Overview

The purpose of a records retention and disposal authority is to identify those records created and received by NSW public offices which are required as State archives and to provide approval for the destruction of certain other records after minimum retention periods have been met. This page contains current general and functional records retention and disposal authorities that have been approved for use by NSW State Archives and Records. Please contact govrec@records.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions or cannot find an authority..

A Note About Approval The approval for disposal given by authorities issued by State Records is given under the provisions of the State Records Act only and does not override any other obligations of an organisation to retain records. A public office must not dispose of any records where the public office is aware of possible legal action (including Inquiries and Royal Commissions, legal discovery, court cases, formal applications for access) where the records may be required as evidence. See Retention and disposal for further advice about disposal and disposal alerts.

List of Records Retention and Disposal authorities by public office

We have prepared an Excel spreadsheet of records retention and disposal authorities arranged by clusters. Individual public offices, business units etc are arranged alphabetically under their cluster department.

We have included general authorities applying to all public offices and a reference to the Normal Administrative Practice guidelines to provide a complete picture of instruments that can be used to dispose of records or transfer them as State archives.

Disposal authorities highlighted in red are over 10 years old and are in need of review. We have also indicated where there are gaps in disposal coverage that we are aware of.

Please contact us at govrec@records.nsw.gov.au if you have any enquiries or think there are errors.

List of Retention and Disposal Authorities

A | B | C  | D | E | F |G | H | I |  J | | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z 

General authorities

General retention and disposal authorities

• Administrative records: common records such as financial, personnel, tendering etc. (GA28) (PDF, 2370kb), (XLS, 99kb)
• Animal cruelty inspectorate records (GDA25)
• Applications for authorisation to exercise powers for law enforcement purposes (GA38) (applicable to Supreme and District Court, magistrates of the Local Court and employees of the Attorney-General) 
• Audio visual programs and recordings (GDA11) - revoked July 2021. See GA28.
• Commissions of Inquiry (GA31 amended 2021)
• Election costing (GA27)
• Energy retailing (GA37), network operators (GA40), and (transfer of ownership) (GA41)
• Health services quality assurance, reporting, education & training (GA44) for statewide health services such as the Clinical Excellence Commission, Bureau of Health Information etc
• Health services patient records (GDA17) and administrative records (GDA21)
• Higher and further education & research (GA47)
• Local government records (GA39) (PDF, 2,361kb) (XLS, 131kb)
• Local government records (transfer of ownership following privatisation of functions) (GA46)
• Ministers' records (GDA13)
• National Bodies (GA43)
• Original or source records that have been copied (GA45)
• Shared corporate services (GA30)
• Source records that have been migrated (GA48)
• Transferring records out of NSW for storage with and maintenance by service providers based outside of the State (GA35)
• Video/visual surveillance records (GDA8)  - revoked July 2021. See GA28.

A

Art galleries FA402 (PDF, 256kb)

Arts and culture policy and development FA372 (PDF, 235kb)

B

C

D

E

F

Fire, rescue and emergency management FA392 (PDF, 367kb)

G

H

I

Inspector of the Independent Commission Against Corruption FA390 (PDF, 135kb)

Inspector of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission FA391 (PDF, 135kb)

Insurance - Lifetime Care and Support Authority - care and support of people severely injured in motor vehicle accidents FA373 (PDF, 254kb)

J

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

Schools - primary and secondary school records FA387 (PDF, 194kb)

Screen NSW - Film and television production and promotion DA210 (PDF, 47kb)

Serious offenders management FA408 (PDF 283KB)

Service NSW FA425 (PDF, 241 kb)

Sheriff's operations FA333 (PDF, 162kb)

SICorp (Self Insurance Corporation) FA343 (PDF, 211kb)

Soil conservation services (Local land services) FA401 (PDF, 149kb)

Sporting, cultural and recreational institutions FA402 (PDF, 256kb) 

Sport and recreation FA421 (PDF, 188kb) and FA402 (PDF, 256kb) 

State Archives and Records NSW FA402, (PDF 256kb) and FA225 (PDF, 321kb)

State Emergency Service, NSW FA359 (PDF, 209kb)

State Insurance Regulatory Authority - motor accidents insurance regulation FA375 (PDF, 317kb)

State Library of New South Wales FA402, (PDF 256kb) and FA237 (PDF, 881kb)

Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Tribunal FA248 (PDF, 55.2kb)

Superannuation funds management and scheme administration SAS Trustee Corporation and Parliamentary Superannuation Contributory Fund FA327 (PDF, 246kb)

Supreme Court of New South Wales
Bail applications DA208 (PDF, 63kb)
Case records, control records and judgments FA269 (PDF, 72kb)
Case records relating to cost assessments, matrimonial causes, adoptions and criminal matters and Judges' notebooks DA178 (PDF, 73kb)
Equity Division, Probate, Family Law, Common Law, Commercial List, Administrative Law, Court of Appeal, Land and Valuation Court (DA43, PDF, 111kb)

Surveying and Spatial Information, Board of  FA238 (PDF, 1.1mb)

Survey regulation FA238 (PDF, 1.1mb)

Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust FA402, (PDF 256kb)

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority FA363 (PDF 230 kb)

Sydney Olympic Park Authority FA402, (PDF 256kb)

Sydney Opera House Trust FA402, (PDF 256kb)

T

U

V

W

Y

Youth justice FA408 (PDF, 283kb)

Z

Zoological conservation and research FA398 (PDF, 166kb)