Account Structure

Significant Changes to Account Structure

Account Structure

Changed in 2025 - 

Combined Revenue & Expenditure Accounts Overview and Applicability sections with Account Structure.

Clarified guidance on the basic structure of a BARS code.

Clarified guidance on the different categories of revenue and expenditure codes.

1 Charts of Accounts

1.1.2 Account Structure

1.1.2.10 All BARS codes are required to be seven-digits for reporting purposes on the Schedule 01. Local governments may include additional digits within their internal account structure, such as fund numbers and added digits for tracking details. If a different system of numbers is used for internal accounting, it must contain equivalent detail throughout the budget, accounting, and reporting process.

See BARS 3.1.1, Fund Accounting and Fund Types for the structure of fund numbers, which are separate from the required structure of BARS codes.

1.1.2.20 The seven-digit BARS code structure has the following components:

First digit

3 (three) represents beginning fund balances/net position, revenues, and other financing sources.

5 (five) represents ending fund balances/net position, expenditures/expenses, and other financing uses.

Second and third digits

Revenue  represents the source (origin or originating category) of revenues. These digits are always prescribed and required for reporting on the Schedule 01.

Expenditures/Expenses represents the different functions and activities for which the expenditures/expenses are supporting.

Fourth and fifth digits

Revenue – represents further details for specific types of revenues within a particular source.

Expenditure/Expense – represents further details for specific elements and sub-elements of activities related to the particular function and activity.

Sixth and seventh digits

Revenue – these digits are generally not defined and are represented as zeros.  When these digits are represented as zeros, they are available for customization by the local government. However, there are exceptions to this rule. The BARS codes within the 330 series prescribe all seven digits and cannot be customized. Local governments should be aware that as the BARS manual is updated, these digits may be assigned for specific purposes.

Expenditure/Expense – represents the object code, which identifies the specific type of items that support the activity or function. For additional information on object codes, please see BARS 1.4, Object Codes.

1.1.2.30 The tables below provide an overview of the major categories of BARS codes. For the complete listing of all BARS codes with their full definitions, go to BARS Account Export.

Beginning and Ending Fund Balance/Net Position

300

Beginning Fund Balance/Net Position

308

Beginning Fund Balance/Net Position

500

Ending Fund Balance/Net Position

508

Ending Fund Balance/Net Position

Major categories of revenues by source 

310 

 

Taxes 

311 

Property Tax 

313 

Retail Sales and Use Taxes 

316 

Business and Occupation Taxes 

317 

Excise Taxes in Lieu of Property Tax 

318 

Other Taxes 

320 

Licenses and Permits 

321 

Business Licenses and Permits 

322 

Non-Business Licenses and Permits 

330 

Intergovernmental Revenues 

331 

Federal Direct Awards

332 

Federal Other Award Revenues 

333 

Federal Indirect Awards

334 

State Grants, Awards, and Other Contributions 

335-336 

State Shared Revenues, Entitlements and Impact Payments 

337 

Local Awards, Entitlements, Tribal Government Distributions, and Other Payments 

340 

Charges for Goods and Services 

341 

General Government 

342 

Public Safety 

343 

Utilities 

344 

Transportation 

345 

Natural and Economic Environment 

346 

Social Services 

347 

Culture and Recreation Fees

348 

Internal Service Funds Sales and Services 

350 

Fines and Penalties 

351 

Superior Court - Felony/Misdemeanor Penalties 

352 

Civil Penalties 

353 

Civil Infraction Penalties 

354 

Civil Parking Infraction Penalties 

355 

Criminal Traffic Misdemeanor Fines 

356 

Criminal Non-Traffic Fines 

357 

Criminal Costs 

359 

Non-Court Fines and Penalties 

360 

Miscellaneous Revenues 

361 

Interest and Other Earnings 

362 

Rents and Leases 

367 

Contributions and Donations from Nongovernmental Sources 

368 

Special Assessments 

369 

Other Miscellaneous Revenues

370

Proprietary Funds - Other Revenue (Expense) and Capital Contributions

371

Share in the Joint Venture Income (Increase/Decrease)

