{"id":"sr:public-records-regulations-2023","name":"Public Records Regulations 2023","slug":"public-records-regulations-2023","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":181553,"registerId":"vic-sr:public-records-regulations-2023-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Public Records Regulations 2023","content":"Version No. 001\n\n**Public Records Regulations 2023**\n\n**S.R. No. 117/2023**\n\nVersion as at  \n18 November 2023\n\n**TABLE OF PROVISIONS**\n\n*Regulation Page*\n\n1 Objectives 1\n\n2 Authorising provision 1\n\n3 Commencement 1\n\n4 Revocation 1\n\n5 Definitions 2\n\n6 Conditions for inspection of public records and use of facilities 2\n\n7 Public user may be requested to leave premises 3\n\n8 Fees for making copies of public records 3\n\n9 Fees for other services 3\n\n10 Prescribed records—owner to lodge notice of possession 4\n\nSchedule 1—Fees for making copies of public records 5\n\nSchedule 2—Fees for other services 6\n\nSchedule 3—Notice of possession of a prescribed record 7\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes 8\n\n1 General information 8\n\n2 Table of Amendments 10\n\n3 Explanatory details 11\n\n**Version No.** **001**\n\n**Public Records Regulations 2023**\n\n**S.R. No. 117/2023**\n\nVersion as at  \n18 November 2023\n\n\t1 Objectives\n\nThe objectives of these Regulations are—\n\n(a) to set conditions under which members of the public may inspect public records and use facilities provided by the Public Record Office; and\n\n(b) to set fees for making and supplying copies of public records provided by the Public Record Office; and\n\n(c) to prescribe a form for the lodging of a notice of possession to the Keeper of Public Records.\n\n\t2 Authorising provision\n\nThese Regulations are made under section 23 of the **Public Records Act 1973**.\n\n\t3 Commencement\n\nThese Regulations come into operation on 18 November 2023.\n\n\t4 Revocation\n\nThe Public Records Regulations 2013[[1]](#endnote-1) are **revoked**.\n\n\t5 Definitions\n\nIn these Regulations—\n\n***device*** includes a computer or other digital technology provided to the public by the Public Record Office and a personal device;\n\n***facilities*** includes building facilities and amenities of the building facilities;\n\n***public user*** means a member of the public inspecting a public record or using facilities provided by the Public Record Office to the public;\n\n***Reading Room*** means the reading room facilities provided by the Public Record Office.\n\n\t6 Conditions for inspection of public records and use of facilities\n\n(1) A public user must not behave in a manner disruptive to other users, including through the disruptive use of a personal device.\n\n(2) A public user must not behave in a manner that is aggressive, offensive or otherwise unacceptable to other users and Public Record Office staff members.\n\n(3) A public user must not behave in a manner that intentionally damages facilities provided by the Public Record Office.\n\n(4) A public user must not access offensive material, including pornography, on any device while in the Reading Room.\n\n(5) A public user must not behave in a manner that may damage any public record in the custody of the Public Record Office, including, but not limited to—\n\n(a) leaning or writing on records; and\n\n(b) marking records; and\n\n(c) folding records anew; and\n\n(d) tracing from records.\n\n(6) A public user must not bring into the Reading Room any item—\n\n(a) that may damage any public record in the custody of the Public Record Office, including, but not limited to, pens, food and drink; or\n\n(b) within which a public record may be concealed, including, but not limited to, bags, containers, clipboards, folders and plastic sleeves; or\n\n(c) reasonably capable of interfering with the preservation and security of any public record in the custody of the Public Record Office.\n\n\t7 Public user may be requested to leave premises\n\nA public user who does not comply with regulation 6 may be requested to leave the premises of the Public Record Office.\n\n\t8 Fees for making copies of public records\n\nThe fee set out in Column 3 of Schedule 1 is payable for the service for making copies described in Column 2 of that Schedule.\n\n\t9 Fees for other services\n\n(1) The fee set out in Column 3 of Schedule 2 is payable for the service described in Column 2 of that Schedule.\n\n(2) A fee charged under this regulation is in addition to any fees incurred under regulation 8.\n\n\t10 Prescribed records—owner to lodge notice of possession\n\nFor the purposes of section 16(2) of the **Public Records Act 1973**, the form for a notice of possession is prescribed in Schedule 3.\n\nSchedule 1—Fees for making copies of public records\n\nRegulation 8\n\n| *Column 1* | *Column 2* | *Column 3* |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Item* | *Description of service for making copies* | *Fee* |\n| 1 | Digital copying of documents— |  |\n|  | (a) map, plan, negative or other oversized single-page document | 1·3 fee units per 16 pages (or part thereof) |\n|  | (b) standard-sized (A4) document | 1·3 fee units per 50 pages (or part thereof) |\n| 2 | Printing of digital copies | Surcharge of $5.00 per request |\n\n\nSchedule 2—Fees for other services\n\nRegulation 9\n\n| *Column 1* | *Column 2* | *Column 3* |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Item* | *Description of service* | *Fee* |\n| 1 | Provision of certificate under section 22(2) of the **Public Records Act 1973** | $5.00 per certificate |\n\n\nSchedule 3—Notice of possession of a prescribed record\n\nRegulation 10\n\nI, [*name*] of [*address*] state that I am the owner of [*full description of record*] which is declared to be a prescribed record under section 16(1) of the **Public Records Act 1973**.\n\nI can be contacted on [*phone number*] and [*email address*].\n\nThe record is [*tick one*]\n\n🞏in my custody at [*address*]\n\n🞏not in my custody and I believe that [*name*] of [*address*] ([*phone number*], [*email*]) has custody.\n\nI acknowledge that I have read and understood any information provided to me by the Public Record Office about my obligations as the holder of a prescribed record under the **Public Records Act 1973**.\n\nSigned:\n\nDate:\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe Public Records Regulations 2023, S.R. No. 117/2023 were made on 14 November 2023 by the Governor in Council under section 23 of the **Public Records Act 1973**, No. 8418/1973 and came into operation on 18 November 2023: regulation 3.\n\nThe Public Records Regulations 2023 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 14 November 2033 (see section 5 of the **Subordinate Legislation Act 1994**).\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nThis includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.  \nSee section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nSee section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after  \n1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThere are no amendments made to the Public Records Regulations 2023 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.