Paper shelf life
Verified 10 May 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Additional cases ?
What paperwork should be kept? How long? We tell you the rules to know for the main documents of everyday life: insurance, bank, family, taxes, housing, work, vehicle, health...
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The durations indicated are minimum durations during which it is prudent to keep the documents.
These are the periods during which you may exercise a right. For example, request a refund.
It can also be the time limits during which you can be asked for something. For example, paying a fine.
You can, of course keep your documents longer, in particular for to bring evidence before the courts.
Indeed, the time limits do not take into account all situations.
Thus, delays may be prolonged if the prescription is suspended or interrupted. For example, certain time limits are suspended as long as a person is a minor and start running only from the age of majority.
Documents may also to serve as evidence in support of very different actions.
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
| Document Date + 2 years | |
Contract | Contract duration + 2 years | |
Automotive Information Record | Permanent | The information statement is issued by your insurer at the end of the contract or upon request The statement shows the reduction-increase coefficient of your insurance premium (bonus-malus) |
10 years | This period applies as soon as you become aware of the contract as a beneficiary of life insurance | |
Body damage | 10 years |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
CW for flat-rate fine | 3 years | You no longer owe anything if the public purse has done nothing to obtain payment of the fine 3 years after its notification |
Invoice: purchase, repair... | Vehicle shelf life | + 2 years in case of resale taking into account the guarantee of hidden defects |
Driver's license examination certificate | 4 months | + until receipt of the permit |
Certificate of transfer of the vehicle | Vehicle shelf life | It may be useful to keep this certificate after the sale of the vehicle, in case of dispute with the former owner |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Check to cash | 1 year and 8 days | After this period, the check can no longer be cashed but the debt remains due |
Contract of mortgage and consumer credit + supporting documents | 2 years from last due date | |
File concerning an account (current account, PEL, booklet A...) Example: Account Opening Agreement | 5 years from account closure | |
5 years from operation | A fraudulent debit must be contested within a maximum period of 13 months | |
Credit card ticket: payment and withdrawal | Until receipt of the statement of account containing the corresponding balance | A fraudulent debit may be contested within a maximum period of 13 months |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Certificate of guarantee | Until the end of the guarantee | |
Household appliance invoice (e.g. washing machine, television) | Until the end of the guarantee | It may be useful to keep the invoice as long as you have the appliance at home Indeed, in case of theft or loss, the invoice serves as proof if you want to claim compensation from your insurer |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Civil status document —Full copy and extract | Permanent | Some procedures require a recent civil status record |
Notice of payment of family allowances | 5 years | You have 2 years to act if you did not collect the right amount The Caf: titleContent also has 2 years to get reimbursed an overpayment This period is increased to 5 years in case of fraud on your part |
Divorce judgment, adoption judgment | Permanent | In case of loss, you can request a copy from the court |
Act of recognition of a child | Permanent | The city hall can give you a copy |
Marriage contract: documents relating to property brought or acquired at the time of marriage by donation or bequest | Permanent | In case of loss of the marriage contract, you must contact the notary who established it |
Convention of Civil partnerships: titleContent | Permanent | In case of loss, a notary can provide a copy, but not the court or the city hall |
Family booklet | Permanent | In case of loss, one duplicate can be obtained at the town hall |
Diploma | Permanent | In case of loss, you can request a proof of your test success |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | Time to dispute an invoice Your supplier has 2 years to claim a payment |
Water invoice | 5 years | Time limit for challenging an invoice. To claim a payment, your supplier has: |
| 1 year | |
Proof of return of material (box) | 2 years from restitution | |
Job Invoice | 10 years or 2 years depending on the nature of the work |
|
Sweeping certificate | 1 year | |
Certificate of annual maintenance of a boiler | 2 years | |
Bill of Sale (also called title to property) | Permanent | If necessary, you can request a copy from the notary holder of the minute |
| 5 years | |
| Rental duration + 3 years | The delay is the same for an empty or furnished dwelling |
Mail from rent review | Rental duration + 1 year | This time limit applies to a dwelling rented as principal residence empty or furnished |
Inventory of furniture for furnished rentals | Duration of the rental | Until the refund of any security deposit |
Entitlement for payment of personalized housing assistance (CHA) | 2 years |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years from the year following the taxation year This period corresponds to the right to take over administration | Example: 2023 declaration to be retained until end 2026 |
Local Tax Notices: Property Tax, Secondary Residential Housing Tax | 1 year This period corresponds to the right to take over administration | 3 years in case of relief, exemption or abatement |
Warning
the periods indicated are minimum periods during which the tax administration has a right of take-back. Of course, you can keep your tax returns and tax notices longer.
