36 CFR § 1233.16 - How does an agency transfer records to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t36/s1233.16"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "36 CFR § 1233.16 - How does an agency transfer records to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)?"
title_number: 36
title_name: "Parks, Forests, and Public Property"
section_number: "1233.16"
section_name: "How does an agency transfer records to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)?"
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "RECORDS MANAGEMENT"
part_number: "1233"
part_name: "TRANSFER, USE, AND DISPOSITION OF RECORDS IN A NARA FEDERAL RECORDS CENTER"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "44 U.S.C. 2907 and 3103."
regulatory_source: "74 FR 51014, Oct. 2, 2009, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1233"
---


# 1233.16 How does an agency transfer records to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)?

Agencies must use the following procedures when transferring records to the NPRC:

(a) *Civilian personnel files.* (1) Forward the official personnel folder (OPF) and the employee medical folder (EMF) to the NPRC at the same time.

(2) Transfer EMFs and OPFs in separate folders.

(3) Retirement of individual folders is based on the date of separation and should occur within 90 to 120 days after the employee separates from Federal service.

(4) For additional guidance, consult the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415, phone number (202) 606-1800, Web site *http://www.opm.gov/feddata/recguide2008.pdf,* for the OPM publication “The Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping” for procedures on the transfer of OPFs and EMFs.

(b) *Military medical records.* Military health care facilities should contact their facility records managers for guidance on transferring medical records to NPRC. For additional guidance, consult the “Transactions with the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), St. Louis, MO” section of the NARA Federal Records Centers Program Web site (*http://www.archives.gov/frc/toolkit.html#transactions*).

(c) *Other guidance assistance.* For further guidance assistance consult the NPRC Web site (*http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis.html*).