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Suggestive Records Retention Guide
The following information is for the guidance of anyone who has responsibility for records management within their company or organisation. It is intended to be an aid towards greater efficiency, not a definitive "checklist" of record keeping.
The Business Archives Council recommends that particular documents of historical or general interest should be kept for longer than the period suggested in this guide. For their advice, contact them on 0207 860 5945.
Document |
Retention Period (in years) |
Retain? |
|---|---|---|
1. Supplies Accounts |
||
Cheques/Remittance advice |
6 Years |
Legal |
Cash book list |
10 Years |
Legal |
Cost control ledger analysis |
6 Years |
Legal |
Invoice |
6 (revenue) |
Legal |
10 (capital) |
Commercial |
|
Purchase Requisitions |
2 Years |
Audit |
Purchase Orders |
3 years after expiry (capital) |
Audit |
Current plus 3 years (revenue) |
Audit |
|
Quotations: |
||
Capital Expenditure (successful) |
Permanently |
Audit |
Capital Expenditure (unsuccessful) |
1 year |
Commercial |
Revenue Expenditure (successful) |
Current plus 1 year |
Audit |
Revenue Expenditure (unsuccessful) |
3 months |
Commercial |
Contracts for Raw Materials Purchase |
12 years after expiry (under seal) |
Legal |
6 years after expiry (others) |
Legal |
|
Export Rebate Claims |
3 Years from final payment |
Commercial |
Customs and Excise Returns |
6 Years |
Legal |
Shipping Documents |
6 Years |
Legal |
VAT Deferments |
6 Years |
Legal |
2. Assets |
||
Ledger Sheet |
10 Years |
Legal |
Consolidated Accounts |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Disposal of Assets |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Application to write off Plant Value |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Annual Depreciation |
3 Years |
Audit |
3. Sales Records |
||
Customer Complaints |
10 Years |
Commercial |
Customer Orders, estimates and quotations |
6/12 years after expiry |
Commercial |
Enquiries |
1 Year |
Commercial |
Export Credit Guarantee Documents |
6 years after expiry. |
Commercial |
Permanently if claim made |
Commercial |
|
Long Dated Budget |
Current plus 1 year |
Commercial |
Short Dated Budget |
1 Year |
Commercial |
Sales / Journal Ledgers |
10 Years |
Legal |
Nominal and Journal Ledgers |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Journal Vouchers |
3/6 Years |
Legal |
Sales Invoice and Credit Notes |
6 Years |
Legal |
Consignment Notes |
6 Years |
Legal |
Delivery Documentation |
Current plus 1 Year |
Legal |
Customer's Personal File |
6 Years |
Commercial |
Outstanding Account Schedule |
6 Years |
Legal |
Statements |
2 Years |
Audit |
Overdue Account Letters |
Until Paid |
Commercial |
4. Employee Records |
||
Staff Patent Agreements |
16 Years after employment end |
Commercial |
Unsuccessful Job Applications |
1 Year |
Commercial |
Medical Records |
30 years after expiry (with consent) |
Commercial |
Medical Treatment Records |
Dependent on treatment (with consent) |
Legal |
X-Ray Registers |
7 Years after expiry |
Legal |
Accident Reports |
Permanently |
Legal |
3 years |
Legal |
|
Medical Schemes/Reports |
Permanently |
Legal |
Organization Charts |
Permanently |
Legal |
Superannuation: |
Current Pensioners |
10 years after benefit ends |
Commercial Payment Changes |
6 Years |
Legal |
Payroll Control |
Current plus 6 Years |
Legal |
Certificate of Existence and continued Entitlement |
6 Years |
Legal |
Amended Code Number Notice |
6 Years |
Legal |
All Trust Deeds and Rules |
Permanently |
Legal |
Trustee Minute Book |
Permanently |
Legal |
Fund Annual Account |
Permanently |
Legal |
Investment and Contribution Records |
Permanently |
Legal |
Actuarial Valuation Reports |
Permanently |
Legal |
Records of Ex-Pensioners |
6 Years after benefits ends |
Legal |
Pensions Investment Policies |
