Glossary

Access status

The rules governing who may see a record and under what conditions. Distinct from a security classification: access may be limited for privacy, confidentiality, commercial sensitivity, or statutory reasons.

In practice

Access status answers a different question from a security classification: not how sensitive a record is, but who is allowed to see it and when. A record can be unclassified yet still have restricted access for privacy or statutory reasons, and once transferred, archives carry open, restricted, or closed access regimes.

Frequently asked questions

Is access status the same as a security classification?

No. A security classification reflects how sensitive information is and how it must be protected. Access status governs who may see a record and under what conditions; a record can be low-sensitivity but still access-restricted, for example for privacy reasons.

See it in the register

Access status, in one connected register.

IAR turns terms like this into working practice: assets classified against your disposal authority, stewarded by position, and ready to evidence.