The “record copy” of a record is the official copy that must follow an approved retention schedule (see Utah Code 63A-12-105(3)(a)). Other copies of the record don’t need to be kept the full retention period, but should not be kept longer than the record copy.

A record copy may be the original copy, but not always.

Example: a paper form is digitized or scanned into a database. The paper form is the original, but the digitized version becomes the record copy (which has to follow the approved retention schedule), and the paper copy may then be destroyed.

Each agency chooses which copy of a record will function as the record copy.

Please note that if a record copy is destroyed but another copy of the record exists, that other copy becomes the new record copy.