RC Forms

RC Forms help manage and maintain department records and inventory. These forms help establish a retention schedule for all records and determine a time to dispose old and obsolete records.

RC-1 and RC-2 forms are signed off first by the Records Commission, then submitted to the State Archives – once reviewed and signed by the State Archives, they are sent over to the Auditor of State’s office for review and signature. The Ohio Revised Code gives the State Archives 60 days to review and the Auditor of State’s representative has 60 days to authorize the form.  Once the Auditor of the State has finished their review the forms are sent back to the State Archives where we scan the forms and return a copy to the local government via email, if one is provided, or by mail.

RC-1 Form: One Time Disposal of Obsolete Records
RC-1 forms are used for a one-time disposal or transfer of records that are no longer created or maintained by the local government and are not listed on an RC-2.  

For example, during the Civil War your government might have issued bounties to soldiers.  Since your government is no longer creating these records, there is no need to include them on a retention schedule (RC-2 form).  However, if you wish to dispose of these records, it will still need to be documented and the RC-1 form is the appropriate form to use. Review the RC-1 instructions below to assist in completing this form.

NOTE: This form is rarely used. For the disposition of records listed on your RC-2 that DO NOT require an RC-3 please go to the tab "Other Forms" on the left navigation panel.

RC-1 Instructions
RC-1 Form

Notice of Disposition of Court Records
All Court's must provide written notice before the destruction of court records. Rule 26 (E)(2) of Superintendence requires that a written notice be sent to the Ohio History Connection at least Sixty (60) Days prior to the destruction of a court record having a retention period greater than 10 years old or created prior to 1960.

RC-2 Form: Record Retention Schedules
The RC-2 form is used to set up the records retention schedule.  The schedule is used to request continuing authority to dispose of records after the end of the approved record retention period. Each records series must be listed separately, given a unique schedule number, and assigned a retention period. The RC-2 dictates how long each record series is going to be retained.  Having a retention schedule enables you to destroy eligible records on an on-going basis.  RC-3 forms will only be required for records series indicated by State Archives-LGRP on your RC-2 form. For further instruction on complete your departments RC-2 Form, please review the RC-2 instructions below.

NOTE: All Court's must follow the courts retention scheduled established in Rule 26 of the Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio.

RC-2 Instructions
RC-2 Form

RC-3 Form: Certificate of Disposal
An RC-3 form is a Certificate of Disposal for records identified on a RC-2 form. These forms do not require the signature of the Records Commission, but your local government may require notification. The certificate of records disposal serves as the official record of the disposition of the records.  Compliance to  ORC Section 149.31 is required so that improper disposal does not occur. The Local Government Records Program has 15 business days to review the RC-3.

Please contact the State Archives-LGRP if you wish to dispose of a record that is more than 50 years old, even if the RC-2 does not require a RC-3. While the age of a record is not the only factor that determines historical value, in general, records that are 50 years old or older are more likely to have historical value. We suggest that your local records commission continues to document the disposal of records series internally.