12 years after benefits ends |
Legal |
Inland Revenue Approvals |
Permanently |
Legal |
Group Health / Personal Accident Policies |
12 years after benefit ends |
Legal |
Staff Personal Records |
7 years after employment ends |
Legal |
Company Executive Records |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Salary Registers |
6 years |
Legal |
Expense Accounts |
7 Years |
Legal |
Industrial Training Records |
6 Years |
Commercial |
Labour Agreements |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Works Council Minutes |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Absentee Records |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Staff Overtime |
6 years |
Legal |
Redundancy / Long Service |
7 years |
Legal |
5. Wages |
||
P45, P58, P6, P60 |
6 Years |
Legal |
Income Tax and Pay Details |
6 Years |
Legal |
Returned Tax |
6 Years |
Legal |
Monthly Superannuation |
10 Years |
Commercial |
Annual Superannuation |
Permanently |
Commercial |
Cumulative Superannuation |
6 Years |
Commercial |
National Insurance |
6 Years |
Commercial |
Schedule of Deductions |
6 Years |
Audit |
Clock Cards |
2 Years |
Audit |
Pay Advice |
Current plus 1 Year |
Legal |
Payroll |
Current plus 1 Year |
Legal |
Annual Earnings Summary |
6 Years |
Legal |
6. Sub Contractors |
||
SC60 etc |
6 Years |
Legal |
Other Income Tax |
6 Years |
Legal |
| National Insurance | 6 Years | Commercial |
| Time Sheets | Current plus 1 Year | Legal |
| 7. Insurance | ||
| Policies | 3 years after lapse | Commercial |
| Accident Claims Correspondence | 3 years after settlement | Commercial |
| Insurance Schedules | 10 Years | Commercial |
| Claims regarding Radiation | 30 - 40 years | Legal |
| Infant Settlement | until 24th Birthday | Legal |
| Other Settlement | 7 years after claim | legal |
| Workmen's Compensation Act Claim | 1 Year | Commercial |
| Accident Record Books | Employee Life | Commercial |
| Public and Product Liability Policies | Permanently | Legal |
| 8. Cash Records | ||
| Bank Paying in Counterfoils | 6 Years | Legal |
| Control Sheets | 2 Years | Legal |
| Cheque Remittance Statements | 6 years | Legal |
| Bank/Giro Account Statements | 6 Years | Legal |
| Daily Cash Book | 6 Years | Legal |
| Banking Returns | 6 Years | Legal |
| Daily Cash Book | 6 Years | Legal |
| Banking Returns | 6 Years | Legal |
| Unpresented Cheque List | 6 Years | Legal |
| Bank Reconciliations | 6 Years | Legal |
| Employees Receipts of Pay Packet Slip | 2 Years | Audit |
| Petty Cash Records | Current plus 6 Year | Audit |
| Main Cash Book | 10 Years | Audit |
| Cash Received / Cheque Payment Sheets | 10 Years | Commercial |
| Petty Cash Returns | 6 Years | Commercial |
| 9. Investments | ||
| Share Certificates Register | Permanently | Legal |
| Company Purchaser / Sales Register | Permanently | Legal |
| Pension Fund Details | Permanently | Legal |
| 10. Share Documents | ||
| Application Forms | Permanently | Legal |
| Acceptance Forms | Permanently | Legal |
| Renounced Share Certificates | Permanently | Legal |
| Allotment Letters (renounced) and sheets and Returns | Permanently | Legal |
| Allotment Letters (lodged for exchange) | 1 Year from date ceased to be valid | Legal |
| Share and Stock Transfer Forms | Permanently | Legal |
| Letters of Indemnity for Lost Records | Permanently | Legal |
| Annual Returns | Permanently | Legal |
| Divided and Interest Lists and Warrants | 12 Years | Legal |
| Unclaimed Dividend and Interest Lists | Until cleared/forfeited | Commercial |
| Cancelled Share Certificates | 1 Year | Legal |
| Change of Address | 2 Years | Legal |
| Register of Directors Interest | Permanently | Legal |
| Register of Interests in Voting Shares | Permanently | Legal |
| Register of Members | Permanently | Legal |
| Forms of COnversion | 7 Years after Conversion Date | Legal |
| Shareholders with >5% Interest Register | Permanently | Legal |
| 11. Loans | ||
