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OPM.gov / Policy / Data, Analysis & Documentation / Personnel Documentation
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Personnel Documentation

 

Overview

Our Agency issues Governmentwide guidance on documenting individuals' Federal employment. OPM and the agency human resources offices use these documents to make decisions about employees' rights and benefits throughout their careers. Here you'll find instructions for Federal agencies' human resources offices on preparing personnel actions and keeping the Official Personnel Folder.

Related Information

Guide to Processing Personnel Actions

The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions (GPPA) posted on this site is the most current version. The GPPA is reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis.  As content is revised, change information is shared in the Update Area below, and the updated information is published to this site. This document contains information on how to prepare and process personnel actions, Standard Form 52 (SF-52), and Standard Form 50 (SF-50).

GPPA Navigator

GPPA Navigator is now available! This new web-based tool helps federal HR professionals quickly search GPPA tables and identify the processing codes, legal authorities, remarks, and related guidance needed to process personnel actions with greater ease and consistency.

GPPA Navigator

GPPA Navigator Fact Sheet

GPPA Quick Sheets

GPPA Chapters

The complete GPPA is now in a single file. Use the links below to open the guide to a specific location.

To view a complete log of changes made between the April 15, 2025, version of the GPPA and July 15, 2026, version, click here.

NOTE: To navigate this document more easily, open the navigation pane to use bookmarks. See Navigation Guide Page for directions.

    • Cover Page
    • Chapter 1 - The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions
    • Chapter 2 - Reserved
    • Chapter 3 - General Instructions for Processing Personnel Actions
    • Chapter 4 - Requesting and Documenting Personnel Actions
    • Chapter 5 - Reserved
    • Chapter 6 - Creditable Service for Leave Accrual(NOAC: 882)
    • Chapter 7 - Documenting Veterans' Preference(NOAC: 883)
    • Chapter 8 - Reserved
    • Chapter 9 - Career and Career-Conditional Appointments(NOAC: 100, 101, 130, 140, 141, 500, 501, 540, 541)
    • Chapter 10 - Nonstatus Appointments in the Competitive Service(NOAC: 107, 108, 115, 120, 122, 124, 190, 507, 508, 515, 520, 522, 524, 590, 760, 765)
    • Chapter 11 - Excepted Service Appointments(NOAC: 130, 170, 171, 190, 570, 571, 590, 760)
    • Chapter 12 - Reserved
    • Chapter 13 - Senior Executive Service (SES)(NOAC: 142, 143, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 190, 542, 543, 546, 548, 549, 590, 762)
    • Chapter 14 - Promotions, Changes to Lower Grade, Level or Band, Reassignments, Position Changes and Details(NOAC: 702, 703, 713, 721, 730, 731, 732, 740, 741, 769, 770)
    • Chapter 15 - Placement in Nonpay or Nonduty Status and Documentation of Written Warnings(NOAC: 430, 450, 451, 452, 460, 471, 473, 480, 772, 773)
    • Chapter 16 - Return to Duty from Nonpay Status(NOAC: 280, 292)
    • Chapter 17 - Pay and Step Changes(NOAC: 810, 818, 819, 866, 888, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 896, 897, 899)
    • Chapter 18 - Exceptions to Reduction in Force Release(NOAC: 755)
    • Chapter 19 - Continuance Not to Exceed (NTE)(NOAC: 750)
    • Chapter 20 - Name Change(NOAC: 780)
    • Chapter 21 - Realignment and Mass Transfer(NOAC: 132, 790)
    • Chapter 22 - Change in Federal Employees Group Life Insurance and Election of Living Benefits(NOAC: 805, 806, 881)
    • Chapter 23 - Change in Duty Station(NOAC: 792)
    • Chapter 24 - Change in Work Schedule/Change in Hours(NOAC: 781, 782)
    • Chapter 25 - Reserved
    • Chapter 26 - Change in Tenure(NOAC: 880)
    • Chapter 27 - Phased Employment/Phased Retirement(NOAC: 615, 616)
    • Chapter 28 - Change in Data Element(NOAC: 800, 803)
    • Chapter 29 - Bonuses and Awards(NOAC: 815, 816, 817, 822, 823, 825, 827, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 878, 879, 885, 886, 887, 889)
    • Chapter 30 - Retirements(NOAC: 300, 301, 302, 303, 304 307, 308)
    • Chapter 31 - Separations by Other than Retirement(NOAC: 312, 317, 330, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 385, 390)
    • Chapter 32 - Interim Relief Actions, Corrections, Cancellations and Replacement Actions for Cancellations(NOAC: 001, 002, 198, 199, 293, 867, 868)
    • Chapter 33 - Documentation of Volunteer Service
    • Glossary - Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actions

    Back to Top

    Updates to the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions

    Updates reflecting changes to pages in the Guide are reflected below. Collectively, updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.

    Note: GPPA content revisions in updates 109 and prior have changes and/or deletions to information documented as follows:

        1. Changes in text or data are documented using angled right and left brackets surrounding the changed text or data in red font. Example: >Changed Text<
        2. Deletion of text or data is documented by three green asterisks. Example: ***
        3. Annotation symbols only appear for the current update. Symbols for previous updates are removed with each new update.
Update Effective Date Chapter(s) Impacted
Update 110 07/15/26 All
Update 109 04/15/25 All
Update 108 04/15/25 30, 31
Update 107 03/27/25 4, 14, 17, 23, 30, 31
Update 106 03/13/25 9
Update 105 02/10/25 11
Update 104 01/16/25 9
Update 103 12/06/24 17
Update 102 11/26/24 13
Update 101 11/26/24 10
Update 100 04/17/24 18
Update 99 04/17/24 15
Update 98 03/13/24 34
Update 97 02/29/24 3
Update 96 02/29/24 32
Update 95 02/29/24 14
Update 94 02/29/24 13
Update 93 02/15/24 4
Update 92 10/12/23 26
Update 91 10/27/23 17
Update 90 10/12/23 27
Update 89 09/28/23 33
Update 88 09/28/23 22
Update 87 09/28/23 31
Update 86 09/28/23 30
Update 85 08/02/23 24
Update 84 06/29/23 19
Update 83 06/29/23 11
Update 82 06/29/23 6
Update 81 05/19/23 21
Update 80 04/18/23 20
Update 79 04/18/23 23
Update 78 04/18/23 7
Update 77 04/10/23 28
Update 76 04/10/23 29

