Minimum period of preservation of official documents for our statutory services, and the retention of personal data.
| Class of document | Period after which document may be destroyed |
|---|---|
| Appointment forms of registration officers | 1 year after retirement |
| Forms of appointment of authorised persons under the Marriage Act 1898 or the Marriage Act 1949 | 2 years after vacation of office |
| Registrar General’s authorities for registration after 12 months in accordance with sections 7 and 21 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 | 2 years |
| Books recording issue of books and forms of medical certificates (Form 17) | 5 years after last entry |
| Notifications of disposals of bodies of deceased persons | 5 years |
| Declarations made by applicants for certificates for disposal (no liability to register) | 5 years |
| Marriage notices | 5 years |
| Forms of consent to marriages of minors | 1 year |
| Caveats against the grant of a superintendent registrar’s certificate or certificate and licence or Registrar General’s licence for marriage | 2 years |
| Superintendent registrar’s certificates and certificates and licences for marriage | 2 years from date of marriage |
| Notifications of the issue of the Registrar General’s licence for marriage and Registrar General’s licences for marriage | 2 years from date of marriage |
| Requisitions for certificates of birth, marriage or death issued under certain Acts of Parliament for the purpose of those Acts | 2 years |
| Requisitions for certificates issued for the purposes of the 1st Schedule to the Industrial Assurance and Friendly Societies Act 1948 and the 5th Schedule to the Friendly Societies Act 1974 | 6 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (a): Standard certificates of birth, marriage, death and still-birth | 2 years (but retained further if they have not been subject to scrutiny during a stock audit by GRO) |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (b): Certificates issued for the purposes of the 1st Schedule to the Industrial Assurance and Friendly Societies Act 1948 and the 5th Schedule to the Friendly Societies Act 1974 | 6 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (c): Certificates issued for the purpose of the provisions of the Friendly Societies Acts relating to a payment on the death of a child under the age of 10 | 3 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (d): Certificates issued for purposes of certain other Acts of Parliament | 2 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (e): Certificates of registration of births and still-births | 2 years (but retained further if they have not been subject to scrutiny during a stock audit by GRO) |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (f): Requisitions to persons liable to register who have failed to do so | 1 year |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (g): Forms of report of death to coroner by registrar | 1 year |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (h1): Certificates for disposal, before or after registration of death | 5 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (h2): Certificates for disposal, still-births | 5 years |
| Counterfoils of certificates and forms (h3): Certificates for disposal, no liability to register | 5 years |
| Accounting books and records (a): Record and demand book | 10 years |
| Accounting books and records (b): Cash book | 7 years |
| Accounting books and records (c): Paying-in book/slips | 7 years |
| Accounting books and records (d): Receipt books | 7 years |
| Accounting books and records (e): Registrar General’s certificate and direction | 7 years |
| Accounting books and records (f): Form of account (office copy) | 2 years |
| Routine correspondence (a): relating to appointment and conduct of officers | 2 years |
| Routine correspondence (b): relating to registration of births, marriages and deaths, correction of errors, birth reregistrations not made (Forms LA1 and GRO 185 and copy documents), issue of certificates under certain Acts of Parliament, irregular burials | 3 years |
| Routine correspondence (c): relating to false information given to registration officers, falsification and forgery of certificates of birth, marriage or death; marriage of foreigners and persons divorced abroad | 3 years |
| Routine correspondence (d): relating to accounting transactions, charges, receipts | 2 years |
| Routine correspondence (e): other correspondence | 3 years |
| Statutory declaration regarding the loss or destruction of a certificate issued under the Industrial Assurance and Friendly Societies Act 1948 and the Friendly Societies Act 1974 | 6 years |
Also see
Data Protection Officer
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