Records Management - Rhode Island

For State and Municipal Agencies – Records Management

The Public Records Administration oversees records management functions within state government. Both the Public Records Administration and the Local Government Records program provide records management advice, assistance, and consultation to all state and municipal agencies. Comprehensive records management services encompass all records, regardless of format or media. In addition, the Local Government Records program works with Town and City Clerks to preserve and administer the historical records in their care. Workshops on a variety of topics are also available, likewise publications and guidelines about records and records issues.

The Public Records Administration works with agencies to develop records retention and disposition schedules, enabling timely disposal or retention as permanent records of the state. Municipal records retention and disposition schedules are developed by the Local Government Records program in consultation with municipal agencies.

Inactive records of state agencies can be stored at the State Records Center, managed by the Public Records Administration. Inactive records are those records that agencies no longer require immediate access to, but that are not yet eligible for disposal because of administrative, fiscal or legal requirements. Access to these records is provided only through the expressed permission of the originating state agency. Resources:

General Records Schedules
State Agencies Records Retention Schedules
Municipal Departments Records Retention Schedules
Records Destruction
Certificate of Records Destruction Samples

Retention periods shown in all schedules are minimum retention periods. Agencies may need to retain records longer, most notably if the records may be required for a current or pending request under the Access to Public Records Act, or for current or pending litigation.

General Records Schedules

General Records Schedules cover the types of records created or received by all state and local government agencies.

State Agencies Records Retention Schedules

Agency specific schedules govern the retention and disposition of records unique to a particular state agency's programs and functions. Find state agencies' schedules.

Municipal Departments Records Retention Schedules

LG1-LG17 Compiled
LG1 Municipal Clerk Records
LG2 Financial Records (including Municipal Finance Directors, Treasurers, Comptrollers, Purchasing Agents, School Business Managers, Fire Districts, Water Districts, Special Purpose Districts and District Management Authorities)
LG3 Tax Assessor Records
LG4 Records of Municipal Boards, Commissions, Committees & Councils
LG5 Public School Records
LG6 Police Department Records
LG7 Building, Zoning and Minimum Housing Records
LG8 Board of Canvassers Records
LG9 Fire Department and District Records
LG10 Public Works Department Records (including Municipal Engineer, Automotive, Highway and Maintenance, Recycling and Sanitation, Water, Parks and Recreation)
LG11 Planning Board, Planning and Community Development Records
LG12 Municipal Court Records
LG13 Public Library Records
LG14 Municipal Human and Senior Services Records
LG15 Municipal Personnel Records
LG16 Municipal Solicitor Records
LG17 Municipal Emergency Management Records

Records Destruction

Before records are destroyed, agencies must submit a Certificate of Records Destruction to the State Archives/Public Records Administration (RIGL § 38-1-10, RIGL § 38-3-6(j), and RIGL § 42-8.1-10). Certificates of Records Destruction authorize the disposal of records and act as the legal replacement for the actual records subsequently destroyed.

Note: for records currently in storage at the State Records Center, the Public Records Administration prepares Certificates of Records Destruction for agencies' sign-off.