Records Retention Schedules are the primary source of retention requirements for the records and information created and received by the University of Washington. They provide the legal authority for the destruction of records or for their transfer to the University Archives.

Records Management Services creates two types of Retention Schedules for those under our jurisdiction. 

• A General Records Retention Schedule lists the records that are common to most University offices, departments, and programs.

• A Departmental Records Retention Schedules includes only those records that are unique to a single office, department, or program. They are customized for their users.

Retention schedules can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you are not familiar with the records you manage or inherited, or if you are overwhelmed by the volume of the files in your email account.  But don't worry; there is a methodology behind the document's structure which, once understood, will enable you to easily find the record and its retention period.  Remember, Records Retention Schedules apply to all paper and electronic records including Email.