Update 75 - Chapter 15

Update 75 - Chapter 16

 04/10/23 15, 16
Update 74 07/15/22 1

Update 73 - Chapter 9

Update 73 - Chapter 10

 07/14/22 9, 10
Update 72 03/05/17 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 21, 24, 35
Update 71 01/10/16

3, 4, 11, 13, 14, 30, 31
Update 70 11/01/15

1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11
Update 69 01/11/15

3, 4, 6, 11, 13, 14, 29, 30, 31, 32
Update 68 11/06/14 11, 13
Update 67 11/06/14

3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 28, 30, 31, 34, 35
Update 66 04/04/14 17
Update 65 02/09/14

4, 11, 13, 14, 17, 30, 31
Update 64 10/06/13

4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 30, 31
Update 63 07/28/13

6, 9, 10, 11, 15
Update 62 04/07/13 6, 11, 15
Update 61 01/27/13

6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 28
Update 60 10/18/12

9, 10, 11, 14
Update 59 07/10/12

1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 21, 28, 29, 33, 34
Update 58 05/22/12 15
Update 57 03/11/12 4, 6
Update 56 01/01/12 15, 16
Update 55 10/09/11 14, 29
Update 54 03/01/11

3, 9, 11, 34
Update 53 09/12/10

1, 3, 4, 10, 14, 26, 32, 35
Update 52 03/28/10

9, 15, 16, 34, 35
Update 51 09/13/09

3, 6, 9, 10, 14
Update 50 06/07/09

9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 32
Update 49 02/01/09 6
Update 48 12/21/08

3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 28, 29, 31
Update 47 12/23/07

1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35
Update 46 01/07/07

4, 6, 9, 14, 17, 29, 34, 35
Update 45 08/06/06

1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 24, 28, 29, 30,  31, 32, 35
Update 44 12/26/04

4, 9, 10, 14, 17, 24, 29
Update 43 07/25/04

1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17, 29, 34, 35
Update 42 09/07/03

4, 9, 10, 11, 29, 34
Update 41 04/06/03

1, 3, 4, 11, 17
Update 40 06/30/02

3, 6, 11, 17, 18, 34, 35
Update 39 01/27/02

10, 15, 16, 17, 24, 29, 30
Update 38 11/04/01

4, 9, 11, 13, 14, 20, 28, 31
Update 37 06/03/01

4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17,  29, 35
Update 36 12/31/00

6, 11, 33
Update 35 10/01/00

3, 4, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 29,35
Update 23 02/02/97

9, 10, 11, 17, 29, 33

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Receive GPPA Notifications

  • Email HRLOB@opm.gov to subscribe to the GPPA list and receive email notifications for GPPA updates and announcements.

Contact Information

  • Email us at HRLOB@opm.gov. Please note: This mailbox is utilized to respond to requests received from Human Resources personnel regarding processing personnel actions for the Federal workforce. If you are a current or former Federal employee, please contact your current or former servicing personnel office for assistance. Current and formal Federal employee requests received will not be responded to via this mailbox.

Personnel Recordkeeping (GPR)

Personnel recordkeeping regulations are found in part 293 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations establish policies and minimum requirements governing the creation, development, maintenance, processing, use, and disposition.

The Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping is written in plain language and provides guidance to assist agencies with day to day personnel recordkeeping requirements.

The most recent Updates reflecting changes to pages in this Guide are reflected below. Updates, recent or otherwise, are archived. Collectively, Updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.

Updates to the Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping
Update Date
Update 14 01/15/2026
Update 13a 07/01/2017
Update 13 Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping 06/01/2011
Update 8 12/14/2001
Update 7 05/31/2001
Update 6 10/31/2000

Contact Information

Requesting Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)

Current Employees

The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) and electronic official personnel folders (eOPF), including SF 50s, for current Federal employees are stored at the employee’s current employing agency. If you are a current Federal employee seeking guidance regarding specific circumstances of your employment, SF-50, records or if you want to access your OPF or eOPF or have questions about the same, contact your employing agency’s Human Resources Office for assistance.

OPF/eOPF Amendments

If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please contact your agency’s HR office.

Former Employees

The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs), including SF 50s, for most former civilian Federal employees are stored at the address below. Please mail your request to:

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
1411 Boulder Boulevard
Valmeyer, IL 62295

Or you may fax your hand signed request to the NPRC at telephone number 618-935-3014. More information is available on the NPRC website.

The location of records of former military employees varies depending on the branch of service and date of separation from service. Please visit NARA’s site on Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) for details.

OPF/eOPF Amendments

If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please submit a written request to:U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Chief, Records Management and Data Policy
1900 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20415-7900

Your request must include your hand written signature and all of the following information:

  • Social Security Number
  • Date of birth
  • Name of last agency where employed
  • Approximate date when you left Federal service
  • Details of the error you wish to be addressed

Have questions? Check out our Personnel Documentation Frequently Asked Questions or contact us at persdoc@opm.gov.

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