State Government Records Retention Schedules

Records Retention Schedules list the records created, used and maintained by state agency personnel, along with retention and disposal information for those records. Retention Schedules for Kentucky State Agencies are approved and updated as necessary by the State Archives and Records Commission. These Schedules have been incorporated into the Administrative Regulation 725 KAR 1:061, Records retention schedules; authorized schedules, which was updated most recently in 2015.

All of Kentucky’s state government personnel should use the General Schedule for State Agencies. This Schedule covers common records created by all or most state agencies. Examples of these types of records are payroll or personnel records, budgeting records, fiscal records, correspondence or meeting minutes. State agency staff should also use the General Schedule for Electronic and Related Records, which covers records that are created because an agency uses computers or computer systems. Examples of these types of records are system documentation, network logs or backup tapes.

General Schedules:

General Schedule for State Agencies

General Schedule for Electronic and Related Records

Most state agency personnel will also use a Retention Schedule specific to their agency. This agency-specific schedule covers records that are not on the General Schedule for State Agencies or records that agencies must keep for a longer period of time than required on the General Schedule.

Agency Specific Schedules:

Agriculture, Department of

Auditor of Public Accounts

Economic Development Cabinet

Education and Workforce Development Cabinet

Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Commission on the

Education, Department of

Education Professional Standards Board

Educational Television Authority

Environmental Education Council

Governor's Scholar's Program

Libraries and Archives, Department for

Postsecondary Education, Council on

Proprietary Education, Commission on

Center for School Safety

Teachers' Retirement System

Workforce Investment, Department for

Blind, Office for the

Employment and Training, Office of

Vocational Rehabilitation, Office of

Energy and Environment Cabinet

(Includes Office of General Counsel)

Administrative Hearings, Office of

Energy Development and Independence, Department for

Environmental Protection, Department of

Mine Safety Review Commission

Natural Resources, Department for

Nature Preserves Commission

Public Service Commission

Finance and Adminstration Cabinet [Includes Office of Administrative Services; Commonwealth Office of Technology; Office of the Controller; Department of Facilities and Support Services; Division of Fleet Management; Office of General Counsel]

Higher Education Assistance Authority

Higher Education Student Loan Corporation

Housing Corporation

Kentucky Retirement Systems

Revenue, Department of

School Facility Construction Commission

General Government

Accountancy, Board of

Architects and Certified Interior Designers, Board of

Auctioneers, Board of

Barbering, Board of

Chiropractic Examiners, Board of

Dentistry, Board of

Election Finance, Registry of

Elections, Board of

Embalmers and Funeral Directors, Board of

Engineers and Land Surveyors, Board of Registration for Professional

Executive Branch Ethics Commission

Hairdressers and Cosmetologists, Board of

Landscape Architects, Board of Examiners and Registration of

Lottery Corporation

Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, Board of

Medical Licensure, Board of

Nursing, Board of

Optometric Examiners, Board of

Personnel Board

Pharmacy, Board of

Physical Therapy, Board of

Podiatry, Board of

Real Estate Commission

Real Estate Appraisers, Board of

Respiratory Care, Board of

Social Work, Board of

Women, Commission on

Governor, Office of the

Governor's Office

Agricultural Policy, Governor's Office of

Budget Director, Office of the State

Human Rights, Commission on

Local Government, Department for

Military Affairs, Department of

Minority Empowerment, Governor's Office of

Veterans' Affairs, Department of

Health and Family Services, Cabinet for [Includes Office of the Secretary; Office of Administration and Technology Services; Cancer Commission; Office of Communications and Administrative Review; Office of Legal Services; Social Insurance; Social Services]

Aging and Independent Living, Department for

Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, Department for

Children with Special Health Care Needs, Commission for

Community Based Services, Department for

Health Benefit and Information Exchange, Office of the Kentucky

Health Policy, Office of

Income Support, Department for -- Disability Determination Services

Inspector General, Office of the

Medicaid Services, Department for

Ombudsman, Office of the

Public Health, Department for

Judicial Branch

Appeals, Court of (Pre-1976)

Appeals, Court of (Post-1975)

Bar Admissions, Office of

Circuit/District Court (Pre-1978)

Circuit/District Court (Post-1977)

Supreme Court

Justice and Public Safety Cabinet [Includes Grants Management Branch; Office of Investigations; Office of the Secretary; General Counsel; Office of Legal Services; Office of the State Medical Examiner]

Corrections, Department of

Criminal Justice Training, Department of

Drug Control Policy, Office of

Juvenile Justice, Department of

Parole Board, Office of the

Public Advocacy, Department of

State Police, Department of Kentucky

Labor Cabinet [Includes Office of the Inspector General; Department of Workers' Claims; Department of Workplace Standards]

Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

Workers Compensation Funding Commission

Law, Department of

Attorney General, Office of the

Unified Prosecutorial System [Offices of the Commonwealth's Attorneys]

Legislative Branch

Legislative Ethics Commission

Legislative Research Commission

Lieutenant Governor, Office of the

Personnel Cabinet

Public Protection Cabinet (includes Office of Legal Services)

Alcoholic Beverage Control, Department of

Boxing and Wrestling Authority

Charitable Gaming, Department of

Claims Commission

Financial Institutions, Department of

Horse Racing Commission

Housing, Buildings and Construction, Department of

Insurance, Department of

Occupations and Professions, Office of

Secretary of State, Office of the

Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet

Creative Services, Office of

Fair Board

Film and Tourism Development, Office of

Fish and Wildlife Resources, Department of

Heritage Council

Historical Society

Kentucky Horse Park

Parks, Department of

Transportation Cabinet

Treasury, Department of the

University Model, State [The State University Model Records Retention Schedule applies to Kentucky's public universities and to KCTCS institutions. Some universities have posted versions of this schedule on their respective websites reflecting differences in nomenclature for certain scheduled records. Retention periods should not differ. If university personnel have questions, they should contact the appropriate records officer on their campus.]

For questions about state agency Records Retention Schedules, contact Beth Shields, (502) 564-1720 or Beth.Shields@ky.gov

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State Government Records Retention Schedules

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