Category: Disposition and Destruction

Request for Records Disposition Authority

Also known as: Request for Disposition Authority, One-Time Records Disposition Authority

Simply put

A Request for Records Disposition Authority is a formal request that a government agency submits to obtain approval for how long its records should be kept and what should ultimately happen to them, such as being transferred or destroyed. In the United States federal context, agencies typically submit these requests to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The specific process and approving authority depend on the jurisdiction and level of government involved.

Formal definition

A Request for Records Disposition Authority is an agency-submitted document seeking formal authorization for the disposition of specified records, establishing sanctioned retention periods and disposition actions (which may include transfer, permanent preservation, or destruction). In the U.S. federal system, such requests are directed to NARA and, once approved, contribute to the records control schedules that govern agency recordkeeping; NARA has maintained these agency requests submitted since the early 1970s, according to its records management guidance. At the state and local level in the United States, comparable instruments are often termed Records Disposition Authorities (RDAs) and serve to identify how long particular records series are retained and how they are disposed of. A variant, the One-Time Records Disposition Authority, addresses records an office does not typically or continually create, authorizing disposition on a non-recurring basis. Because approving bodies, terminology, and procedural requirements vary across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, the precise scope and legal effect of such a request depend on the applicable regime and should not be assumed uniform.

Why it matters

A Request for Records Disposition Authority is a foundational control in public sector recordkeeping because, in many jurisdictions, government agencies cannot lawfully dispose of records on their own initiative. Disposition, whether it involves transfer, permanent preservation, or destruction, typically requires formal authorization from a designated approving body. The request is the mechanism through which that authorization is sought and obtained, ensuring that decisions about how long records are kept and what ultimately happens to them are documented, defensible, and consistent with applicable legal and administrative requirements.

Without an approved disposition authority, agencies risk either retaining records indefinitely at unnecessary cost and exposure, or destroying records prematurely and without sanction. The request process helps guard against both outcomes by establishing sanctioned retention periods and disposition actions before any action is taken. In the U.S. federal context, agencies submit these requests to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and NARA has maintained such agency requests submitted since 1973, according to its records management guidance. Once approved, these requests contribute to the records control schedules that govern day-to-day agency recordkeeping.

Because the approving bodies, terminology, and procedural requirements vary across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, the precise scope and legal effect of a request should not be assumed to be uniform. What functions as a request to NARA at the federal level may correspond to a Records Disposition Authority approved by a state authority elsewhere. Professionals should therefore confirm the applicable regime rather than generalizing from any single example.

Who it's relevant to

Government records managers

Records managers within government agencies are typically responsible for preparing and submitting requests for disposition authority, identifying records series, and proposing retention periods and disposition actions. They rely on approved authorities as the basis for lawful, defensible disposition and must track which of their records are covered by existing schedules and which require new or one-time authority.

Federal agency staff working with NARA

Staff in U.S. federal agencies interact directly with the request process, as disposition authority requests are submitted to NARA and, once approved, feed into the records control schedules governing agency recordkeeping. Understanding how these requests are structured and processed is central to compliant federal records disposition.

State and local government officials

At the state and local level in the United States, officials often work with instruments termed Records Disposition Authorities, which identify how long specific records should be retained and how they are disposed of. Because approving bodies and terminology differ from the federal model, these officials should confirm the requirements of their own jurisdiction rather than assuming federal procedures apply.

Archivists and preservation staff

Archivists have a stake in disposition authority because approved requests may designate records for permanent preservation or transfer to an archival institution. The request process is where decisions about what enters permanent custody are formalized, making it directly relevant to appraisal and accessioning work.

Compliance and legal advisors in the public sector

Compliance leads and legal advisors supporting government bodies use approved disposition authorities to demonstrate that retention and destruction decisions were sanctioned rather than arbitrary. Given jurisdictional variation in approving authorities and procedural requirements, they play a role in confirming that the applicable regime is correctly followed.

Inside Request for Records Disposition Authority

Records description

A clear identification and description of the records covered by the request, typically including the records series or system, the business function they document, and their scope and content, so that the disposition proposal can be assessed against a defined body of records.

Proposed disposition instruction

A statement of the intended disposition outcome for the records, which may include transfer to an archival authority for permanent preservation, destruction after a defined period, or another approved disposition action. Disposition here is broader than destruction and may encompass transfer or permanent retention, depending on the appraisal outcome.

Retention period and disposition trigger

The proposed length of time the records are to be kept before disposition, together with the event or condition that starts the retention clock, such as closure of a case or end of a fiscal cycle. Retention is distinct from archiving; retention defines how long records are kept, while disposition defines what happens at the end of that period.

