On June 30, 2026, the newest edition of Local Schedule PW was published! These changes affect local governments. The amendment(s) to 13 TAC §7.127 were adopted as administrative rules of the commission—see the full announcement on the Texas Register. For local government RMOs, this means that all previous versions of Schedule PW will be obsolete and your organization must follow all the minimum retention periods in the third edition, effective June 30, 2026.
So what changed?
If you want to see a list of every change that was made to the third edition of Schedule PW, you can find an exhaustive list linked at the top of the Schedule PW webpage.
Local governments should update any saved versions of Schedule PW to the latest version and update any prepared schedules they have created. The changes are summarized below.
What’s shiny and new?
Six Brand New Series
These six series are brand new to the schedule.
- PW5200-01c Public Works and Services Planning Studies and Reports (Retention: 10 years)
- PW5225-03c Zoning Permit Records (Retention: AV)
- PW5250-01e Blueprints and Specifications (Retention: 1 year)
- PW5500-07 Archives Collection Control Records (Retention: Permanent)
- PW5500-08 Reference Request Records (Retention: AV)
- PW5550-03e Wildlife Records (Retention: Life of animal)
62 Updated Descriptions
Updated descriptions have been added for 62 series. Here are the series that have had their description revised for clarity:
- PW5200-01a/b Public Works and Services Planning Studies and Reports
- PW5225-01 Zoning/Planning Board Case Files
- PW5225-04a/b Zoning Violations Records
- PW5250-01a/b/c/d Blueprints and Specifications
- PW5250-02a/b Building Code Violations Records
- PW5250-04a/b Building Permit Applications
- PW5250-05a/b Building Permit Logs
- PW5250-09 Demolition Records
- PW5250-10a/b Miscellaneous Permit Applications
- PW5250-11a/b Reports of Building Permits Issued
- PW5275-01a/b Inspection Reports
- PW5275-03a/b Permits
- PW5275-04 Service and Repair Requests
- PW5275-07 Road and Street Maintenance Records
- PW5275-08 Road and Street Master Records
- PW5275-09 Road Master Plans
- PW5300-01 Accident Reports
- PW5300-04a/b Traffic Device Installation and Maintenance Records
- PW5375-04 Certification Manual
- PW5375-05 Communication Tapes
- PW5375-08b Maintenance and Inspection Records
- PW5375-09 Notices to Airmen
- PW5375-10a Operational Permits and Certifications
- PW5375-11a/b Operations Reports
- PW5375-12a/b/c Reports to Regulatory Agencies
- PW5400-03 Water Quality Management Plans
- PW5450-04a Pest Control Records
- PW5450-05a/b Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05c(1)/(2) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05d(1)/(2) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05e Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05f(1)/(2) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05g(1)/g(2) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05h(1)/(2)/(3) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05i(2) Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05j Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05k Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5450-05l Storage Tank (Immovable) System Records
- PW5750-07b(1)/(2)/(3) Waste Generators, Records of
- PW5450-07c(1)/(2) Waste Generators, Records of
- PW5450-07d Waste Generators, Records of
- PW5500-01 Library Materials Control Records
- PW5500-03 Circulation Records
- PW5500-04 Interlibrary Loan (Ill) Records
- PW5525-01a Reservation and Registration Records
- PW5525-04a Reservation and Registration Records
- PW5550-03b Wildlife Records
- PW5575-02 Issues/Programs Lists
- PW5575-03a/b Construction Permit Records
- PW5575-05 Equal Employment Opportunity File
- PW5575-07 Political Files
- PW5600-01a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h Aging and Disabled, Records of Services for The
- PW5600-02a(1)/(2)/(3) Child Protective Service Records
- PW5600-02b Child Protective Service Records
- PW5600-02c(1)/(2) Child Protective Service Records
- PW5600-03a/b/c Purchased Social Service Records
- PW5600-04a/b Social Service Client Case Files
- PW5650-01a/b Bingo Applications and Licenses
- PW5650-02a Reports of Proceeds
- PW5650-02b Reports of Proceeds
- PW5675-06 Deeds (Cemetery Lots)
- PW5725-01a/b/c Oil And Gas Records
Two New Descriptions
New descriptions have been added for two series. Ever wondered what “Library Catalogs” or “Zoning Maps and Plats” are? Wonder no more! Here are the series that previously lacked a description (and now have one):
- PW5225-02 Zoning Maps and Plats
- PW5500-06 Library Catalogs
Formatting Updates
When you look at the schedule, it may look different to you, and that’s okay! TSLAC has shifted the way we format record series to make the schedule easier to read and understand. Here are three shifts you’ll notice:
- No more header rows. Now the schedule is more data friendly and dynamic.
