What is a retention and disposal authority?
Retention and disposal authorities (RDAs) are PROV standards issued by the Keeper of Public Records and are a legal instrument authorising the disposal of public records.
RDAs:
- set the minimum retention time that different classes of records must be kept and how they are to be disposed of
- authorise the destruction of records which are no longer required (time-expired records)
- identify records that are to be permanently retained as state archives.
Disposal authorities ensure the disposal of public records is open, transparent and accountable.
Which RDA do I use?
RDAs can be found in our Document Library.
If your records are covered by a current RDA there is no need to seek further authorisation from PROV to carry out the disposal action outlined in the RDA. At a minimum all agencies can use PROS 07/01 Common Administrative Functions RDA. A list of general RDAs that apply to all public offices is available here: Retention and Disposal Authorities - General To check if you have coverage of your agency's specific functions, check out all of our current RDAs in the Document Library and refer to the 'Function' description(s) which specify the functional scope of the RDA. Some of our more recent RDAs may also specify which agencies may use the RDA in the 'Scope' section. Please contact us:
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There are different types of disposal authorities as outlined below. It is expected that agencies will use a combination of these types when implementing a disposal programme.
