Code of Federal Regulations (alpha)

CFR /  Title 18  /  Part 368  /  Sec. 368.3 Schedule of records and periods of retention.

Schedule of Records and Periods of Retention------------------------------------------------------------------------

Item No. and description Retention period------------------------------------------------------------------------

Corporate and General------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Reports to stockholders: Annual 5 years.

reports or statements to stockholders.2. Organizational documents:

(a) Minute books of stockholders, 5 years or termination of the

directors' and directors' corporation's existence,

committee meetings. whichever occurs first.

(b) Title, franchises, and 6 years after final non-

licenses: Copies of formal orders appealable order.

of regulatory commissions served

upon the company.

(1) Certificates of Life of corporation.

incorporation, or equivalent

agreements and amendments

thereto.

(2) Deeds, leases and other 6 years after property or

title papers (including investment is disposed of

abstracts of title and unless delivered to

supporting data), and transferee.

contracts and agreements

related to the acquisition or

disposition of property or

investments.3. Contracts and agreements: Contracts,

including amendments and agreements

(except contracts provided for

elsewhere):

(a) Service contracts, such as for All contracts, related

management, consulting, memoranda, and revisions

accounting, legal, financial or should be retained for 4 years

engineering services. after expiration or until the

conclusion of any contract

disputes pertaining to such

contracts, whichever is later.

(b) Memoranda essential to clarify For same period as contract to

or explain provisions of contracts which they relate.

and agreements.

(c) Card or book records of For the same periods as

contracts, leases, and agreements contracts to which they

made, showing dates of expirations relate.

and of renewals, memoranda of

receipts, and payments under such

contracts.

(d) Contracts and other agreements All contracts, related

relating to services performed in memoranda, and revisions

connection with construction of should be retained for 4 years

property (including contracts for after expiration or until the

the construction of property by conclusion of any contract

others for the company and for disputes or governmental

supervision and engineering proceedings pertaining to such

relating to construction work). contracts, whichever is later.4. Accountants' and auditors' reports:

(a) Reports of examinations and 5 years after the date of the

audits by accountants and auditors report.

not in the regular employ of the

company (such as reports of public

accounting firms and commission

accountants).

(b) Internal audit reports and 5 years after the date of the

working papers. report.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information Technology Management------------------------------------------------------------------------5. Automatic data processing records Retain as long as it represents

(retain original source data used as an active viable program or

input for data processing and data for periods prescribed for

processing report printouts for the related output data, whichever

applicable periods prescribed is shorter.

elsewhere in the schedule): Software

program documentation and revisions

thereto.------------------------------------------------------------------------

General Accounting Records------------------------------------------------------------------------6. General and subsidiary ledgers:

(a) Ledgers:

(1) General ledgers............ 10 years.

(2) Ledgers subsidiary or 10 years.

auxiliary to general ledgers

except ledgers provided for

elsewhere.

(b) Indexes:

(1) Indexes to general ledgers. 10 years.

(2) Indexes to subsidiary 10 years.

ledgers except ledgers

provided for elsewhere.

(c) Trial balance sheets of general 2 years

and subsidiary ledgers.7. Journals: General and subsidiary.... 10 years.8. Journal vouchers and journal entries

including supporting detail:

(a) Journal vouchers and journal 10 years.

entries.

(b) Analyses, summarization,

distributions, and other

computations which support journal

vouchers and journal entries:

(1) Charging property accounts. 25 years. See Sec. Sec.

125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

chapter for public utilities

and licensees and natural gas

companies.

(2) Charging all other accounts 6 years.9. Cash books: General and subsidiary 5 years after close of fiscal

or auxiliary books. year.10. Voucher registers: Voucher 5 years. See Sec. Sec.

registers or similar records when used 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

as a source document. chapter for public utilities

and licensees and natural gas

companies.11. Vouchers:

(a) Paid and canceled vouchers (one 5 years. See Sec. Sec.

copy-analysis sheets showing 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

detailed distribution of charges chapter for public utilities

on individual vouchers and other and licensees and natural gas

supporting papers. companies.