| Debtor Account Control Report | 6 Years | Legal |
| Arrears Schedule | 6 Years | Legal |
| Individual Debtor Account | Permanently Until Paid | Legal |
| Listing of Wages Deduction | 3 Years | Audit |
| Statement of Loan Account | Permanently | Commercial |
| 12. Corporate Document | ||
| Balance Sheet, profit and Loss Account | Permanently | Legal |
| Minutes of General and Committee Meetings | Permanently | Legal |
| Directors Minutes Signed by Chairman | Permanently | Legal |
| Company Registers | Permanently | Legal |
| Powers of Attorney and Court Orders | Permanently | Legal |
| Copy of Instruments Creating Change | Permanently | Legal |
| Enquiry Proceedings | Permanently | Commercial |
| Company Organisation Papers | Permanently | Commercial |
| Important Company Policy Papers | Permanently | Commercial |
| Legal Documents | Permanently | Commercial |
| Trade Union Agreements | Permanently | Commercial |
| Certificate of Incorporation | Permanently | Legal |
| Certificate to Commence Business | Permanently | Legal |
| Seal Book | Permanently | Legal |
| Proxy Forms / Polling Cards | 1 month (no poll) | Commercial |
| 1 Year (poll) | ||
| Register of Directors and Secretaries | Permanently | Legal |
| Articles of Association | Permanently | Legal |
| Corporate Magazine | 30 Years | Commercial |
| Correspondence Files | 6 Years | Commercial |
| 13. Title Deeds, etc | ||
| All title deeds and Property Related Documents | 12 Years after expiry interest ceased | Legal |
| 14. Contract Agreements, etc | ||
| Under Seal | 12 years after expiry | Legal |
| Others | 6 Years after Expiry | Legal |
| Major Agreements | Permanently | Commercial |
| Royalty Payments | Permanently | Commercial |
| Royalty Agreements | 1 year after expiry | Legal |
| 15. Trade Mark Papers | ||
| All Related Documents | Permanently | Commercial |
| Expired Patents | 12 Years | Legal |
| 16. Stores and Accounts Departments | ||
| Goods Received Register | 3 Years | Audit |
| Inward Invoice | 3/6 Years | Legal |
| Goods In and Out Record Book | Current Plus 6 Years | Legal |
| Stock Adjustments Sheets | 2 Years | Audit |
| Stock Requisitions and Control Vouchers | 2 Years | Audit |
| Stores Transfer, Sales Inventories and Stock Sheets | Current plus 6 Years | Legal |
| Bin Sheets | 2 Years | Audit |
| Contractors Time Sheets | Current plus 6 Years | Legal |
| Invoices with No Official Orders | Current plus 6 Years | Legal |
| Goods in Advice Notes | Current plus 6 Years | Legal |
| Purchase Copy Order Set | 6 Years after expiry | Legal |
| 17. Donation and Subscription Records | ||
| Index of Donation Given | 6 Years | Legal |
| Deeds of Covenant | 1 Year after Final Payment | Legal |
| Donations Granted Information | 1 Year | Commercial |
| Donations Refused Information | 3 Months | Commercial |
| Subscriptions Records | 3 years after membership | Legal |
| Governments Grants if not now Receiving | 6 Years | Legal |
| Governments Grants if still Receiving | Permanently | Legal |
| 18. Transport Records | ||
| Drivers Log Book | 1 Year | Commercial |
| Other Records | 2 Years after Vehicle Disposal | Commercial |
| Tachographs | 3 Years | Legal |
| 19. Technical Research | ||
| All reports of Data | 12-15 Years | Legal |
| Product Specifications | Retained for Contractual Limitation Period 6-12 Years | Legal |
| 20. Property Receipts | ||
| Leases | 12 Years after Lease Ends | Legal |
| Architect/Builder Agreements | 6 Years after Contract Ends | Legal |
| Product Specifications | 6 Years | Legal |
| 21. Plans | ||
| Architectural | Permanently | Commercial |
| Engineering Detail | Permanently | Commercial |
| Mining | Permanently | Commercial |
| Structural | Permanently | Commercial |
| General Layout | Permanently | Commercial |
| 22. Management Information | ||
| Management Accounts | 6 Years | Commercial |
| Ad Hoc Investigations | 6 Years | Commercial |