FAQ What are public records? The General Statutes of North Carolina, Chapter 132, provides this definition of public records: "Public record" or "public records" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data- processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions. Agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions shall mean and include every public office, public officer or official (State or local, elected or appointed), institution, board, commission, bureau, council, department, authority or other unit of government of the State or of any county, unit, special district or other political subdivision of government. How can a public record be confidential? There may be federal or state statutes or regulations that designate a public record as confidential. While this record is still a “public record” according to the definition of N.C. Gen. Stat. 132, it is not accessible via a public records request. How can I destroy records? N.C. Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 4, Subchapter M, Section .0510 After you have signed and approved your records retention and disposition schedule, records should be destroyed in one of the ways listed below, depending on the nature of the records: Paper records should be destroyed in one of the following ways: burned, unless prohibited by local ordinance; shredded or torn so as to destroy the record content of the documents or materials concerned; placed in acid vats so as to reduce the paper to pulp and to terminate the existence of the document or materials concerned; or sold as waste paper, provided that the purchaser agrees in writing that the documents or materials concerned will not be resold without pulverizing or shredding the documents so that the information contained within cannot be practicably read or reconstructed. Electronic records should be destroyed in this way: the data and metadata are to be overwritten, deleted, and unlinked so the data and metadata may not be practicably reconstructed. Confidential records or records containing confidential information, whether paper or electronic, should be destroyed in this way: the data, metadata, and physical media are to be destroyed in such a manner that the information cannot be read or reconstructed under any means. Can we scan all our records and keep them electronically and get rid of the paper? The short answer is yes, but there are a number of boxes your agency must check before being able to dispose of the paper. You first need to approve the current retention and disposition schedule. You need to get an electronic records policy approved by DNCR. You need to get specific authorization to destroy the paper records you have scanned. Look under Forms and Templates to find the appropriate form for your office. How can I “archive” boxes at the State Records Center? Detailed information about how to store records temporarily at the State Records Center or transfer archival records to the State Archives, along with a link to a video about boxing records, can be found on the State Records Center page. What does Permanent (appraisal required) mean in the disposition instructions of the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What’s the meaning of the © on the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. How can I understand the triggers for retention on the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. Why does the retention and disposition schedule specify that some records will transfer to the custody of the Archives? Learn about this on the G.S, 132 blog. What are reference copies? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What does “record copy” mean? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What are transitory records? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What is a records destruction log and why is my agency required to maintain one? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. How can state agencies assess administrative value? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. Where do I send disinterment/reinterment permits? Local health departments should mail disinterment/reinterment permits to: Records Description Unit Government Records Section NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 4615 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-4615 Related Content G.S. 132 Files NC State Records Twitter Account
FAQ What are public records? The General Statutes of North Carolina, Chapter 132, provides this definition of public records: "Public record" or "public records" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data- processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions. Agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions shall mean and include every public office, public officer or official (State or local, elected or appointed), institution, board, commission, bureau, council, department, authority or other unit of government of the State or of any county, unit, special district or other political subdivision of government. How can a public record be confidential? There may be federal or state statutes or regulations that designate a public record as confidential. While this record is still a “public record” according to the definition of N.C. Gen. Stat. 132, it is not accessible via a public records request. How can I destroy records? N.C. Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 4, Subchapter M, Section .0510 After you have signed and approved your records retention and disposition schedule, records should be destroyed in one of the ways listed below, depending on the nature of the records: Paper records should be destroyed in one of the following ways: burned, unless prohibited by local ordinance; shredded or torn so as to destroy the record content of the documents or materials concerned; placed in acid vats so as to reduce the paper to pulp and to terminate the existence of the document or materials concerned; or sold as waste paper, provided that the purchaser agrees in writing that the documents or materials concerned will not be resold without pulverizing or shredding the documents so that the information contained within cannot be practicably read or reconstructed. Electronic records should be destroyed in this way: the data and metadata are to be overwritten, deleted, and unlinked so the data and metadata may not be practicably reconstructed. Confidential records or records containing confidential information, whether paper or electronic, should be destroyed in this way: the data, metadata, and physical media are to be destroyed in such a manner that the information cannot be read or reconstructed under any means. Can we scan all our records and keep them electronically and get rid of the paper? The short answer is yes, but there are a number of boxes your agency must check before being able to dispose of the paper. You first need to approve the current retention and disposition schedule. You need to get an electronic records policy approved by DNCR. You need to get specific authorization to destroy the paper records you have scanned. Look under Forms and Templates to find the appropriate form for your office. How can I “archive” boxes at the State Records Center? Detailed information about how to store records temporarily at the State Records Center or transfer archival records to the State Archives, along with a link to a video about boxing records, can be found on the State Records Center page. What does Permanent (appraisal required) mean in the disposition instructions of the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What’s the meaning of the © on the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. How can I understand the triggers for retention on the Functional Schedule? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. Why does the retention and disposition schedule specify that some records will transfer to the custody of the Archives? Learn about this on the G.S, 132 blog. What are reference copies? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What does “record copy” mean? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What are transitory records? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. What is a records destruction log and why is my agency required to maintain one? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. How can state agencies assess administrative value? Learn about this on the G.S. 132 blog. Where do I send disinterment/reinterment permits? Local health departments should mail disinterment/reinterment permits to: Records Description Unit Government Records Section NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 4615 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-4615 Related Content G.S. 132 Files NC State Records Twitter Account