(b) Original bills and invoices for 5 years. See Sec. Sec.

materials, services, etc., paid by 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

vouchers. chapter for public utilities

and licensees and natural gas

companies.

(c) Paid checks and receipts for 5 years.

payments of specific vouchers.

(d) Authorization for the payment 5 years. See Sec. Sec.

of specific vouchers. 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

chapter for public utilities

and licensees and natural gas

companies.

(e) Lists of unaudited bills Destroy at option.

(accounts payable), list of

vouchers transmitted, and

memoranda regarding changes in

audited bills.

(f) Voucher indexes................ Destroy at option.

(g) Purchases and stores records 5 years.

related to disbursement vouchers.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Insurance------------------------------------------------------------------------12. Insurance records:

(a) Records of insurance policies Destroy at option after

in force, showing coverage, expiration of such policies.

premiums paid, and expiration

dates.

(b) Records of amounts recovered 6 years. See Sec. Sec.

from insurance companies in 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

connection with losses and of chapter for public utilities

claims against insurance and licensees and natural gas

companies, including reports of companies.

losses, and supporting papers.

(c) Records of self-insurance

against:

(1) losses from fire and 6 years after date of last

casualty,. accounting entry with respect

thereto.

(2) damage to property of 6 years after date of last

others, and. accounting entry with respect

thereto.

(3) personal injuries.......... 6 years after date of last

accounting entry with respect

thereto.

(d) Inspectors' reports and reports Destroy when superseded.

of condition of property.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maintenance------------------------------------------------------------------------13. Maintenance project and work

orders:

(a) Authorizations for expenditures 5 years.

for maintenance work to be covered

by project or work orders,

including memoranda showing the

estimates of costs to be incurred.

(b) Project or work order sheets to 5 years.

which are posted in detail the

entries for labor, material, and

other charges in connection with

maintenance, and other work

pertaining to company operations.

(c) Summaries of expenditures on 5 years.

maintenance and job orders and

clearances to operating other

accounts (exclusive of property

accounts).rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Property, Depreciation and Investments------------------------------------------------------------------------14. Property records, excluding

documents included in Item 2(a)(2):

(a) Ledgers of property accounts 25 years. See Sec. Sec.

including land and other detailed 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

ledgers showing the cost of chapter for public utilities

property by classes. and licensees and natural gas

companies.

(b) Continuing property inventory 25 years. See Sec. Sec.

ledger, book or card records 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

showing description, location, chapter for public utilities

quantities, cost, etc., of and licensees and natural gas

physical units (or items) of companies.

property owned.

(c) Operating equipment records.... 3 years after disposition,

termination of lease, or write-

off of property or investment.

(d) Office furniture and equipment 3 years after disposition,

records. termination of lease or write-

off of property or investment.

(e) Automobiles, other vehicles and 3 years after disposition,

related garage equipment records. termination of lease or write-

off of property or investment.

(f) Aircraft and airport equipment 3 years after disposition,

records. termination of lease or write-

off of property or investment.

(g) Other property records not 3 years after disposition,

defined elsewhere. termination of lease or write-

off of property or investment.15. Construction work in progress

ledgers, project or work orders, and

supplemental records:

(a) Construction work in progress 5 years after clearance to

ledgers. property account, provided

continuing inventory records

are maintained; otherwise 5

years after property is

retired.

(b) Project or work orders sheets 5 years after clearance to

to which are posted in summary property account, provided

form or in detail the entries for continuing inventory records

labor, materials, and other are maintained; otherwise 5

charges for property additions and years after property is

the entries closing the project or retired.

work orders to property records at

completion.

(c) Authorizations for expenditures 5 years after clearance to

for additions to property, property account.

including memoranda showing the

detailed estimates of cost, and

the bases therefore (including

original and revised or subsequent

authorizations).

