Local Government Disposal Management Forms

• Introduction to Montana Local Government Records Schedules
• Appendix A - Request for Records Disposal or Transfer Authorization
• Appendix B - Transfer Receipt Example
• Retention Schedule
• Template and Instructions
• Request for Change in Records Schedule
  • Printable PDF
  • Instructions
• Procedures
• Disposal Form
• Fillable Word Form
• Printable PDF
• Instructions

The Local Government Records Committee, with help from local records custodians, created the following records retention schedules, request for change and records disposal processes. Agencies must request permission to dispose of official public records. If you have questions or comments about the schedules or processes, please contact the:

Local Government Records Committee
Local Government Services Bureau
P.O. Box 200547
Helena MT 59620-0547

For local governments that undergo annual audits, retention schedules begin the month that the final fiscal year audit report is received by the entity.

Retention periods assigned to records are minimums. You are not required to destroy or otherwise dispose of records at the end of the minimum time frame outlined in the appropriate retention schedule. The Local entity bears responsibility to determine if records are confidential and are to be marked accordingly on each request for disposal. See the Montana Constitution, Article II, Section 9 and Section 10, Title II statutes at 2-6-1, MCA, consult legal counsel, or develop policy and procedure for addressing privacy and right to know.

Per Administrative Rule 44.14.202, document images, or any other type of electronic medium, is not an acceptable, long-term or permanent method of storing records. Records with a retention period of more than 10 years may be stored electronically as long as they are also maintained in paper or microfilm.

If an entity choses to use archival-quality microfilm or microfiche, as the official storage medium, the agency must carefully review the microfilm’s readability before allowing for destruction of the paper source records.  If poor-quality paper documents are filmed, the quality on film may also be poor quality and the paper records may need to be retained to ensure readability.

Microfilm or microfiche may be considered as a long-term or permanent, low-cost, storage medium for public records, provided that the filming process, development, and storage of the film master meets certain national standards. To verify whether the agency’s film meets these standards, contact the Secretary of State Records and Information Management Division by email or by phone at (406) 444-9000.

	Local Government Retention Schedules		Revision Date
	1	General (i.e. correspondence)	November 2011
	8	Municipal	May 2013
County
	2	Clerk and Recorder	April 2010
	3	Elections	May 2013
	4	Treasurer	June 2012
	5	Accounting and Financial	April 2010
	6	Motor-vehicle	1999
	7	School District	May 2012
	9	Conservation District	May 2012
	11	Appraisal and Assessment	May 2012
	13	Coroner	October 2005
	14	Sheriff	November 2011
	14A	Sheriff Local Detention Center/Jail	1999
	17	9-1-1 PSAP	October 2007
	18	Weed Department	October 2009
	19	County School Superintendents	October 2008
	20	County Museums	October 2009
Court
	10	Courts of Limited Jurisdiction	May 2012
	12	Clerk of District Court	April 2010
	16	County Attorney	April 2007
Insurance Authority
	15	Insurance Authority	May 2012
	15A	Insurance Authority - Claims	January 2011