The Nowy Sącz Branch of the State Archive collects files from the area of Nowy Sącz, the county of Limanowa (eastern part) and Gorlice (since 1975). The files kept in the Archive date back to the end of the 18^th century while the Old Polish files have been kept on deposit in the State Archive in Cracow (Departments I and III) since 1894. That was the year in which almost all files of the town of Nowy Sącz burnt in the fire of the City Hall, except several parchment documents, town and guild books found by the organiser of the Nowy Sącz Archive, K. Golachowski.

In the Archive there are:

• files of the authorities and offices of state and special administration (1775-1998) e.g. District Office in Nowy Sącz (1775-1963), and from the more recent period - the files of the Provincial Office in Nowy Sącz (1975-1998);
• files of town and commune authorities (1781-1990) e.g. Files of the town of Nowy Sącz (1781-1945);
• files of courts, prosecutors' offices, notary and attorney offices (1855-1950) e.g. the Austrian Empire County Court in Limanowa (1856-1918), Prosecutor's Office of the Regional Court in Nowy Sącz (1944-1950);
• files of local county government organs and county authorities (1871-1975) e.g. County Council in Nowy Sącz (1871-1945), County Council Committee in Limanowa (1950-1975)
• files of schools (1887-1955) e.g. State Middle School I in Nowy Sącz (1887-1951), St. Barbara Female School in Nowy Sącz (1909-1925);
• birth, marriage and death records and files of denominational institutions (1796-1939) e.g. Israeli Registry District in Nowy Sącz (1854-1903), Evangelical (Lutheran) Commune in Nowy Sącz (1803-1939);
• files of political parties and social and political organisations (1957-1990) e.g. Communist Party Province Committee in Nowy Sącz (1975-1990), Province Council of PRON in Nowy Sącz (1983-1989);
• files of social, cultural and scholarly organisations (1904-1990) e.g. Polish Historical Society - Nowy Sącz Branch (1955-1997);
• files of banks, financial institutions, co-operatives and companies (1892-1990) e.g. Stefczyk Savings and Loan Association, Town Power Plant in Nowy Sącz (1904-1949);
• residual files and collections (1480-1974) e.g. town and guild files (1480-1837), Sandecjana, Cartographic Collection.