After a purchase, documents often seem useless until the day you need to prove a date, an amount, a delivery, a return, or a warranty. The most effective approach is to keep evidence related to the event, not just the invoice.
The foundation to keep
- Invoice, receipt, or sales slip: proves the purchase, amount, and seller, among other things.
- Order confirmation: useful for item details and displayed terms.
- Delivery note or proof of delivery: useful in the event of a delay, loss, or dispute.
- Proof of return: shipping label, drop-off receipt, and tracking.
- Important correspondence: refund agreement, warranty coverage, or merchant response.
- Proof of resolution: bank credit, replacement, or confirmed closure.
How long should you keep them?
Service-Public indicates, notably in its table on document retention, a minimum period of five years for certain purchase invoices and recommends keeping purchase receipts at least until the end of the warranty period. However, the useful duration depends on the document, the item, and the reason you might need it.
To verify: do not automatically apply a single duration to all documents and all purchases.
For a warranty
The receipt helps establish the date and terms of the purchase. Also keep correspondence related to the defect, useful photos, and any diagnostics or case numbers.
For a return or a refund
The invoice alone is not always enough. The proof of drop-off, return tracking, merchant agreement, and final credit form a more complete chain of evidence.
For a recalled product
Keep anything that allows for precise identification of the product: reference, model, batch, or serial number when such information exists, as well as proof of purchase.
A simple rule
If a document can help answer "what purchase?", "what amount?", "what date?", "what action?", or "what result?", it is worth attaching to the relevant file.
Official source: Service-Public.fr — Retention periods for documents.
Last AfterSentry review: 10/02/2026.