Overview

The purpose of a retention and disposal authority is to identify those records created and maintained by NSW public offices which are required as State archives and to provide approval for the destruction of certain other records created and maintained by NSW public offices, after minimum retention periods have been met. There are several types of disposal authorities:

• Functional retention and disposal authorities: issued for use by particular organisations or organisations carrying out similar or the same functions, e.g. growth centre or precinct development, superannuation funds management, social housing providers.
• General retention and disposal authorities: issued for use by all public sector organisations and covering common functions carried out such as finance, personnel, migration and copying of records, etc
• General retention and disposal authorities: issued for use by particular sectors such as local councils, public health services, higher and further education and research facilities, etc.

This page contains current retention and disposal authorities that have been approved for use by NSW State Archives and Records and cover the current functions of NSW public offices. Please contact govrec@records.nsw.gov.au if :

• you cannot find an authority
• disposal authorities covering legacy records
• superseded disposal authotities
• authorities permitting transfer of records.

We are currently working on making our disposal authorities more accessible, if you have any questions or feedback please contact us atgovrec@records.nsw.gov.au

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.

Retention and disposal authorities have been approved and issued by NSW State Archives and Records since 1999. Agencies wishing to use authorities approved over 10 years ago should contact the Recordkeeping Standards and Advice team at govrec@records.nsw.gov.au.

Prior to 1999 the Archives Authority of NSW approved disposal recommendations. Copies of Disposal recommendations can be obtained by contacting the Recordkeeping Standards and Advice team at govrec@records.nsw.gov.au.

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

• Administrative records: common records such as financial, personnel, tendering etc. (GA28)
• 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)
• Forensic medicine (GDA19)
• General practice medical records in the custody & control of public offices (GA42)
• 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)
• 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)

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 DA108 (PDF, 746kb)

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)