must first be digitized to NARA’s standards before electronic transfer.
Why it matters
Transfer is the culmination of the records lifecycle for permanently valuable records — the point at which an agency’s recordkeeping becomes part of the nation’s documentary heritage. Getting it right requires that records were captured, scheduled, and maintained with transfer in mind from the start. Poorly managed records are difficult or impossible to transfer cleanly, which is why sound electronic records management underpins the whole process. See the federal records management hub for the broader framework.
Sources & further reading
Authoritative government and non-profit references.
- Transferring permanent records to the National Archives — National Archives (NARA)
How to cite this page
APA
RM University Editorial Team. (2026). Transferring Permanent Records to the National Archives. Records Management University. https://www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/transferring-permanent-records-to-nara/
MLA
RM University Editorial Team. "Transferring Permanent Records to the National Archives." Records Management University, 25 March 2026, www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/transferring-permanent-records-to-nara/.