# Archive Service Accreditation

Archive Service Accreditation is the UK standard for archive services.
Standards, schemes and frameworks help archives to manage and improve their
efficiency and effectiveness through external validation, and by identifying
good practice.

* ## [About Archive Service Accreditation](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/about/)

  ![A woman with curly black hair, wearing a long blue cardigan, sits looking at a computer screen.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/Staff_at_research_co_Fauxn8R.6db004e0.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  Accreditation gives archive services scope to consider how they manage
  acquisition, preservation and access, and enables ongoing service development.
* ## [Apply for Archive Service Accreditation](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/apply/)

  ![Three people sitting in a row at a table. The person on the left is cutting ribbon, having secured it to a folder; the person in the middle is leafing through pages of a document; the person on the right is looking at a document on the table.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/UniversityofBristolT_0mH3X2c.357ea1d3.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  These pages will help you prepare and submit an application for Archive Service
  Accreditation in English.
* ## [Management of Archive Service Accreditation](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/management-of-archive-service-accreditation/)

  ![A woman with long brown hair and glasses is standing in a repository corridor, in the middle of placing a hardbacked folder back on a shelf. All the shelves in the corridor are full of similar folders.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/resized_Strongroom_r_R9iKzgJ.2e16d0ba.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  How Archive Service Accreditation is managed, and accreditation status decided.
* ## [Assessment and award of Archive Service Accreditation](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/assessment-and-award/)

  ![Two people sitting at a desk, sharing a laptop. They are both looking at a yellow document that the person on the right is holding.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/UniversityofBristolT_7qlVjEd.2001bf1f.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  How we assess applications for Archive Service Accreditation, and the possible
  award outcomes.
* ## [Retaining Archive Service Accreditation](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/retaining-accreditation/)

  ![A group of handwritten original documents on a table. The documents are divided into neat bundles, each secured with ribbon.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/TheRoyalBerkshireArchiv.2e16d0ba.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  How accredited status is reviewed, and what services need to do to keep their
  accredited status.
* ## [Accredited archive services](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional-guidance-and-services/archive-sector/archive-service-accreditation/accredited-archive-services/)

  ![Four people standing side-by-side, posing for a photograph. The two people in the middle are holding a certificate between them.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/IMG.623660bb.fill-600x400.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg)

  A variety of archive services have gained accredited status since the standard
  was launched.

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