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.
- GRS1 Executive, High-Level, and Policy-Making Records
- GRS2 Legal Records
- GRS3 Safety and Security Records
- GRS4 Facilities Records
- GRS5 Daily Operations Records
- GRS6 Records Management Records
- GRS7 Information Management Records
- GRS8 Fiscal Records
- GRS9 Personnel Records
- GRS1 - GRS9 Compiled
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.
Back to TopMunicipal 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.
- Instructions for Completing Certificate of Records Destruction
- Certificate of Records Destruction
- Certificate of Records Destruction - Local Government