Appraisal justification

The supporting rationale explaining why the proposed disposition is appropriate, often referencing the records' continuing business, legal, or historical value. The depth and required content of this justification typically depend on jurisdiction and the governing archival authority.

Approval and authorization elements

The fields and endorsements through which a records disposition proposal is submitted, reviewed, and, where applicable, formally approved by the relevant archival or governing authority. Until such authorization is granted, the proposed disposition typically does not carry authority to act.

Common questions

Answers to the questions practitioners most commonly ask about Request for Records Disposition Authority.

Is a Request for Records Disposition Authority the same as an authorization to destroy records?

No. This is a common misconception. A Request for Records Disposition Authority is a proposal seeking approval for the disposition of records; it is not itself an instruction or license to destroy. Disposition is a broader concept than destruction, and an approved authority may direct that records be transferred for permanent preservation, transferred to another custodian, or destroyed after a specified period. Destruction, where it applies, typically occurs only after the authority is approved and the relevant retention period has elapsed, and often subject to organizational policy and any applicable legal holds. The scope and effect of such requests depend on the jurisdiction and the governing archival authority.

Does submitting a Request for Records Disposition Authority mean the records are no longer being retained or managed?

No. Submitting a request does not suspend or end retention obligations. Until the request is reviewed and approved, the records generally remain subject to existing retention requirements and continued management. A request is a step in establishing an approved basis for future disposition, not a change in the current status of the records. Requirements around what may be done with records while a request is pending typically depend on jurisdiction, sector, and organizational policy.

Who is typically responsible for preparing and submitting a Request for Records Disposition Authority?

Responsibility often falls to records management staff or an information governance function working with the business units that create and use the records. Preparation typically involves describing the records, their function, and proposed retention and disposition, and may require input from legal, compliance, or program areas. The specific roles and the reviewing or approving authority depend on the jurisdiction and the governing framework.

What information is generally included in such a request?

A request typically identifies and describes the records or records series in question, explains their business or program purpose, and proposes retention periods and disposition actions such as transfer or destruction. Supporting justification for the proposed treatment is often expected. The exact content, format, and level of detail required vary by jurisdiction and by the governing archival or oversight authority.

How does an approved disposition authority relate to a retention schedule?

An approved authority often provides the sanctioned basis that is then reflected in an organization's retention schedule, which operationalizes retention periods and disposition actions for day-to-day use. In many settings the authority represents the formal approval, while the schedule is the working instrument applied by staff. The precise relationship depends on jurisdiction and organizational practice.

What should happen once a Request for Records Disposition Authority is approved?

Following approval, the authorized retention and disposition provisions are typically applied to the relevant records, often by incorporating them into retention schedules and recordkeeping systems. Actual disposition actions generally occur only when the applicable retention period has elapsed and subject to any legal holds or other constraints. Organizations frequently document disposition actions taken under the authority. The specific procedures and any recurring review or update expectations depend on jurisdiction and organizational policy.

Common misconceptions

A request for records disposition authority is only about authorizing destruction of records.

Disposition is broader than destruction. A disposition request may propose transfer to an archival authority, permanent preservation, or destruction after a defined period. Treating disposition as synonymous with destruction overlooks the outcomes that involve continued or permanent retention.

Submitting the request is itself sufficient authority to dispose of the records.

The request is a proposal that typically requires review and formal approval by the relevant archival or governing authority before disposition may lawfully proceed. In many jurisdictions, acting on a proposed disposition before authorization is granted is not permitted.

One disposition authority applies uniformly to all organizations and jurisdictions.

Requirements for proposing and approving records disposition depend on jurisdiction, sector, and the governing archival regime. What is required, who approves it, and the form it takes can differ substantially, so a single national approach should not be assumed to be universal.

Best practices

Describe the records precisely by series, function, and system so the appraisal and any resulting authority apply to a clearly bounded body of records rather than an ambiguous set.

State the proposed disposition outcome explicitly, distinguishing transfer, permanent preservation, and destruction, rather than defaulting to language that implies destruction alone.

Define retention periods together with a clear disposition trigger, keeping retention (how long records are kept) separate from the disposition action taken at the end of that period.

Provide an appraisal justification that addresses continuing business, legal, and historical value, and consult the requirements of the relevant archival authority for the jurisdiction concerned.

Confirm that formal authorization has been granted before acting on any proposed disposition, since submission of the request typically does not by itself confer authority to dispose.

Check jurisdiction- and sector-specific requirements, including any statutory retention or legal hold considerations, and use qualified assumptions rather than treating one regime as universal.