on file

Idioms  

1. In or as if in a record for easy reference. For example, There's no job open right now, but we'll keep your résumé on file. The use of file in the sense of “a collection of papers stored for ready reference” dates from the early 1600s.

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Example Sentences

The FWC said the owner of Sloth World has a permit for wildlife on file.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

When ballots are sent by mail, election officials are required to verify a voter’s signature on the ballot by comparing it with the signature on the official voter registration records on file.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

In the Texas Panhandle, Potter County elections officials quickly confirmed through DPS that three of nine voters on their list had proof of citizenship on file.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026

It’s a good idea for both of you to have an account, given that it lets people review earnings history, personal information on file, and benefit estimates at different claiming ages.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

“No, I don’t, actually. I left them with Marco in London. I meant to keep copies on file but I must have forgotten.”

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• documented
• listed
• registered
• reported
• taped