Health documents and how long to keep them
| Document | Minimum period | Starting from |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription | 1 year | Date of the document |
| Treatment form (feuille de soins) | 2 years | Date of the treatment |
| Assurance Maladie statement | 2 years | Date of the document |
| Top-up health insurance (mutuelle) card and reimbursement statements | Depends on the insurer | — |
| Public hospital bill | 4 years | Date of the document |
| Private hospital or clinic bill | 2 years | Date of the document |
| Health record (carnet de santé), vaccination record, blood group card, medical certificates and test results | Permanent | Keep for good |
| Statements of daily sickness and maternity benefits | Until your pension is settled | — |
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.
Prescriptions: 1 year, longer for glasses
A prescription (ordonnance) is kept for 1 year. Two exceptions:
- For glasses, the period depends on the person’s age: 1 year under 16, 5 years from 16 to 42, 3 years from 43.
- For hearing aids, there is no time limit.
Reimbursements: 2 years to act
A treatment form (feuille de soins) is kept for 2 years. For a reimbursement for illness, the period starts on the date of the treatment and ends at the end of the same calendar quarter, 2 years later: a treatment on February 10, 2026 can be reimbursed until March 31, 2028. For maternity, the 2-year period starts on the day the pregnancy was first medically confirmed.
A treatment form of €100 or less sent with the Compte ameli app, on a phone, is kept for 27 months. Statements of reimbursement from the Assurance Maladie, France’s public health insurance, are kept for 2 years: that’s how long you can be asked to repay an overpayment, extended to 5 years in case of fraud or false declaration.
For the card and statements of your mutuelle, your top-up health insurance, the period depends on the insurer: refer to the periods set in your policy.
Hospital bills: 4 years or 2 years
A public hospital bill is kept for 4 years, one from a clinic or another private healthcare facility for 2 years. Check who issued the bill before throwing it away.
Sick leave and daily benefits
Proof of payment of daily benefits (indemnités journalières), after sick leave or maternity leave, is kept until your pension is settled. File it with your payslips.
Keep for life
The health record booklet (carnet de santé), the vaccination record, the blood group card, medical certificates and test results, such as an X-ray, are kept permanently. Certificates and test results help if your condition comes back or gets worse. File them separately, in a folder you never sort.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I keep a prescription in France?
1 year in general. For glasses, the period depends on age, and there is no time limit for hearing aids.
How long should I keep a prescription for glasses?
1 year under age 16, 5 years from 16 to 42, and 3 years from age 43.
How long should I keep a treatment form (feuille de soins)?
2 years: the period starts on the date of the treatment and ends at the end of the same calendar quarter, 2 years later. A treatment form of €100 or less sent with the Compte ameli app is kept for 27 months.
Should I keep X-rays and test results?
Yes, permanently, like medical certificates: they help if your condition comes back or gets worse.
How long should I keep statements from my mutuelle?
It depends on the insurer. Service Public refers to the periods set by your top-up health insurance (complémentaire santé) policy.
Sources
Checked on October 24, 2026.