How long do public records have to be kept before they transfer to The National Archives under the UK Public Records Act?

The United Kingdom’s Public Records Act establishes a default timeframe for transferring public records of historical value from government bodies to The National Archives (TNA) at Kew. Understanding how that clock works helps records and information governance professionals plan appraisal, selection, and transfer well in advance.

The default transfer rule

Under the Public Records Act 1958, public records selected for permanent preservation were historically required to be transferred to The National Archives, and generally opened to the public, when they reached 30 years of age. This was widely known as the “30-year rule.”

Following changes introduced by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the default period was reduced to 20 years. The move from 30 to 20 years was phased in gradually over a transition period rather than taking effect all at once, so for some years records were released on an accelerated schedule to close the gap.

In broad terms, then, public records that have been appraised as worthy of permanent preservation are expected to transfer to The National Archives by the time they are about 20 years old, measured from the year the file was last in active use.

Important qualifications

A few principles matter when applying this in practice:

• Not every record transfers. Only a small proportion of records are selected for permanent preservation. The rest are destroyed under an authorized disposal schedule once their business and legal value ends.
• Transfer is not the same as full public access. Records may transfer on schedule but still be closed or partly redacted under exemptions (for example, personal data or national security), with access governed separately by freedom of information rules.
• Extensions exist. Bodies can apply to retain records longer than the default period where there is a continuing administrative need or sensitivity, subject to approval.

What this means for practitioners

The transfer clock reinforces a core records-management principle: decisions about long-term value should be made early and documented, not deferred to the eve of transfer. Sound appraisal, consistent classification, and reliable retention scheduling — the disciplines described in international standards like ISO 15489 — are what make a smooth 20-year handover possible.

For related guidance on appraisal, selection, and long-term preservation, see the archives and preservation topic hub.

Because national rules change over time, always confirm the current statutory period and any transition arrangements with The National Archives directly before acting.