Transferring records to PROV

What is a record transfer?

Record transfer is a process that results in Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) taking custody, but not ownership, of permanent public records from a Victorian government agency.

Why transfer records to PROV?

There are many benefits to transferring permanent public records to PROV, including:

• reducing agency storage costs
• transferring the risks associated with managing and securing records to PROV
• transferring the responsibility for managing public access to PROV
• avoiding any future data migration costs and issues
• complying with section 8a of Public Records Act 1973.

Records transferred to PROV are stored securely within our climate-controlled repository and digital archive. This measure ensures that records are preserved and accessible forever.

What can be transferred and when?

Records appraised as permanent using the appropriate Retention and Disposal Authority (RDA) and which are no longer needed by your agency for administrative purposes should be transferred to PROV.

If your agency has important records you would like to transfer but you are not covered by an RDA, please contact us and provide details of the records and your agency.

How much do transfers cost?

PROV does not charge any direct fees to agencies undertaking transfer projects, and there are no ongoing storage costs.

However, your agency must be prepared for possible costs during transfer projects such as:

• purchasing archival-quality boxes, packaging or hard drives
• contracting archival service providers to identify, sentence, document, describe, list and physically prepare records for transfer
• sourcing delivery companies to deliver records to PROV and place them on repository shelves.

Indirect costs may also be required to cover staff time managing the transfer project, coordinating with PROV, and identifying and preparing records for transfer.

How to transfer records to PROV?

See our step-by-step pages below.