How do you transfer permanent email records to the National Archives in an accepted format?

Transferring permanent email records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the final step in their lifecycle. Once email records are appraised as permanent under an approved records schedule, the originating agency is responsible for delivering them to NARA in a format and structure that the Archives can accept, preserve, and make available over the long term.

Confirm the records are scheduled and eligible

Before transfer, verify that the email series is covered by a NARA-approved disposition authority and has reached the point where permanent records are transferred to legal custody. Email captured under the Capstone approach is typically scheduled by the role or account of senior officials, so identify which accounts are permanent and confirm the timing of transfer.

Use an accepted electronic format

NARA publishes transfer guidance specifying which electronic formats it will accept for permanent records, and email is addressed explicitly. In general, agencies should:

• Export email in a format NARA lists as acceptable for email messages, rather than proprietary mailbox files.
• Preserve attachments together with their parent messages so the relationship is not lost.
• Keep the content stable and unaltered from the original captured record.

Because NARA periodically updates its accepted-formats lists, confirm the current requirements in NARA guidance before exporting.

Include the required metadata

Email is only meaningful with its transmission and context data. Transfers should retain fields such as sender, recipients (To, Cc, Bcc), date and time, subject, and message identifiers, along with the message body and attachments. This metadata supports search, authenticity, and the chain of custody that makes the records trustworthy archival material.

Follow NARA transfer procedures

Coordinate the transfer through NARA’s established process, which generally involves documenting the transfer, validating the package against NARA’s technical and metadata requirements, and using NARA’s designated transfer method or system. Agencies should work with their NARA appraisal or transfer contact to resolve format questions before sending.

For related guidance on managing email throughout its lifecycle, see the email and messaging topic hub.

Following scheduled disposition, accepted formats, complete metadata, and NARA’s documented procedures ensures permanent email records remain authentic, accessible, and preserved for the public record.