The custodian of a public record is the agency or official who by law has to maintain and safeguard a public system of records (e.g. birth, citizenship, school attendance, marriage, divorce, and death).

The custodian of a religious record is the religious entity that created the record or the person or agency authorized by the religious entity to maintain the record system.

The custodian of records other than public or religious is the person or agency who created the record or the person who maintains the record system.