How does a federal agency get a new records schedule approved by NARA?

A records schedule is the legal authority that tells a federal agency how long to keep its records and what to do with them when that period ends. No federal record may be destroyed without an approved schedule. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) reviews and approves these schedules to ensure that records of enduring historical value are preserved and that temporary records are disposed of in an orderly, accountable way.

Step 1: Identify and Describe the Records

The process begins inside the agency. Records officers work with program staff to identify a body of records, describe what it contains, and understand how it is created and used. Agencies first check whether existing authorities already cover the records. NARA’s General Records Schedules (GRS) provide government-wide disposition authority for common administrative records, so an agency only needs a new, agency-specific schedule for records not already addressed by the GRS.

Step 2: Propose a Disposition

For each records series, the agency proposes a disposition: whether the records are temporary (eligible for destruction after a set retention period) or permanent (transferred to the National Archives for preservation). The proposed retention period should reflect the records’ legal, fiscal, administrative, and operational value.

Step 3: Submit to NARA for Appraisal

The agency formally submits the proposed schedule to NARA. NARA archivists conduct an appraisal, evaluating the records’ value to the government and to the public and confirming whether any portion warrants permanent retention. NARA may ask questions, request revisions, or negotiate retention periods with the agency.

Step 4: Public Notice and Final Approval

Schedules that authorize disposition of federal records are subject to public notice before they take effect, giving stakeholders an opportunity to comment. Once appraisal is complete and any comments are addressed, NARA’s authorizing official approves the schedule. The agency then implements it as the governing authority for retaining and disposing of those records.

After Approval

An approved schedule is not permanent. Agencies should revisit schedules as missions, systems, and recordkeeping practices change, and submit updates to NARA when dispositions need to be revised.

For more federal recordkeeping topics, see the federal records hub.