Also known as a records and information management policy, a document retention policy is a set of procedures adopted by an organization to manage how all of its records (electronic and hard copies of documents, samples, voicemails, and other types of information) are stored, preserved, or destroyed. A sufficient document retention policy specifies the amount of time different types of records are to be stored and the authorities responsible for maintaining the most frequently used types of documents and other records.

For additional information on the key issues to consider when drafting a document retention policy, see Practice Note, Drafting a Document Retention Policy and Document Retention Policy: US Checklist. For a sample policy, see Standard Document, Document Retention Policy.