NEW UPDATES!
OARs governing county retention were updated November 2025. Your Multnomah County Retention Schedule has been updated accordingly. Please make sure to double check - some series may have new retention periods.
Series Title (Agency Series #)
Description. (Legal Citations)
Retention
Activity Reports, General (F01-001)
Daily, weekly, monthly, or similar reports other than annual reports documenting the activities of employees. Useful for compiling annual reports, planning and budgeting, monitoring work progress and other purposes. Usually tracks type of activity, employees and/or volunteers involved, time spent on activity, work completed, and related information in narrative or statistical form. (OAR 166-150-0005(1)) (OAR 166-017-0045(2,4)) (MCC § 8.500)
Retention:
F01-001(a) Annual reports and monthly reports for years in which no annual report exists: Retain permanently - transfer to Archives upon becoming inactive or after 10 years, whichever comes first.
F01-001(b) All other reports: Retain 2 years.
Annual Audit Reports (F01-002)
Records documenting annual audits of the financial position of the agency conducted by external auditors in accordance with statutory requirements described in ORS 297.405 through 297.555. Subjects include accounting principles and methods, the accuracy and legality of transactions, accounts, etc., and compliance with requirements, orders, and regulations of other public bodies pertaining to the financial condition or operation of the agency. Information includes accountant's summary, combined financial statements, schedules, balance sheet details, comments, recommendations, and related data. (OAR 166-150-0110(7)) (OAR 166-017-0045(2,4)) (MCC § 8.500)
Retention:
Retain permanently - transfer to Archives upon becoming inactive or after 10 years, whichever comes first.
Budget Preparation Records (F01-003)
Records documenting the preparation of department budget requests presented to the specified governing body. May include staff reports, budget instructions, worksheets, surveys, allotment reports, spending plans, contingency plans, budget proposals, financial forecasting reports, and similar records. (OAR 166-150-0110(11))
Retention:
Retain 2 years.
Calendars And Scheduling Records (F01-004)
Records documenting and facilitating routine planning, scheduling, and similar actions related to meetings, appointments, trips, visits, and other activities. Includes calendars, appointment books, notes, telephone messages, diaries, and similar records. (NOTE: Designated Capstone Officials' records are managed through the Multnomah County Capstone Program.) (OAR 166-150-0005(39))
Retention:
Retain 1 year.
Computer System Program Documentation (F01-005)
Records providing documentation for electronic data processing systems and networks. Includes operating software instructions, listings of computer codes and programs, records layouts, flow charts, line listings, variance reports, output samples, program design specifications, program language, console logs, format statements, user reports, program backup, significant related correspondence, and similar records and information. (OAR 166-150-0125(4))
Retention:
F01-005(a) Migration plans: Retain until superseded or obsolete.
F01-005(b) Routine system-generated metadata and operational logs: Retain until no longer needed.
F01-005(c) All other records: Retain 1 year after system superseded or obsolete.
Forms Development Records (F01-011)
Records documenting the development or revision of forms and preprinted documents by or for the agency. Useful in developing and preparing new versions of forms. Includes sample forms, revisions, form logs or listings, proposals, authorizations, illustrations, and significant related records. (OAR 166-150-0005(12))
Retention:
Retain until superseded or obsolete.
Legislative Tracking Records (F01-012)
Series used to monitor legislation which may have an impact on an agency's current operations or policies. Records include concept statements, proposals, bill logs, fiscal/organizational impact analysis papers, copies of bills, testimony summaries, committee reports, agendas, and correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0005(14))
Retention:
Retain 4 years.
(NOTE: Recent increase from 2 years)
Mailing Lists (F01-013)
Lists compiled to facilitate billing, community outreach, and other functions of the agency. Information usually includes name of individual or group, address, name and title of contact person, phone number, comments, and similar data. (OAR 166-150-0005(16))
Retention:
Retain until superseded or obsolete.
Meeting Records, Staff (F01-014)
Records documenting meetings within government which are not subject to Oregon's Public Meetings Law (ORS 192.610 to 192.690). These routine staff meetings deal with tasks and actions within existing policies and procedures. Records may include minutes, notes, reports, and related items. Some records may merit inclusion in other record series with longer retention periods if the subject matter adds significant information to that series.(OAR 166-150-0005(18))
Retention:
Retain until no longer needed.
(NOTE: Recent decrease from 2 years)
Organizational Records (F01-015)
Records documenting the arrangement and administrative structure of the agency. Includes charts, statements, studies, and similar records. May also include studies to determine the merit and feasibility of reorganization plans, as well as other major studies related to the administrative hierarchy. (OAR 166-150-0005(21))
Retention:
Retain 2 years after superseded or obsolete.
Planning Records (F01-016)
Series documents long-range plans and the development of an agency's mission statement and work objectives. Records include strategic plans, mission statements, preliminary drafts, work notes, and related correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0005(45))
Retention:
Retain 10 years.
(NOTE: Recent decrease from 20 years.)
Policy Statements And Directives (F01-017)
Series documents review, assessment, development, and authorization of an agency's policies and procedures. Records may include authorizing bulletins and advisories, mission and goal statements, manuals, and final policy statements and directives. Information often includes policy and procedure numbers, revision dates, subject identification, narrative description, authorization information, and effective date. (OAR 166-150-0005(31)) (OAR 166-017-0045(2,4)) (MCC § 8.500)
Retention:
Retain permanently - transfer to Archives upon becoming inactive or after 10 years, whichever comes first.
(NOTE: Recent increase from 20 years after superseded)
Press Releases (F01-018)
Prepared statements, announcements, news conference transcripts, and similar records issued to the news media. Subjects include the adoption of new programs, termination of old programs, policy shifts, changes in the status of elected officials or senior administrative personnel, and others. Also may include news releases announcing routine events or actions carried out within the scope of existing policies. (OAR 166-150-0005(26))
Retention:
Retain 2 years.
Public Notice Records (F01-019)
Records documenting compliance with laws requiring public notice of governmental activities. Subjects include assessments, elections, land use changes, public meetings and hearings, sale of property, and others. Records include public or legal notices, certificates, affidavits of publication, and similar documents. (OAR 166-150-0005(30))
Retention:
Retain 4 years.
(NOTE: Recent increase from 3 years)
Surveys, Polls, And Questionnaires (F01-020)
Records documenting the measurement of customer opinion by or for the agency related to various issues, actions, and concerns. May include surveys, polls, questionnaires, summaries, abstracts and significant related records. Examples of summaries include studies which incorporate the significant results of customer opinion surveys, abstracts of questionnaires designed to determine the skills and interests of citizens volunteering for agency service, and other records which distill survey data into summary form. (OAR 166-150-0005(46))
Retention:
F01-020(a) Summary reports and abstracts: Retain 3 years.
F01-020(b) All other records: Retain until summary report is completed or 3 years, whichever is sooner.
(NOTE: Recent division into two parts.)
Travel Records (Employee) (F01-021)
Records documenting requests, authorizations, reimbursements, and other actions related to employee travel. Includes expense reports and receipts, vouchers, requests, authorizations, and related documents. Retention applies to private vehicle usage as well. Information often includes estimated costs, prepayments, final costs, destination, method of transportation, travel dates, approval signatures, and related data. (OAR 166-150-0110(26))
Retention:
Retain 3 years.
Work Orders (F01-022)
Records documenting requests and authorizations, according to existing contracts, agreements, or procedures, for needed services. May include copy center work orders, printing orders, telephone service and installation requests, repair authorizations, and similar records. (OAR 166-150-0005(50))
Retention:
Retain 1 year.
(NOTE: Recent decrease from 3 years.)