Federal Records Act (FRA)
The U.S. law requiring federal agencies to create and preserve records of their activities, run a records management program, and dispose of records only under NARA-approved authority.
The Federal Records Act (FRA), first enacted in 1950, is the foundational statute governing U.S. federal recordkeeping. It requires every agency to make and preserve records documenting its functions and decisions, to establish a records management program, to schedule its records, and to dispose of them only under authority granted by the Archivist of the United States.
The FRA makes recordkeeping a legal obligation of government and gives NARA its oversight role. It is the reason unauthorized destruction of federal records is unlawful, and it underpins government transparency — including the ability to respond to FOIA requests. Related laws include the Presidential Records Act and the E-Government Act.