Records retention and disposal authorities identify those records created and received by NSW public offices which are required as State archives and provide approval for the destruction of 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 State Records NSW. Please contact govrec@staterecords.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions or cannot find an authority.
Back to topA Note About Approval
- The approval for disposal given by authorities issued by State Records NSW 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.
Directory of retention and disposal authorities arranged by public office
The following spreadsheet provides a linked directory of records retention and disposal authorities that a public office may use to dispose of records or transfer them as State archives. General authorities (that apply to all public offices) and a reference to the Normal Administrative Practice guidelines have been included to provide a complete picture of instruments.
Directory of Public Offices with disposal authorities.xls
Disposal authorities highlighted in red are over 10 years old and require a review. Identified gaps in the disposal coverage have also been noted.
Please email govrec@staterecords.nsw.gov.au if you have any enquiries or think there are errors
List of Retention and Disposal Authorities
Below are links to general authorities that can be used by all public offices. For authorities applying to local government, health, Commissions of Inquiry, higher and further education and Ministers' Offices see the relevant alphabetical entry below.
- Administrative records: common records such as financial, personnel, tendering etc. (GA28)
- Original or source records that have been copied (GA45)
- 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)
A
Aboriginal affairs and land rights FA290 PDF
Aboriginal Land Council, NSW FA436 PDF
Adoptions and child protection FA318 PDF
Ageing, disability and home care FA306 PDF
Ambulance services FA394 PDF
Animal care, conservation and research (Taronga) FA398 PDF
Animal cruelty inspectorate records GDA25 PDF
Anti-Discrimination FA410 PDF
Applications for authorisation to exercise powers for law enforcement purposes GA38 PDF (applies to Local, District and Supreme Courts, and Surveillance Devices Commissioner)
Architects registration FA274 PDF
Art Gallery of NSW FA402 PDF
Arts and culture policy and development FA372 PDF
Audio visual programs and recordings (GDA11). Revoked July 2021 see GA28
Audit Office of NSW FA353 PDF
Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) FA364 PDF and GA43 PDF
Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency FA393 PDF and GA43 PDF
Australian Museum FA402 PDF
B
Births, Deaths and Marriages FA413 PDF
Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands FA402 PDF, XLS
Building Commissioner FA430 PDF
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research FA250 PDF
C
Cabinet FA254 PDF
Cancer research:
Casino regulation FA424 PDF
Catchment management (Local Land Services) FA399 PDF. (Supersedes GDA20 and GA29).
Cemeteries and crematoria operations FA428 PDF
Cemeteries and crematoria regulation (CCNSW) FA429 PDF (Please note that this authority does not apply to operators such as Councils - Councils are approved to use FA428).
Child protection FA318 PDF
Childcare services FA404 PDF (Please note that operators such as Councils can only use 1.1.0 of this authority). Where FA404 refers to standards for minimum retention periods for records, the current standards are the Education and Care Services National Regulations S183(2)
Children and Young People, Advocate for FA414 PDF
Children's Court FA341 PDF
Children's Court Clinic FA319 PDF
Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) FA364 PDF and GA43 PDF
Children's Guardian FA362 PDF
Coal Services Pty Limited FA241 PDF and FA249 PDF
Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales FA421 PDF
Commissions of Inquiry GA31 PDF
Community Justice Centres/ Alternative Dispute Resolution FA338 PDF
Community services, adoptions and child protection FA318 PDF
Community Services Commission - See NSW Ombudsman authority
Conservation and environment DA216 PDF
Construction industry compliance monitoring FA354 PDF
Consumer disputes (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) FA361 PDF
Consumer protection FA430 PDF
Coroner's Court FA341 PDF
Corrective services FA408 PDF
Courts
- Applications received by Supreme, District and Local Courts for authorisation to exercise powers for law enforcement purposes GA38 PDF
- Children's, Coroner's, District, Local Court and Industrial Magistrate's Court and all pre-1900 Court proceedings FA341 PDF NB: at present no coverage for criminal proceedings.
