Records Management and Retention Policy
Adopted 12/01/08
Amended 04/04/16
Johnston County adopts the current addition of the Records Retention and Disposition Schedule of the State of North Carolina except for those more stringent exceptions and changes set out herein.
Retention Schedule: Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version
E-Mails and Other Electronic Data
Electronic data, such as e-mails, are generally considered public records and should be treated in the same way as written documents. Some electronic data, especially certain e-mails, do not have any long term value and therefore, do not fall within the category of public records. For example, an email suggesting a meeting for 9:00 a.m. the following morning has no value the following afternoon and therefore may be deleted in the same way that a handwritten note with the same information could be discarded. Please be advised that e-mail records and data are not personal but are property of Johnston County and backup documents may also be considered public records.
Record Retention Policy
All Johnston County records must be maintained for a period of five (5) years unless it is a record set out in the exceptions listed below. Please note that these records may be maintained in either electronic or paper version. It should be noted that all building inspection department records shall be maintained for a period of at least six (6) years. Many tax records must be maintained for a period of ten (10) years. Records that otherwise may be disposed of consistent with this schedule but which have an unusual and significant historical value should be maintained permanently. No record involved in pending audits and/or legal proceedings may be destroyed until no longer needed for the audit and/or legal proceedings. Records should be protected upon receipt of sufficient and adequate written notice of pending action. [Note: Any records destroyed consistent with the State’s Records Retention and Disposition Schedule set sooner than the time frame set out here within shall not be deemed a violation of the Public Records Act.]
All non-permanent records may be kept in any format, paper or electronic, and therefore, paper documents may be destroyed when secured electronic copies are available. Permanent documents are those documents of significant, historical and legal significance that are required to be maintained permanently. [See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 121-5] Permanent records must include a paper or microfilmed duplicate. This requirement only applies to “permanent records”; all other records may be in any form, including electronically scanned. For Johnston County Government, this list includes minutes of governing boards such as Johnston County Board of Commissioners minutes, court records, certain tax records and those documents retained by the Register of Deeds office. The list of governing board minutes which are deemed “permanent” are set out below. Files which pertain to active or ongoing matters should be retained until no longer deemed active; the disposal policy for these records run from such time as the record is deemed inactive. [Note: Documents retained by the Register of Deeds office are subject to specific and detailed statutory requirements and are not included within the scope of this policy. Veterans Records, such as case management records, benefit applications and eligibility records, tend to remain active until the applicant and/or veteran is deceased.]
Exceptions
- Governing Boards - Minutes
- Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
- Bentonville Community Building Board of Trustees
- Board of Equilization and Review
- Economic Development Commission
- Industrial Facility/Pollution Control Financial Authority
- JC Criminal Justice Partnership Advisory Board
- JC Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board
- JC Livestock Arena management Board
- JC Emergency Food and Shelter Board
- JC Airport Authority
- JC Area Mental Health Board
- JC Board of Adjustments
- JC Board of Health
- JC Heritage Commission
- JC Planning Board
- Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
- Local Emergency Planning Commission (S.A.R.A)
- Moccasin Creek Service District Board
- Nursing Home/Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board
- Pleasant Grove Community Building Board of Trustees
- Research and Training Zone Advisory Committee
- Veterans Services Advisory Board
- Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board
General Exceptions for All Departments
- Type of Document
Retention Schedule
- Performance Audit Reports
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Grant Contract Appeals Records
10 years - Escheats and Unclaimed Property Files
10 years - Financial Audits
10 years - Accounts Payable Invoices and Travel Reimbursements
3 years - Bank Statements, Cancelled Checks, Deposit Slips, and Receipts
3 years - Tax-Exempt Obligations/Debt and Continuing Disclosure
Maintained as long as debt is outstanding plus 7 years - Personnel Timesheets/Attendance Records
30 years - Tax Withholding Files
30 years - Blueprints for Government Structures
Life of the Structure - Dangerous Animal Records
10 years (or until animal's death) - Ambulance Call Reports (ACR)/Patient Care Reports (PCR) [Emergency Management Records]
11 years - Fire Investigation Records
10 years - Employee Exposure to Hazardous Medical Substances Records (e.g. Asbestos exposure)
40 years - Official Personnel Record
30 years - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
30 years - Solid Waste Management Violations
7 years - Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestland Deferred Taxes
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Valuation of Property owned by Railroads, Public Utilities, etc.