372

Insurance Recoveries

373

Gains (Losses) on Capital Assets

374

Capital Contributions-State/Local/Direct Federal

375

Capital Contributions-State/Local/Indirect Federal

379

Capital Contributions

Other Increases and Financing Sources

380

Other Increases in Fund Resources

385

Special or Extraordinary Items

386

Court Remittances

388

Other Increases in Fund Balance

389

Custodial Activities

390

Other Financing Sources

391

Debt Issued

392

Premiums on Bonds Issued

393

Refunding Long-Term Debt Issued

395

Disposition of Capital Assets

397

Transfers-In

398

Insurance Recoveries

Major functions of expenditures

501

Proprietary Funds - Depreciation, Depletion, Amortization

510 

General Government 

511 

Legislative Activities 

512 

Judicial Activities 

513 

Executive Activities 

514 

Financial, Recording and Election Activities 

515 

Legal Services

517 

Employee Benefit Programs 

518 

Centralized/General Services 

519 

Risk Management Services 

520 

Public Safety 

521 

Law Enforcement Activities 

522 

Fire and Emergency Medical Activities 

523 

Detention/Correction Activities 

524 

Protective Inspection Services 

525 

Disaster Services 

527 

Juvenile Services 

528 

Dispatch Services 

530 

Utilities 

531 

Storm Drainage Utilities 

532 

Television/Cable/Internet Utilities 

533 

Electric/Gas Utilities 

534 

Water Utilities 

535 

Sewer/Reclaimed Water Utilities 

536 

Cemetery 

537 

Solid Waste Utilities 

538 

Combined Utilities 

539 

Irrigation/Reclamation Utilities 

540 

 

Transportation 

541

Roads/Streets modified approach only - condition rating preservation

542 

Roads/Streets Ordinary Maintenance 

543 

Roads/Streets General Administration and Overhead 

544 

Roads/Streets Operations 

545 

Roads/Streets Extraordinary Operations 

546 

Airports and Ports 

547 

Transit, Railroads and Other Transportation Systems 

548 

Public Works – Centralized Services 

550 

 

Natural and Economic Environment 

551 

Public Housing Services 

552 

Employment Opportunity 

553 

Conservation 

554 

Environmental Services 

557 

Community Services 

558 

Community Planning and Economic Development 

 

559 

Property Development 

560 

Social Services 

561 

Hospitals, Assisted Living and Convalescent Facilities 

562 

Public Health Services 

563 

Coroner/Medical Examiner 

564 

Mental Health Services 

565 

Welfare/Veterans Services/Services for Disabled/Homeless Services/Domestic Violence 

566 

Chemical Dependency Services 

567 

Children Services 

568 

Developmental Disabilities Services 

569 

Aging and Disability Services 

570 

Culture and Recreation 

571 

Educational and Recreational Activities 

572 

Libraries 

573 

Cultural and Community Events

575 

Cultural and Recreational Facilities 

576 

Park Facilities 

598

Proprietary Funds - Miscellaneous Expenses

Other Decreases and Financing Uses

580

Other Decreases in Fund Resources

585

Special or Extraordinary Items

588

Other Decreases in Fund Balance

589

Custodial Activities

590

Debt Expenditures, Capital Outlays, and Other Financing Uses

591

Debt Repayment

592

Interest and Other Debt Service Costs

593

Advance Refunding Escrow

594

Capital Expenditures

595

Roads/Streets and Related Infrastructure: Improvements and New Construction Projects

596

Issuance Discount on Long-Term Debt

597

Transfers-Out

599

Payments for Refunded Debt

Balance sheet codes for Schedule 01 reporting

800

Balance Sheet Accounts

810

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

820

Other Current Assets

830

Noncurrent Assets

840

Deferred Outflows

850

Current Liabilities

860

Noncurrent Liabilities

870

Deferred Inflows