These Rules revoke and replace the Public Use of the Records (Management and Fees) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1996.

These Rules contain the following principal provisions:—

• the payment of fees for the use of records, some of which are increased (Rule 3);

• that fees may be dispensed with in cases where the Deputy Keeper is satisfied that it is in the best interest of the Public Record Office to do so (Rule 4);

• the formalities to be completed by users before they are allowed to use the Northern Ireland records, including the requirement to produce evidence of identity before registering (Rule 5);

• the conditions for admission to the lecture theatre, search room or reading rooms (Rules 5 to 9);

• restrictions on various articles which may be taken into certain areas of the Public Record Office and used in those parts, as well as placing restrictions on the use of any electric or electronic equipment (Rule 10);

• restrictions on the use of equipment, the tracings of records and use of internet sites (Rules 11 to 16);

• restrict the consumption of food and drink and provide the circumstances under which users may be excluded from the Public Record Office (Rules 17 to 19);

• restrict the number of records which can be issued/ordered at any one time (Rules 20 to 21);

• provide that certain records will be produced at the discretion of the Deputy Keeper or a designated officer (Rules 22 to 24);

• users are responsible for the records which they are inspecting (Rules 25 to 28);

• provide that where users leave the reading rooms for a period of more than one hour they must remove all their personal property (Rules 25 to 28).