Wyoming
State Archives

Legal Authority

Wyoming Statutes 9-2-410 states: "All public records are the property of the state. They shall be delivered by outgoing officials and employees to their successors and shall be preserved, stored, transferred, destroyed or disposed of, and otherwise managed, only in accordance with W.S. 9-2-405 through 9-2-413."

Wyoming Statutes 9-2-401(a)(v) defines "public record" to include the original and all copies of any paper, correspondence, form, etc., or other document, regardless of physical form or characteristics, which have been made or received in transacting public business by the state, a political sub-division, or an agency of the state.

Instructions and Information

1. These retention schedules give your agency the authority to destroy records after the records have been retained for the prescribed time. Prompt and regular destruction of records is encouraged. It reduces space needs, speeds up records retrieval, and reduces your legal exposure. However, there may be legitimate reasons for retaining records beyond their normal destruction, such as pending audits or legal proceedings. Just remember, it costs money to store records.
2. Records scheduled as PERMANENT should not be destroyed or removed from your custody. Permanent records cannot be scanned and stored on optical disks or on any electronic media, and then destroyed. Please contact the State Archives concerning any plan which would affect your permanent records. If storage conditions or space is a problem, records can be transferred to the State Archives, and the legal chain of custody will not be broken. (W.S. 9-2-407, 1982)
3. To destroy records listed in this manual, be certain that dates of the records are in line with their retention schedules. Even though the records are scheduled for destruction, records dated prior to 1920 should not be destroyed until they have been thoroughly appraised for historical significance by Archives staff. In the case of those offices organized after 1920, all records created during the first ten years of its existence should be retained permanently or until they have been appraised for historical value. Though the earliest records of all offices are of greatest importance, later records should also be screened when they are considered for destruction. Age is not the sole criteria for permanent retention. The elected or appointed officials and their staff are responsible for working with the State Archivist to preserve all historical government records, and our archivists can assist you with the historical appraisal of them. To arrange for onsite assistance or for any discussion about the records, please call us at 777-7826.
4. All records which may be used in a financial audit/examination must be kept until after such audit/examination is completed and all litigations, claims, or audit finding are resolved. Also, keep all records which may be used in pending or current litigation until its settlement. A copy of all independent audit reports must be sent to the Department of Audit. Records containing confidential information should be properly destroyed. They may be buried, burned, or shredded, which should be witnessed by you or your staff.
5. Administrative reorganization or changes in record systems may alter the time period records need to be kept, or you may have to establish a new retention schedule or change an existing one.
6. By law, any agency adopting a microfilm system shall consult with this department. Approval of the process must be obtained if permanent records are being filmed. Agencies are required by law to comply with microfilm standards established by the State Archives. Copies can be obtained by writing us. (W.S. 9-2-406 and 9-2-413, 1982).
7. Any questions pertaining to specific needs in your program may be directed to the following Archives, Records Management and Technical Services personnel:

Any questions may be directed to the following personnel:

Records Retention Schedules & Electronic Records
Mike Strom, Supervisor

Permanent Records & Micrographic Services
Curtis Greubel, Supervisor

Record Retention Schedules for Wyoming Municipalities

The following Retention Schedules are in PDF format.

• Municipality-Cemeteries
• Municipality-Court
• Municipality-Engineering & Inspection
• Municipality-Finance
• Municipality-Fire
• Municipality-General Government
• Municipality-Intra-Governmental Services
• Municipality-Parks and Recreation
• Municipality-Human Resources
• Municipality-Planning
• Municipality-Police
• Municipality-Public Utilities
• Municipality-Public Works

If you have questions concerning the above retention schedules, about record retention schedules not yet listed on this page, or to obtain a digital copy of the retention schedules effecting your office please contact:

Wyoming State Archives
Barrett Building
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7826
FAX: (307) 777-7044
E-mail