(d) Requisitions and registers of 5 years after clearance to

authorizations for property property account.

expenditures.

(e) Completion or performance 5 years after clearance to

reports showing comparison between property account.

authorized estimates and actual

expenditures for property

additions.

(f) Analysis or cost reports 5 years after clearance to

showing quantities of materials property account.

used, unit costs, number of man-

hours etc., in connection with

completed construction project.

(g) Records and reports pertaining Destroy at option.

to progress of construction work,

the order in which jobs are to be

completed, and similar records

which do not form a basis of

entries to the accounts.16. Retirement work in progress

ledgers, project or work orders, and

supplemental records:

(a) Project or work order sheets to 5 years after the property is

which are posted the entries for retired.

removal costs, materials

recovered, and credits to property

accounts for cost of property

retirement.

(b) Authorizations for retirement 5 years after the property is

of property, including memoranda retired.

showing the basis for

determination to be retired and

estimates of salvage and removal

costs.

(c) Registers of retirement work... 5 years.17. Summary sheets, distribution 5 years.

sheets, reports, statements, and

papers directly supporting debits and

credits to property accounts not

covered by construction or retirement

project or work orders and their

supporting records.18. Appraisals and valuations:

(a) Appraisals and valuations made 3 years after appraisal.

by the company of its properties

or investments or of the

properties or investments of any

associated companies. (Includes

all records essential thereto.).

(b) Determinations of amounts by

which properties or investments of

the company or any of its

associated companies will be

either written up or written down

as a result of:

(1) Mergers or acquisitions.... 10 years after completion of

transaction or as ordered by

the Commission.

(2) Asset impairments.......... 10 years after recognition of

asset impairment.

(3) Other bases................ 10 years after the asset was

written up or down.19. Production maps, geological maps, 6 years after completion of

reproductions, including aerial project or work order.

photographs, showing the location of

all facilities the subject matter of

which falls within the project or work

orders of the company.20. Engineering records, drawings, 6 years after completion of

supporting data to include diagrams, project or work order.

profiles, photographs, field-survey

notes, plot plans, detail drawings,

and records of engineering studies

that are part of or performed by the

company within the project or work

order system.21. Records of building space occupied 6 years.

by various departments of the company.22. Contracts relating to property:

(a) Contracts relating to 6 years after property is

acquisition or sale of property. retired or sold

(b) Contracts and other agreements 6 years after property is

relating to services performed in retired or sold.

connection with construction of

property (including contracts for

the construction of property by

others for the company and for

supervision and engineering

relating to construction work).23. Records pertaining to 6 years.

reclassification of property accounts

to conform to prescribed systems of

accounts including supporting papers

showing the bases for such

reclassifications.24. Records of accumulated provisions

for depreciation and depletion of

property and amortization of

intangible property and supporting

computation of expense:

(a) Detailed records or analysis 3 years after retirement or

sheets segregating the accumulated disposition of property

depreciation according to the

classification of property.

(b) Records reflecting the service 3 years after retirement or

life of property and the disposition of property

percentage of salvage and cost of

removal for property retired from

each account for depreciable

company property.25. Investment records:

(a) Records of investment in 3 years after disposition of

associate companies. investment.

(b) Records of other investments, 3 years after disposition of

including temporary investments of investment.

cash.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Purchase and Stores------------------------------------------------------------------------26. Procurement:

(a) Agreements entered into for the

acquisition of goods or the

performance of services. Includes

all forms of agreements such as

but not limited to: Letters of

intent, exchange of

correspondence, master agreements,

term contracts, rental agreements,

and the various types of purchase

orders:

(1) For goods or services 6 years. See Sec. Sec.

relating to property 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

construction. chapter for public utilities

and licensees and natural gas

companies.

(2) For other goods or services 6 years.

