# ARCS Conformance Quick Reference

**Automated Record Custody Standard v1.0**
Published by Vega Commons Project, Inc. · arcsstandard.org

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## Control Families

| Code | Family | Domain | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCS-LIF | Record Lifecycle | Creation, retention, deletion, vendor deletion verifiability, lifecycle state transitions | 13 |
| ARCS-CUS | Custody Surface | Custody identification, multi-vendor propagation, authorization-gap custody, vendor governance | 12 |
| ARCS-TAX | Record Taxonomy | Record categories, classification, category-based lifecycle rules | 11 |
| ARCS-OPB | Operator Boundary | Operator scope, vendor inclusion, responsibility boundary | 5 |
| ARCS-PUB | Publish Boundary | Export, third-party sharing, API propagation | 6 |
| ARCS-NCR | Non-Creation Posture | Non-creation declarations, memory-only processing, publish boundary verification | 6 |
| ARCS-PV | Preservation and Legal Hold | Preservation triggers, hold process, multi-vendor preservation communication | 7 |
| ARCS-VER | Verification and Audit | Lifecycle audit, custody audit, vendor compliance, cross-vendor traceability, attestation | 7 |
| ARCS-AGT | Agent Runtime | Agent runtime artifacts, tool call governance, intermediate record controls, security-relevant content | 13 |
| ARCS-DEL | Delegation and Memory | Governed persistence, delegation chains, autonomous execution records, emergent execution documentation | 12 |

**Total: 92 controls across 10 families**

## Conformance Profiles

| Profile | Required Families | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | LIF, CUS, TAX (NCR if claimed) | Self-attestation |
| Minimum | LIF, CUS, TAX, OPB, PUB, PV, VER (NCR if claimed; AGT/DEL where applicable) | Self-attestation or audit |
| Enterprise | All Minimum families + Universal Enhanced + Conditional Enhanced controls | Self-attestation, audit, or third-party |

## Maturity Levels

| Level | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No surface governance | Interaction records exist but are not identified, mapped, or documented. |
| 1 | Record identification | Material record classes are identified and distinguished from unrelated system data. |
| 2 | Surface mapping | Record and custody surfaces are mapped. Locations, vendors, and custodians are documented. |
| 3 | Documented lifecycle governance | Retention, deletion, routing, and preservation posture are documented. Lifecycle rules are defined per record class. |
| 4 | Governance-grade implementation | Governance-grade control across normal operating surfaces. Institutional minimum for organizational accountability and legal defensibility. |
| 5 | Full-surface governance | All known record surfaces governed, including advanced runtime, derivative, and autonomous execution artifacts. Requires independent verification. |

## Conformance Claims

Conformance is evaluated per deployment, not per organization. A conformance claim must identify: the specific ARCS version, the declared profile, the maturity level, the scope and exclusions, and the assessment type. Self-declared conformance claims must state that the claim has not been reviewed, certified, or endorsed by Vega Commons Project, Inc.

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