- Court recordings and transcripts FA395 PDF
- Courts: sentencing guidance, judicial education, and examination of complaints (Judicial Commission of NSW) FA292 PDF
- Land and Environment: FA228 PDF
- Supreme Court (see below under Supreme Court)
Crime Commission FA412 (not available for download)
Crime statistics and research FA250 PDF
Crown Lands
- Crown Lands FA438
- Crown lands disputes (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) FA361 PDF
- Crown lands management, deed and land titles registration FA293 PDF
Crown Solicitor FA405 PDF
Culture and arts policy and development FA372 PDF
Cultural, recreational and sporting institutions FA402 PDF, XLS
Custodial services inspections & Official Visitors program FA432 PDF
D
Dams Safety FA396 PDF
Development authorities and corporations FA260 PDF
Development, Land and property (Landcom) DA190 PDF
Disability, ageing and home care FA306 PDF
District Court proceedings (Civil & Residual jurisdiction) FA341 PDF
Dust Diseases Board, Workers' Compensation FA324 PDF
Dust Diseases Tribunal FA422 PDF
E
EDUCATION
- Australian Music Examinations Board FA280 PDF
- Department of Education FA416 PDF
- Higher and further education including universities and TAFE GA47 PDF, GA47XLS, Index PDF, Mapping table GDA23 to GA47 PDF
- NESA (Education Standards: curriculum development, school examinations and non-government school registration) FA285 PDF
- Primary and secondary school education (public schools only - private schools are not part of State Records NSW jurisdiction) FA387 PDF
Election funding FA297 PDF
Election management (Electoral Commission and Electoral Districts Commissioners) FA357 PDF
Emergency Information Coordination FA251 PDF
Emergency management
Energy network operators GA40 PDF
Energy policy, programs and regulation FA381 PDF
Energy retailing GA37 PDF
Energy sector - transfer of ownership GA41 PDF
Environment and conservation DA216 PDF and FA314 PDF
Estate management (NSW Trustee and Guardian) FA371 PDF
F
Film and television production and promotion (Screen NSW) DA210 PDF
Financial management (NSW Treasury) FA342 PDF
Fire, rescue and emergency management FA392 PDF
Food safety management FA284 PDF
Forensic medicine FA427 PDF
Forestry Management FA400 PDF
G
Gambling regulation FA424 PDF
Geographic naming FA238 PDF
Governor of NSW FA388 PDF
Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission FA424 PDF
Growth centre development FA262 PDF
Guardianship disputes and services FA361 PDF
H
Health
- Health Care Complaints Commission FA340 PDF
- Health Ministry: FA418 PDF
- Health Pathology GDA17 and FA427 PDF (Forensic medicine)
- Health practitioners registration and accreditation FA393 PDF
- Health practitioners - complaints about performance and conduct of health practitioners; pharmacy registration, and education of health practitioners (Professional Councils and Health Professional Councils Authority) FA380 PDF
- Health - public patient records GDA17
- Health - public patient administrative records GDA21 PDF, XLS
- Health - statewide health services such as Agency for Clinical Innovation, Bureau of Health Information, Clinical Excellence Commission and Health Education Training Institute GA44 PDF, XLS
Heritage management (Heritage Council of NSW) FA271 PDF
Higher and further education & research GA47 PDF, Excel, Index Mapping table PDF
Home building disputes (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) FA361 PDF
Housing - social housing services FA435
Hunting regulation FA417 PDF
I
Independent Commission Against Corruption FA386 PDF
Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority FA424 PDF
Independent Planning Commission FA245 PDF
Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal FA351 PDF
Industrial Magistrate's Court FA341 PDF
Industrial Relations Commission FA310 PDF, FA302 PDF and FA296PDF
Information and Privacy Commission FA406 PDF
Infrastructure FA439
Inquiries - Royal Commissions, Special Commissions of Inquiry, Commissions of Inquiry and Inquiries established by Letters Patent or Ministerial Directive GA31 PDF
Inspector of Custodial Services FA432 PDF
Inspector of the Independent Commission Against Corruption FA390 PDF
Inspector of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission FA391 PDF
Insurance - Lifetime Care and Support Authority - care and support of people severely injured in motor vehicle accidents FA373 PDF
J
Judicial Commission of NSW (sentencing guidance, judicial education, and examination of complaints) FA433 PDF
Jury management (Sheriff's operations) FA333 PDF
Justice - advancing the fairness and equity of the justice system and of improving access to justice (Law and Justice Foundation of NSW) FA0305 PDF
L
Lake and foreshore management FA231 PDF
Land and Environment Court of NSW FA228 PDF
Land and property development (Landcom) DA190 PDF
Land and property information
- Land and property information management, land titles and deeds registration FA238 PDF & FA293 PDF
- Land parcels - title boundaries for individual parcels of land FA279 PDF
- Mortgages, registration of non-land FA266 PDF
Law Enforcement Conduct Commission FA397 PDF
Law enforcement purposes, Applications for authorisation to exercise powers GA38 PDF (applies to Local, District and Supreme Courts, and Surveillance Devices Commissioner)
Law Reform Commission FA0323 PDF
Legal Aid Commission FA272 PDF
Legal Profession Admission Board DA146 PDF
Legal services, advancing the fairness and equity of the justice system and of improving access to justice (Law and Justice Foundation of NSW) FA305 PDF
Legal services, provision of mediation and alternative dispute resolution services to the community (Community Justice Centres/ Alternative Dispute Resolution Directorate) FA0338 PDF
Legal services, provision of community legal services (LawAccess NSW) FA337 PDF
Legal services regulation and complaints handling (Office of the Legal Services Commissioner) FA352 PDF
Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council FA325 PDF
Legislative drafting & publication: Parliamentary Counsel's Office FA407 PDF
Lifetime Care and Support Authority FA373 PDF
Local Courts: Court proceedings (Civil jurisdiction) FA341 PDF
Local Government
- Local government records (GA39)
- Local government records (transfer of ownership following privatisation of functions) GA46 PDF
- Local Government Boundaries Commission, Local Government Grants Commission, Local Government Pecuniary Interest Tribunal DA185 PDF
- Local Government Remuneration Tribunal FA248 PDF
- Oversight of local government DA185 PDF
Local Land Services FA399 PDF
Long Service Corporation: management of long service schemes FA349 PDF
M
Manly Hydraulics Laboratory FA379 PDF
Medical profession regulation (Medical Board of NSW) FA243 PDF
Mental health advocacy, education, policy and planning (Mental Health Commission) FA369 PDF
Mental Health Review Tribunal FA232 PDF
Mineral resources FA258 PDF
Mining subsidence compensation & advisory services FA434 2023
Ministers' Offices records GDA13 PDF
Motor accidents insurance regulation FA375 PDF
Motor accidents insurance FA373 PDF
Multicultural NSW DA142 PDF
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences FA402 PDF, Excel
Museums of History NSW FA402 PDF, Excel
N
National bodies (e.g. ACECQA and AHPRA) common administrative records GA43 PDF
National Parks and Wildlife Service FA423 PDF.