(b) Supporting documents including 6 years. See Sec. Sec.

accepted and unaccepted bids or 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

proposals (summaries of unaccepted chapter for public utilities

bids or proposals may be kept in and licensees and natural gas

lieu of originals) evidencing all companies.

relevant elements of the

procurement.27. Material ledgers: Ledger sheets of 6 years after the date the

materials and supplies received, records/ledgers were created.

issued, and on hand.28. Materials and supplies received and 6 years. See Sec. Sec.

issued: Records showing the detailed 125.2(g) and 225.2(g) of this

distribution of materials and supplies chapter for public utilities

issued during accounting periods. and licensees and natural gas

companies).------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revenue Accounting------------------------------------------------------------------------29. Miscellaneous billing data: Billing 5 years.

department's copies of contracts with

customers (other than contracts in

general files).30. Revenue summaries: Summaries of 5 years.

monthly revenues according to classes

of service. Including summaries of

forfeited discounts and penalties.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tax------------------------------------------------------------------------31. Tax records:

(a) Copies of tax returns and

supporting schedules filed with

taxing authorities, supporting

working papers, records of appeals

of tax bills, and receipts for

payment. See Item 11 for vouchers

evidencing disbursements:

(1) Income tax returns......... 2 years after final tax

liability is determined.

(2) Agreements between and 2 years after final tax

schedule of allocation by liability is determined.

associate companies of

consolidated Federal income

taxes.

(b) Other taxes, including State or

local property or income taxes.

(1) Property tax returns....... 2 years after final tax

liability is determined.

(2) Sales and other use taxes.. 2 years.

(3) Other Taxes................ 2 years after final tax

liability is determined.

(c) Filings with taxing authorities 5 years after discontinuance of

to qualify employee benefit plans. plan.

(d) Information returns and reports 3 years after final tax

to taxing authorities. liability is determined.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Treasury------------------------------------------------------------------------32. Statements of funds and deposits:

(a) Summaries and periodic Destroy at option after

statements of cash balances on completion of audit by

hand and with depositories for independent accountants.

company or associate.

(b) Requisitions and receipts for Destroy at option after funds

funds furnished associates and have been returned or

others. accounted for.

(c) Statements of periodic deposits Retain records for the most

with external fund administrators recent 3 years.

or trustees.

(d) Statements of periodic Retain records for the most

withdrawals from external fund. recent 3 years.33. Records of deposits with banks and

others:

(a) Statements from depositories Destroy at option after

showing the details of funds completion of audit by

received, disbursed, transferred, independent accountants.

and balances on deposit, bank

reconcilement papers and

statements of interest credits.

(b) Check stubs, registers, or 6 years.

other records of checks issued.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Payroll Records------------------------------------------------------------------------34. Payroll records:

(a) Payroll sheets or registers of 6 years.

payments of salaries and wages,

pensions and annuities paid by

company or by contractors of its

account.

(b) Records showing the 6 years.

distribution of salaries and wages

paid for each payroll period and

summaries or recapitulations of

such distribution.------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miscellaneous------------------------------------------------------------------------35. Financial, operating and 5 years.

statistical annual reports regularly

prepared in the course of business for

internal administrative or operating

purposes.36. Budgets and other forecasts 3 years.

(prepared for internal administrative

or operating purposes) of estimated

future income, receipts and

expenditures in connection with

financing, construction and

operations, including acquisitions and

disposals of properties or investments.37. Periodic or special reports filed

by the company on its own behalf with

the Commission or with any other

Federal or State rate-regulatory

agency, including exhibits or

amendments to such reports:

(a) Reports to Federal and State 5 years.

regulatory commissions including

annual financial, operating and

statistical reports.

(b) Monthly and quarterly reports 5 years.

of operating revenues, expenses,

and statistics.38. Advertising: Copies of 2 years.

advertisements by or for the company

on behalf of itself or any associate

company in newspapers, magazines, and

other publications, including costs

and other records relevant thereto

(excluding advertising of appliances,

employment opportunities, routine

notices, and invitations for bids all

of which may be destroyed at option).------------------------------------------------------------------------