Digital Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Legal Regulation of Digital Archives and Electronic Document Management

Abstract

The article provides an overview of the Digital Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 255-VIII ZRK dated January 9, 2026, focusing on provisions related to digital archives and electronic document management. The adoption of the Code became one of the first steps in implementing the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan declaring 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. The article examines the key provisions of the Code: the concept of digital archive and requirements for its functioning, the legal regime of electronic documents and electronic digital signatures, the timestamp mechanism for ensuring long-term legal validity of documents, and the distinction between electronic and digital documents. Special attention is paid to the integration of archival systems into the architecture of digital government, the role of national registers as a source of archival information, and the mandatory archiving stage in the lifecycle of digital objects of state bodies. The article is intended as an overview for archival professionals interested in new legislation in the field of digitalization.