AC 27.2015

June 17, 2015

MEMORANDUM TO FEDERAL AGENCY CONTACTS: Release of NARA Bulletin 2015-01

I am pleased to announce that we have issued NARA Bulletin 2015-01, Determining the Appropriate Age for Scheduling the Legal Transfer of Permanent Records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

This Bulletin clarifies the appropriate age at which permanent records, regardless of their media or format, should be transferred into NARA’s legal custody. Generally, records should not be scheduled for the legal transfer to NARA before 15 years for unclassified records and 25 years for classified records. This bulletin is associated with a new scheduling aid,Checklist for Proposing the Early Legal Transfer of Permanent Records. The checklist is a tool to help agencies and NARA staff determine if the records are appropriate for legal transfer before 15 years.

NARA Bulletins provide fundamental guidance to Federal agencies who must then determine the most appropriate ways to incorporate the guidance into their work.

A briefing on this Bulletin will be delivered at the August BRIDG meeting. Please contact your appraisal archivist if you have any additional questions. Thank you.

PAUL M. WESTER, JR.
Chief Records Officer
for the U.S. Government