Records Retention

North Carolina Community College Records Retention Schedule

Retention and disposition schedules issued by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and Records are one of the tools that state, local, and university officials can use when managing the records in their offices.

Why does the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources issue retention and disposition schedules?

According to G.S. §121-5 and G.S. §132-8, state and local governmental entities may only destroy public records with the consent of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), the Division of Archives and Records.  Retention schedules are the primary way that the Division of Archives and Records gives its consent to state and local governments to destroy their records.  

Retention schedules serve as the inventory and schedule that DNCR is directed by statute to provide.   Retention schedules list records created and maintained by units of state and local government, and give an assessment of a records value (administrative, legal, fiscal, and/or historical) by indicating when (and if) those records should be destroyed.