Can our office scan and destroy our paper records?

An office or department is always welcome to scan records so long as they keep the original paper documents. If you want to scan and destroy the original paper, your office must follow the requirements set forth on the UW Scanning resource. Prior to May 2026, units would create customized scanning policies with Records Management Services. have a written Scanning Policy on file with our office. To check if you already have a scanning policy, talk to the Records Coordinator in your office or try our Departmental Search webpage – it tells you if you have a departmental retention schedule and/or a scanning policy. If you are still unsure, please contact us at recmgt@uw.edu.