Federal Records Centers

About the Federal Records Centers

Nobody knows Federal records better than NARA's Federal Records Centers Program. Since 1950, we have safeguarded the nation's records, including citizen tax returns, Official Military Personnel Folders, passport applications, and Top Secret military records. Every day, NARA's Federal Records Centers deliver on the agency's mission to provide ready access to essential evidence.

We are Federal employees who proudly serve our Federal customers. We help customers navigate the intricacies of Federal regulations to ensure that the Nation's records are protected and remain available for their scheduled life.

  • We maintain facilities that are fully compliant with regulations that protect records from fire, theft, pests, water damage, and natural disasters.
  • We provide high-quality, cost-effective storage and servicing of records for our Federal customers.

Key statistics about the Federal Records Centers:

  • 18 facilities in 9 regions throughout the United States
  • Total holdings of 27 million cubic feet of records
  • 13 million reference requests serviced annually
  • 18,000 tons of paper recycled annually
  • Professional staff of approximately 1,100 Federal employees
  • Nearly 400 Federal agency customers

Authority

NARA is authorized to establish, maintain, and operate records centers for Federal agencies under 44 U.S.C. 2907 and to approve a records center that is maintained and operated by an agency under 44 U.S.C. 3103. NARA is also authorized to promulgate standards, procedures, and guidelines to Federal agencies with respect to the storage of their records in commercial records storage facilities under 44 U.S.C. 2104(a), 2904, and 3102. NARA is authorized to determine the disposition of Federal records under 44 U.S.C. 2904. (The U.S. Code is available)

Federal Records Center Staff

NARA's Federal Records Center staff is a dedicated team of professionals with expertise in all aspects of records management. This team includes agency-specific account managers at NARA headquarters in College Park, MD, and local Federal Records Center Directors and their staffs in the regional facilities. These staff members will work with you to identify and meet your agency's unique needs.

Account Managers serve as your agency records officer's point of contact with NARA. Account Managers can also provide information on billing and special services. In addition, account managers facilitate preparation of Interagency Agreements for agency customers. See Account Managers (www.archives.gov/frc/acct-reps.html).

Your agency's invoice is now available in electronic format via PDF. Avoid mail delays-contact your account managers to receive your invoice electronically.

Federal Records Center Directors Federal Records Center Directors and their staff members provide reference, transfer, and disposition information and answer operational questions from Federal offices within their service areas, including the availability of special services. See Directors (www.archives.gov/frc/directors.html)

FRC on the Web

Information on the FRC is available online (www.archives.gov/frc/). The website links to forms, websites of local FRCs, Federal regulations, staff contacts, and other key information.

Materials and Supplies

The FRCs require agencies to use specific types of materials for preparing records transfers. These supplies and forms are available on the GSA website (www.gsaadvantage.gov). Standard-size record boxes can be ordered directly from the GSA website. Please visit the FRC website (www.archives.gov/frc) for updates.

Boxes

  • Standard-size box (14¾" x 12" x9½") for legal or letter-size files NSN 8115-00- 1178249
  • Please note: Boxes exceeding these dimensions will not fit on FRC shelving. If your records do
    not fit into a standard box with these measurements, please call your local FRC to discuss
    alternatives before choosing a different size box.
  • Half-size box (14¾" x9½" x4¾") NSN 8115-00- 117-8338
  • X-ray box (18" x 15" x5½") NSN 8115-00-290-3386

For more information on the NARA Federal Records Centers Program, please contact us:

Federal Records Center
National Archives
8601 Adelphi Road, Suite 3600
College Park, MD 20740
E-mail:   frc@nara.gov

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