What does NARA's digitization rule (36 CFR 1236) require before federal agencies can dispose of source records?

NARA’s digitization regulation (36 CFR Part 1236, Subpart E) sets the conditions a federal agency must satisfy before it can treat a digitized copy as the official record and dispose of the original source documents. The core idea is simple: an agency may destroy paper or other source records only after it has created a digitized version that meets defined quality and management standards, and only when the disposition itself is authorized.

What the rule requires before disposal

In general terms, the regulation expects agencies to:

• Produce a complete, usable digital copy. The digitized version must accurately and fully reproduce the content of the source record, with image quality sufficient for the record’s intended use over its retention period.
• Capture required metadata. Each digitized record needs descriptive and technical metadata so it can be identified, retrieved, and understood throughout its lifecycle.
• Validate the digitization process. Agencies must implement quality-management controls — checks and verification steps — to confirm that captures are accurate, legible, and complete before relying on them.
• Maintain the records appropriately. Digitized records must be stored so they remain accessible, readable, and protected from loss or unauthorized alteration for as long as the schedule requires.

Authorized disposition is the gating step

Meeting the technical standards is not, by itself, permission to destroy. Disposal of the source records must also be authorized under an approved records schedule or applicable General Records Schedule. Many source documents that have been properly digitized fall under disposition authorities that permit destruction once verification is complete. Permanent records and those without an approved authority cannot be destroyed simply because a digital copy exists.

Why this matters

The rule protects the legal, evidentiary, and historical value of federal records. A digitized copy made under these standards can serve as the official record, supporting FOIA, litigation, audit, and accountability needs after the paper is gone. Agencies typically document their digitization methodology and quality controls so the process is defensible.

For practical capture targets — resolution, color, and imaging specifications — agencies commonly align with federal digitization guidelines.

See the digitization and imaging hub for related guidance on standards, quality control, and managing digitized records.