\n\n3 Explanatory details\n\n1. Reg. 4: S.R. No. 139/2013.\n\n  ——\n\n  **Fee Units**\n\n  These Regulations provide for fees by reference to fee units within the meaning of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**.\n\n  The amount of the fee is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of that Act, by multiplying the number of fee units applicable by the value of a fee unit.\n\n  The value of a fee unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2023 is $15.90. The amount of the calculated fee may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.\n\n  The value of a fee unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**. The value of a fee unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year. [↑](#endnote-ref-1)","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the limited content available, there is no evidence of scope change from the original intent. The regulations appear to be a standard remake or update of existing public records regulations, consistent with the long-standing framework for managing Victorian government records. No expansion or contraction of scope can be confirmed without access to the full text."},"complexity_factors":["Insufficient substantive content provided in the document — only metadata and version history information was supplied, making detailed analysis impossible","Regulations of this type typically involve cross-referencing with the parent Act (Public Records Act 1973 Vic) and administrative standards","Record-keeping rules can involve technical distinctions between record classes, retention periods, and disposal authorities","Likely interacts with other frameworks such as the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy and Data Protection Act"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set out how Victorian government agencies must manage, preserve, transfer and (where permitted) dispose of public records, including standards for digital and physical record‑keeping. They affect state departments, public servants who handle records, and anyone seeking access (researchers, the public), and support transparency, accountability and long‑term preservation."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain tightly focused on their original purpose: setting conditions of entry for archives users, prescribing fees for copying services, and providing administrative forms. The 2023 version replaces the 2013 regulations without expanding into new policy areas."},"complexity_factors":["Short length (10 regulations plus 3 schedules)","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to parent Act and Monetary Units Act for fee calculations)","Only 4 defined terms in regulation 5","Simple conditional logic (if you break the rules, you may be asked to leave)","Straightforward fee structure using fee units with clear conversion mechanism","No nested exceptions or complex procedural requirements"],"plain_english_summary":"This legislation sets the rules for visiting Victoria's Public Record Office (the state archives). It covers three main things:\n\n**1. Behaviour rules for visitors**\n- Don't disrupt others (including loud device use)\n- Don't be aggressive or offensive\n- Don't damage furniture or facilities\n- No pornography or offensive material on any device in the Reading Room\n- Handle historical records carefully: no writing on them, leaning on them, folding them, or tracing from them\n- Don't bring in items that could damage records (pens, food, drink) or hide records (bags, folders, clipboards)\n\n**2. Fees for copies and services**\n- Digital copies of documents: charged by fee units (1.3 fee units per 50 pages for standard A4, or per 16 pages for oversized items like maps)\n- Printing surcharge: $5.00 per request\n- Official certificates: $5.00 each\n- (Fee units are adjusted annually—currently $15.90 per unit)\n\n**3. Form for rare record owners**\n- If you own a \"prescribed record\" (rare or historically significant documents designated under the Public Records Act), you must fill out a specific form notifying the Keeper of Public Records where the item is kept and how to contact you.\n\n**Who it affects:** Anyone visiting the Victorian archives to research family history, academic work, legal matters, or general interest; plus private owners of significant historical documents.\n\n**Why it matters:** It balances public access to Victoria's historical records with protecting fragile archives from damage, while standardising costs for reproduction services."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument expressly revokes the 2013 Regulations (reg 4) and replaces them with updated, specific conduct rules for Reading Room users (reg 6), a prescribed notice form for holders of prescribed records (reg 10; Sch 3), and explicit fee schedules for copying and a certificate service (regs 8–9; Schedules 1–2). Fees are expressed in fee units and linked to the Monetary Units Act (Explanatory details), and the instrument includes a 10-year sunset (Endnotes)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-references to the Public Records Act 1973 and reliance on the Monetary Units Act 2004 to convert fee units into dollar amounts (regs 2, 8; Explanatory details).","Discretionary enforcement by Public Record Office staff to request removal of users for non-compliance (reg 7) creates implementation discretion.","Behavioural standards use broad, subjective terms—\"disruptive\", \"aggressive\", \"offensive\", \"unacceptable\"—which may require local policy or judgement to apply (reg 6(1)–(2)).","Fee calculation rules use fee units, page-count bands and rounding; printing surcharge and per-request charges add administrative steps (Schedule 1; Explanatory details).","Owner compliance obligation to lodge a prescribed notice of possession using the Schedule 3 form creates a formal administrative burden (reg 10; Sch 3).","Narrow scope of services listed (copying, certificate) limits regulatory breadth but requires coordination with the Act for other functions (regs 8–9).","Regulatory lifecycle features—revocation of 2013 Regulations and a 10-year sunset—affect stability and planning (reg 4; Endnotes)."],"plain_english_summary":"These Regulations set rules for inspecting public records, conduct required in the Public Record Office Reading Room, fees for copying and other services, and a prescribed notice form for owners of prescribed records (regs 6, 8–10).\n\nMembers of the public who use records pay copying and service fees (regs 8–9); staff may require users who breach conduct rules to leave (reg 7); and owners of prescribed records must lodge the prescribed notice (reg 10, Sch 3)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023","history":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023/history","analysis":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/public-records-regulations-2023/documents"}}