- Descriptions and/or retention notes from the header rows have been incorporated into subseries. For example, PW5275-03a and PW5275-03b include the description from previous header row PW5275-03.
- Identifying retention periods for subseries is now more user friendly. We’ve separated series that contained multiple retention periods, making it easier to identify which retention period belongs to which record series. For example, PW5450-05i Storage Tank (Immoveable) System Records has become PW5450-05i(1) and PW5450-05i(2).
Before:
| Record Number | Record Title | Record Description | Retention Period | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PW5450-05i | STORAGE TANK (IMMOVABLE) SYSTEM RECORDS | Records for repairs and relining. (1) General information related to the repair or relining of a storage tank including materials specifications, warranty information, recommended test procedures, and inspection and maintenance schedules applicable to the relining of a storage tank. (2) Results of inspections, tests, and maintenance activities. | Operational life of the storage tank system. 5 years. | By regulation – 30 TAC 334.52(d)(2)(A) and (C). By regulation – 30 TAC 334.52(d)(2)(B). |
After:
| Record Number | Record Title | Record Description | Retention Period | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PW5450-05i(1) | STORAGE TANK (IMMOVABLE) SYSTEM RECORDS | Underground storage tank systems containing hazardous substances and petroleum substances, and immovable aboveground storage tanks containing petroleum products. General information related to the repair or relining of a storage tank including materials specifications, warranty information, recommended test procedures, and inspection and maintenance schedules applicable to the relining of a storage tank. | Operational life of the storage tank system. | By regulation – 30 TAC 334.52(d)(2)(A) and (C). |
| PW5450-05i(2) | STORAGE TANK (IMMOVABLE) SYSTEM RECORDS | Underground storage tank systems containing hazardous substances and petroleum substances, and immovable aboveground storage tanks containing petroleum products. Results of inspections, tests, and maintenance activities. | 5 years | By regulation – 30 TAC 334.52(d)(2)(B). |
What’s missing?
These record series are no longer in use. Whether they were combined with another series, or are now an obsolete record, the reasoning is explained below:
| Deleted Record Series | Explanation |
|---|---|
| PW5300-07a Traffic Signs and Signals Inventory Records PW5300-07b Traffic Signs and Signals Inventory Records | Withdrawn and merged with other subseries into one – PW5300-07. Follow retention period: US, but see retention note. Retention Note: Records of individual signs and signals may be removed and destroyed when the sign or signal is junked or salvaged. |
| PW5325-02a Parking Device Inventory Records PW5325-02b Parking Device Inventory Records | Withdrawn and merged with other subseries into one – PW5325-02. Follow retention period: US, but see retention note. Retention Note: Records of individual parking devices may be removed and destroyed when the device is junked or salvaged. |
| PW5350-01a Operations Reports PW5350-01b Operations Reports PW5350-01c Operations Reports | Withdrawn and merged with other subseries into one – PW5350-01. Follow retention period for GR1000-41(a)(1) Reports and Studies (non-fiscal). |
| PW5425-01 Client Files | Texas A&M University System maintains the original records documenting Agri-Life Extension Service clients and work. Records are maintained by Texas A&M University System retention schedule, not Local Governments. |
| PW5450-04b Pest Control Records | Retention requirement in regulation was repealed. The remaining pest control subseries cover retention of these records. |
| PW5475-01 Record of Weights PW5475-02a Weights and Measures Inspection Records PW5475-02b Weights and Measures Inspection Records | County public weighers and county or municipal sealers of weights and measures no longer exist. Texas Department of Agriculture administers the state’s Weights and Measures Program. Local Governments with these records should follow existing retention periods until disposition. |
| PW5525-01a Attendance Reports PW5525-01b Attendance Reports PW5525-01c Attendance Reports | Duplicative series removed. PW5350-01 retention period points to appropriate record series on Schedule GR. |
| PW5525-04b Reservation and Registration Records | Combined with other subseries PW5525-04a, which has same retention period, 2 years. |
Retention Period Changes
What do we need to keep longer?
The retention periods for the following records series have increased:
- PW5525-06 Visitor Logs
- 2 years –> 3 years
- Increased for consistency across agency retention schedules
What can we keep for shorter?
The retention periods for the following records series have decreased:
- PW5250-04a Building Permit Applications
- 5 years; or if property subject to issuance of certificate of occupancy, date of issuance of the certificate + 5 years. –> 5 years
- PW5375-06 Emergency Planning Records
- US + 2 years –> US
How does this affect your records management program?
The new and revised retention periods are retroactive. All of your records, regardless of whether they were created before or after the effective date (June 30, 2026), of the updated Schedule PW will be subject to new retention rules.
If you have questions about any of the changes made, please contact us! You can find the analyst assigned to your county on the Find Your Analyst page.
