New Zealand Acts

PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 2005

- As at 25 October 2025
- Act 40 of 2005

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   1.      Title
   2.      Commencement

   PART 1 - Purpose, other preliminary provisions, and key administrative provisions

           SUBPART 1 - Purpose and other preliminary provisions

   3.      Purposes of Act
   4.      Interpretation
   5.      Variations to application of Act
   6.      Exclusions from application of Act
   7.      Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi)
   8.      Act binds the Crown

           SUBPART 2 - Key administrative provisions

   9.      Continuation of Archives New Zealand
   10.     Chief Archivist
   11.     Functions and duties of Chief Archivist
   12.     Chief Archivist to act independently
   13.     Delegations by Chief Archivist
   14.     Archives Council established
   15.     Function of Archives Council
   16.     Administrative matters

   PART 2 - Recordkeeping requirements

           SUBPART 1 - Key duties

   17.     Requirement to create and maintain records
   18.     Authority required to dispose of public records and protected records

           SUBPART 2 - Control of public records

   19.     Registers
   20.     Authority to dispose of public records
   21.     Mandatory transfer of public records
   22.     Deferred transfer of public records
   23.     Transfer of public records
   24.     Temporary return of public archives to controlling public office
   25.     Discharge of public records
   26.     Approval of repositories

           SUBPART 3 - Standards, inspection, reporting, and audit

   27.     Standards
   28.     Application and content of standards
   29.     Inspection powers
   30.     Exemptions
   31.     Direction to report to Chief Archivist
   32.     Annual report on recordkeeping
   33.     Independent audits of public offices
   34.     Audit of recordkeeping practices of Chief Archivist
   35.     Audit reports
   35A.    Action plans
   35B.    Performance notice

           SUBPART 4 - Estray records, prescribed records, protected records, Ministers’ papers, and private records

   36.     Inspection of estray records
   37.     Other requirements for estray records
   38.     Prescribed records
   39.     Acquisition of prescribed records
   40.     Protected records of local authorities
   41.     Transitional provision
   42.     Chief Archivist may accept parliamentary records, Ministers’ papers, and private and other records

   PART 3 - Public access

   43.     Requirement to classify access status
   44.     Basis for determining access status
   45.     Requirement to classify access status of local authority records
   46.     Basis for determining access status of local authority records
   47.     Public inspection of open access records
   48.     Publication or copying of public archives
   49.     Prohibition on public access or copying
   50.     Period for which restricted access may apply

   PART 4 - Appeal process and miscellaneous provisions

           SUBPART 1 - Appeal process

   51.     Appeal to Minister by public office or by local authority
   52.     Commencement of appeal
   53.     Effect of appeal
   54.     Process of appeal
   55.     Recommendation of Archives Council
   56.     Decision of Minister

           SUBPART 2 - Miscellaneous provisions

   57.     Application of Copyright Act 1994
   58.     Application of Official Information Act 1982
   59.     Charges for services
   60.     Protection of names
   61.     Offences
   62.     Penalties
   63.     Regulations
   64.     Savings
   65.     Transitional provisions
   66.     Repeals
   67.     Amendments to enactments
           Enactments amended