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Real Property Records (Uniformed Property Records, paper and electronic)
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Reports by Multi-County Business Taxpayer Files
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Reports by Trailer Parks, Marinas & Aircraft Facilities Files
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Reports of Persons Having Custody of Tangible Property of Others
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Reports to the Department of Administration on Property Listed in Name of Unknown Owner Files
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Revaluation Records
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Special Assessment Records
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Tax Abstract List
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Uniformed Schedule of Values, Standards and Rules
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Aerial Survey Photographs & Maps
Destroy upon State Archives approval - GIS Real Property Records
Destory upon State Archives approval - Real Property Parcel Records
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first - Motor Vehicle Scrolls and Books
10 years - Tax Abstracts and List for Motor Vehicles
10 years or two revaluations cycles, whichever occurs first
Heatlh Department Records
Many Health Department Records must be forwarded to various State and Federal agencies such as the CDC or NCDHHS. Please be mindful of when and what information must be transferred to these State and Federal agencies.
- Health Board Minutes
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Regulations and Ordinances
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Public Hearing Minutes
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Public Bids for Purchase of Products and Services
6 years - Offline Storage Library Control Records (Records concerning the control, location, maintenance and disposition of offline storage media)
Must be maintained permanently in any form, including electronic - Records Management Files (All documentation regarding the disposition of records)
Must be maintained permanently in any form, including electronic - Insurance Policies
6 years - HIPPA Records including all protected Health inforation records
6 years - Home Health Advisory Board Minutes
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Dental Patient Records
10 years - Immunization Records which have not been forwarded to NC Immunization Registry
10 years after last date of service - Maternal Health Records
Until child reaches the age of 28 and has not received services in last 10 years (which ever comes later) - Abortion Records
10 years - Patient Clinical Records (including STD/HIV/AIDS records)
10 years - Tuberculosis Records
Life of the Patient plus 10 years from date of last service - X-Ray and Other Digital Radiology Imagery
10 years from date of last service
Johnston County Mental Health Department
All Local Management Entities (LMEs) including Johnston County Mental Health must comply with the “Records Management and Documentation Manual for Providers of Publicly Funded MA/DD/SA Services” published by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. As with the Health Department, the Mental Health Department has requirements as to confidentiality records and reporting requirements to State and Federal agencies. Mental Health personnel should be cognizant of these responsibilities and should contact the County Attorney’s office should any question arise as to the release of information or requirements to forward information to another State or Federal entity or questions regarding retention and disposition.
- Johnston County Board of Mental Health Minutes
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Client Records Regarding Minors (Minor Clients who are no longer receiving services)
12 years after the Minor reaches the age of majority - Administration Records Retained in the Office
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Death Registers
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version
Note: All records for Minors should be considered active until the Minor reaches the age of majority
Department of Social Services
- Johnston County Social Services Board Minutes
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Ordinances and Regulations
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Public Hearing Records
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Adoption Case Files
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version - Foster Home Facility and Recruitment Records
Permanent Records; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version
Disposition
All confidential or sensitive records should be destroyed through shredding. Other records may be destroyed in any effective manner.
Adopted by the Board of Commissioners this the 1st day of December, 2008.
Amended by the Board of Commissioners this the 4th day of April, 2016 (Amendments are documented in the April 4, 2016 10:00 AM Regular Meeting Minutes of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners.)
Records Management and Retention Policy PDF
Page last updated: July 7, 2026