What is the difference between ISO 15489 and ISO 30300 for managing records?

ISO 15489 and the ISO 30300 family are both international standards for managing records, but they operate at different levels. One focuses on day-to-day records practice; the other focuses on governing records management as a formal system. They are complementary rather than competing.

ISO 15489: The Practice Standard

ISO 15489, “Records management,” is the foundational guidance standard for how organizations create, capture, and manage records over time. It defines core concepts and describes the characteristics of trustworthy records, commonly summarized as authenticity, reliability, integrity, and usability.

It addresses practical questions such as:

• What is a record, and when should it be captured?
• How are records classified, indexed, and made findable?
• How long should records be kept, and how are they disposed of?
• What metadata and controls preserve a record’s trustworthiness?

In short, ISO 15489 is operational. It guides the people and processes that handle records directly, and it is widely used as a reference for designing recordkeeping practices.

ISO 30300: The Management System Standard

The ISO 30300 series takes a higher, organizational view. It frames records management as a “management system for records” (an MSR), structured the way other ISO management system standards are, such as those for quality or information security. The emphasis is on leadership, policy, objectives, accountability, and continual improvement.

Rather than telling staff how to classify a document, ISO 30300 helps senior management establish the governance around records management: setting direction, assigning responsibility, allocating resources, and measuring performance. It speaks to executives and program owners who need records management embedded in broader organizational strategy.

How They Work Together

A useful way to think about it:

• ISO 15489 answers “how do we manage records well?”
• ISO 30300 answers “how do we govern and sustain a records management program?”

Many organizations use ISO 15489 to shape practice and the ISO 30300 framework to give that practice executive structure and oversight. Used together, they connect frontline recordkeeping to enterprise governance.

For a broader look at how standards fit into an information governance program, see the compliance and standards topic hub.

Because standards are periodically revised, always confirm current edition details directly from the issuing body before relying on specific provisions.