Banking documents and how long to keep them
| Document | Minimum period | Starting from |
|---|---|---|
| Bank statement (current account, savings accounts…), check stub | 5 years from the date of the transaction | Date of the transaction |
| Card receipt (payment or withdrawal) | Until you get the statement that shows it | — |
| Account agreement (current account, savings accounts…) | 5 years from the closing of the account | Date the account was closed |
| Check you haven’t cashed yet | 1 year and 8 days | Date on the check |
| Mortgage or consumer loan agreement, and its supporting documents | 5 years after the loan is closed | Date the loan was closed |
Source: Service Public. These are minimum periods: nothing stops you from keeping a document longer, and anything related to an ongoing dispute should be kept.
Statements and check stubs: 5 years from the transaction
The 5-year period runs from the date of the transaction on the account, not from the date the statement was sent. It applies to every account: current account, home savings plan (plan d’épargne logement, PEL), Livret A. A statement downloaded from your online banking is kept as long as one received by post.
In practice, the simplest way is to file statements by year. At the start of each year, the folder that is more than 5 years old can go in one piece, unless it relates to an ongoing dispute.
Disputing a debit: 8 weeks or 13 months
Keeping your statements for 5 years is no use if you don’t read them. The deadlines to dispute a debit are much shorter than the retention period, and they are the ones that matter day to day.
- A direct debit you authorized (prélèvement) is disputed with your bank within 8 weeks of the debit, according to Service Public.
- An unauthorized direct debit, or a fraudulent card debit, is disputed within 13 months.
A look at each statement, at least once a month, keeps you within the first deadline. That’s also why card receipts are kept until the transaction shows on the statement: they are used to check the amount, then they can go.
Checks: 1 year and 8 days to cash them
A check you’ve received must be cashed within 1 year and 8 days. After that, it can no longer be cashed, but the debt is still owed: the person who gave it to you still owes you the money. So keep the check, or the proof of the debt, until you’re paid.
Loans and closed accounts: 5 years after the end
A mortgage or consumer loan agreement is kept for 5 years from the closing of the loan, with the documents that support it. For a consumer loan, the lender has 2 years to sue if the borrower doesn’t pay.
An account agreement (convention de compte) is kept for 5 years from the closing of the account. When you close a current or savings account, file the agreement and the closing letter together, in the folder for the year it closed.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I keep bank statements in France?
5 years from the date of each transaction, whether the statement is for a current account, a home savings plan (PEL) or a Livret A. In January 2027, statements from 2021 can therefore go, unless a dispute is underway.
How long should I keep check stubs?
5 years from the date of the transaction, like statements. A finished checkbook is therefore kept until its most recent stub is 5 years old.
Should I keep card receipts?
Until the payment or the withdrawal appears on your bank statement. Check the amount then: a fraudulent debit must be disputed within 13 months at most.
What should I keep after closing a bank account?
The account agreement, for 5 years from the closing. Statements keep their own 5-year period from each transaction.
How long should I keep a mortgage agreement?
5 years from the closing of the loan, with its supporting documents. The period is the same for a consumer loan.
Sources
Checked on October 24, 2026.