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
| Until liquidation of retirement | You have 3 years to claim a wage arrears A proof of daily allowances must be kept for at least 2 years, but it is prudent to keep it until the pension is paid off It may be useful to keep salary slips after retirement for the calculation of the pension in case of an occupational disease occurring to a retiree |
2 years from the date of registration as a jobseeker | This document can be useful when calculating your pension entitlements | |
3 years | The time limit for challenging the sums indicated on the balance of any account depends on your signature or the absence of your signature from the receipt | |
Proof of payment of unemployment benefits | 3 years | The duration of 3 years corresponds to the recovery period in case of overpayment noted by France Travail This period is extended to 10 years in the case of fraud or misrepresentation This document can be useful when calculating your pension entitlements |
Superannuation Payment Bulletin Pension security | Permanent | Useful document for calculating your survivor's pension rights |
Expense Reports | 3 years | The amount of time that the tax authority can monitor you if you use the deduction of actual costs |
Child Disability Card | Until the pension is liquidated | Caring for a child with a disability is a way to receive a increase You must therefore keep all the supporting documents |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Military Booklet | Permanent | |
Certification of services performed or the identification status of the services | Permanent | The certificate shall prove that the military or equivalent services have been performed Pension or social security institutions can ask you for it |
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Employee pay slip: duplicate or electronic | 5 years | |
Employee employment contract | 5 years from the end of the employment contract | |
Document on social security contributions | 3 years | In the case of control by the tax authorities |
Accounting for employee hours | 3 years | In case of dispute |
Accident at work Declaration of liability to the primary sickness insurance fund | 5 years | |
Tax Certificate | 3 years This period corresponds to the right to take over administration | Proof to be submitted in order to benefit from home-based employee employment tax credit |
3 years | The time limit for challenging the sums indicated on the balance of any account depends on your signature or the absence of your signature from the receipt |
Please note
if you have an account on the Cesu or Urssaf Service Pajemploi, certain documents are made available to you in your personal space: tax notice, tax summary of the employee's wages... Follow the recommendations of these sites for the preservation of these documents and their computer backup.
Document Type | Shelf life | Clarification |
|---|---|---|
Statement of reimbursement of sickness and maternity insurance | 2 years | Time taken to recover overpayment The deadline is 5 years in case of fraud or false declaration |
| Variable by organism | Refer to the time limits provided in the contract |
Public hospital invoice | 4 years | |
Invoice from a private health facility | 2 years | |
1 year (except for eyeglasses and hearing aids) |
| |
Proof of payment of daily allowances | Up to liquidation of pension entitlements | |
| Permanent | |
| Permanent | Documents useful in case of relapse or worsening of the state of health |
The retention periods for papers continue to apply after death of the deceased.
Some documents may prove debts or debts transmitted to rights-holders in the succession.
Certain social benefits paid after the death of the beneficiary may be recovered with rights-holders for 5 years from the date of death.
General: period of action of a trader for a good or service provided to a consumer
General: time limit of ordinary law for a personal action, applicable in particular between individuals
General: Limitation of obligations between a consumer and a trader (invoice)
Insurance against personal injury
Vehicle - limitation period for a contravention (section 133-4)
Vehicle - hidden defects
Vehicle - Driver's license examination certificate
Bank - check payment
Bank - prescription for payment by check
Bank - delays in case of unauthorized payment transactions
Bank - loan agreement
Family - time limit for taking back unduly received family allowances
Family - Time limit for action by the beneficiary (Article L553-1), time limit for recovery in the event of fraud (Article L553-2)
Housing - water bill from a public supplier
Accommodation - phone and internet bill
Housing - invoices related to work: articles 1792 to 1792-4-1
Housing - chimney sweeping
Housing - boiler
Housing - limitation period for personal actions relating to co-ownership
Accommodation - rental contract, inventory, rent receipt
Housing - time limit of action for payment of the APL
Income tax
Taxes - withdrawal period for income tax (Article L169)
Taxes - recovery period for local taxes
Work - action period for salary payment
Work - receipt for balance of any account
Work - unemployment benefit deadlines
Work - limitation period for the application for payment of allowances (Article 44)
Individual Employer - Pay Bulletin (section L3243-4)
Individual employer - social security contributions document (Article L244-3)
Employee Hours Accounting Employer Individual
Individual employer - report of accidents at work (Article D4711-3)
Health - reimbursement of sickness and maternity insurance
Health - prescription
Health - health booklet
Health - prescription of glasses: article D4362-12
Health - public hospital bill (item L6145-9)
Health - bill from a private health facility (article L160-11)
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