NEW UPDATES!
OARs governing county retention were updated November 2025. Your Multnomah County Retention Series has been updated accordingly. Please make sure to double check - some series may have new retention periods.
Each series contains the following information:
- Series Title (Agency Series #)
- Description. (Legal Citations)
- Retention
Computer System Maintenance Records (DCJ4-001)
Documents the maintenance of the program's computer systems and is used to insure compliance with any warranties or service contracts; schedule regular maintenance and diagnose system or component problems; and document system backups. Records may include computer equipment inventories, hardware performance reports, component maintenance records (invoices, warranties, hardware performance reports, maintenance reports, and related records), system backup reports and backup tape inventories. (OAR 166-150-0125(6))
Retention:
- DCJ4-001(a) Records related to system or component repair or service, retain 1 year after life of system or component.
- DCJ4-001(b) Records documenting system backup procedures, 1 year after superseded or obsolete.
Note: Recent retention increases.
Computer System Program Documentation (DCJ4-002)
Documents the addition, modification, or removal of software from an agency computer system. Records usually fall into one of six categories: 1) records that document operating systems; 2) records the document the in-house creation and modification of application programs; 3) records that document the structure and form of datasets; 4) records that document the use of commercial software packages; 5) records that document the structure of the system; and 6) records that document system-to-system communication. Records may include system overviews, operations logs. job listings. operator instruction manuals, system development logs, system specifications and changes (including narrative and flow chart descriptions), conversion notes, dataset logs, dataset inventories, dataset record layouts, hard copies of tables, data dictionaries, data directories, programming logs, program specifications and changes, record layouts, user views, control program table documentation, program listings, and commercial software manuals. (OAR 166-150-0125(4))
Retention:
- DCJ4-002(a) Migration plans, until superseded or obsolete.
- DCJ4-002(b) Routine system-generated metadata and operational logs, until no longer needed.
- DCJ4-002(c) All other records, 1 year after life of system.
Note: Recent retention changes.
Filing Systems Records (DCJ4-003)
Documents the establishment, alteration, or abolition of agency and/or program filing systems. Records include master file lists, organizational charts, program descriptions. (OAR 166-150-0040(20)(c))
Retention:
- Retain 5 years after superseded or abolished.
Note: Recent increase from 3 years after superseded or abolished.
Forms Development Records (DCJ4-004)
Used to develop new or revised forms for a department and to provide a history of previous forms. Records may include sample forms, drafts, form logs/listings, proposals, authorizations and illustrations. (OAR 166-150-0005(12))
Retention:
- Retain until superseded or obsolete.
Information Service Subscription Records (DCJ4-005)
Series documents department subscriptions to information services. Records may include subscriptions, invoices, and correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0140(7))
Retention:
- Retain until superseded or obsolete.
Note: Recent reduction from 3 years.
Information System Planning and Development Records (DCJ4-006)
Documents the planning and development of program information systems. Although these records typically document computerized information system, they may also document manual filing systems and microfilm systems. The records are used to insure that planned systems will help a program fulfill its mission, are cost-effective, conform to adopted information standards, and integrate with existing agency information systems. Records may vary according to the level of documentation required for each system, but may include information technology plans, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, program studies and surveys, system specifications and revisions, component proposals, technical literature, vendor literature and proposals, and related correspondence. (OAR 166-150-0125(7))
Retention:
- DCJ4-006(a) Implemented systems, retain for life of system.
- DCJ4-006 (b) Unimplemented systems, retain 5 years.