Wisconsin Municipal Records Manual | Wisconsin Historical Society

General Information

Wisconsin Municipal Records Schedule

Wisconsin Municipal Records Manual | Wisconsin Historical Society

Overview

The Wisconsin Municipal Records Schedule is a Public Records Board approved general records schedule available for use by Wisconsin cities, villages, towns, and other forms of municipal government. It is an updated version of the Wisconsin Municipal Records Manual originally published in 1980, and is intended to provide municipal governments with an easily accessible retention schedule for commonly created public records. 

Local governments are required to adopt the Municipal Schedule before using it to schedule their records.

The Municipal Schedule identifies if the Wisconsin Historical Society has waived the required notification period on a particular record series. HOWEVER, local governments are REQUIRED to adopt the schedule before applying the notification column to ANY record series. The Society also asks that notification be given on any records 75 years or older, regardless if the series has been waived. 

Please consult the Introduction section of the Schedule for more information. 

Adopting the Schedule

The Municipal Schedule can be adopted by filling out a General Records Schedule Adoption Form (PRB-002). The form can be accessed at the Public Records Board Forms website. All forms should be addressed and mailed to the Wisconsin Historical Society as indicated. Local governments may begin following the Schedule when a copy of the approved adoption form is returned. Specific questions regarding the form should be directed to the Public Records Board

Cities, villages, and towns should also formally pass an ordinance to follow the Municipal Schedule once adoption has been approved. A sample ordinance provided by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities can be accessed here

Accessing the Schedule

The Municipal Schedule can be accessed in entirety or by individual section below. 

Access is also available on the Public Records Board website.

Sections

1. Introduction

2. Administrative

3. Cemetery

4. Community Development/Public Services

5. Election

6. Finance

7. Public Works

8. Revenue

Have Questions?

Contact the local government records archivist at: govarc@wisconsinhistory.org