Natural Resources Commission FA431 PDF
NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) FA361 PDF
O
Offender management & youth justice FA408 PDF
Official Visitor program (custodial services) FA432 PDF
Ombudsman, NSW DA205 PDF
P
Parliament of NSW FA325 FA325 PDF
Parliamentary Counsel's Office FA407 PDF
Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal FA248 PDF
Parole management FA408 PDF
Patient records: public health services only GDA17
Patient administrative records: public health services only GDA21
Planning and development FA245 PDF
Police: criminal investigation records DA221 PDF
Police: operational records DA220 PDF
Port and marine services FA409 PDF
Premier and Cabinet
- Cabinet Secretariat, policy advice and support services to the Government FA254 PDF
- Government and public sector administration, support, coordination and service delivery FA313 PDF
Primary industries FA258 PDF
Privacy Commission FA406 PDF
Procurement and fleet management FA282 PDF
Protected tenants FA435 2023
Public Prosecutions FA389 PDF
Public Service Commission FA329 PDF
Public Works FA379 PDF
Publishing and advertising, Government FA294 PDF
R
Racing regulation FA424 PDF
Railways - see Transport
Research management GA47, 3.0.0. PDF
Revenue collection and administration FA419 PDF
Roads - see Transport
Royal Commissions, Special Commissions of Inquiry, Commissions of Inquiry and Inquiries established by Letters Patent or Ministerial Directive GA31 PDF
Rural Affairs - supporting people and communities in rural NSW FA234 PDF
Rural Assistance Authority - financial assistance and farm debt mediation FA426 PDF
Rural Fire Service FA326 PDF
S
Schools - primary and secondary (public schools only) FA387 PDF
Screen NSW - Film and television production and promotion DA210 PDF
Serious offenders management FA408 PDF
Service NSW FA425 PDF
Shared corporate services GA30 PDF
Sheriff's operations FA440 PDF
SICorp (Self Insurance Corporation) FA343 PDF
Social housing, housing assistance & protected tenancies FA435 2023
Soil conservation services (Local land services) FA401 PDF
Sporting, cultural and recreational institutions FA402 PDF
Sport and recreation FA421 PDF and FA402 PDF
Sporting Injuries Committee and WorkCover Authority FA307 PDF
State Emergency Service, NSW FA359 PDF
State Insurance Regulatory Authority - motor accidents insurance regulation FA375 PDF
State Library of New South Wales FA402 PDF and FA237 PDF
State Records NSW FA402 PDF and FA225 PDF
Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Tribunal FA248 PDF
Subsidence Advisory FA434
Superannuation funds management and scheme administration (SAS Trustee Corporation & Parliamentary Superannuation Contributory Fund) FA327 PDF
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Surveillance Devices Commissioner (GA38)
Surveying and Spatial Information, Board of FA238 PDF
Survey regulation FA238 PDF
Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust FA402 PDF
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority FA363 PDF
Sydney Olympic Park Authority FA402 PDF
Sydney Opera House Trust FA402 PDF
T
TAFE NSW
- GA47 PDF, Excel
- FA387 PDF (for secondary students completing vocational education)
- FA402 PDF (Collection management, public programs and venue and facilities management)
Taronga Conservation Society FA398 PDF and FA402 PDF
Telecommunications Services, Government (NSW Telco Authority) FA411 PDF
Television and film production and promotion (Screen NSW) DA210 PDF
Tourism FA415 PDF
Transport infrastructure FA382 PDF
Transport safety investigations FA264 PDF
Transport strategic planning, network operations, safety and regulation FA403 PDF
Treasury FA342 PDF
Treasury Corporation FA331 (not available for download)
Trustee and Guardian FA371 PDF
U
University records GA47 PDF,XLS, and FA402 PDF
V
Venues and facilities management FA402 PDF
Veterinary Practitioners FA273 PDF
Victims compensation/support payments and compensation FA420 PDF
Video/visual surveillance records (GDA8) - revoked July 2021. See GA28.
W
Water resources management FA256 PDF
Water supply and wastewater management FA367 PDF
Western Parkland City Authority FA260 PDF and FA262 PDF
Wild Dog Destruction Board FA265 PDF
WorkCover Authority and Sporting Injuries Committee FA307 PDF
Workers Compensation Commission FA255 PDF
Workers' Compensation Dust Diseases Board FA324 PDF
Workforce planning and management for the public sector (Public Service Commission) FA329 PDF
Y
Youth justice FA408 PDF
Z
Zoological conservation and research FA398 PDF and FA402 PDF