Document retention: your obligations for 10 years

What does Swiss law say about document retention?

In Switzerland, the obligation to retain documents is governed by Article 958f of the Code of Obligations (CO) and specified by the Ordinance on the Keeping and Retention of Accounting Records (Olico). These texts impose a retention period of 10 years for all accounting and commercial documents.

This obligation concerns all companies registered in the commercial register, self-employed individuals subject to the obligation to keep accounts, as well as associations and foundations of a certain size. The 10-year period begins after the closing of the relevant accounting year.

In case of non-compliance, the sanctions can be severe: fines, ex officio tax assessment, and refusal of deductibility of certain expenses. The tax administration has an extensive right of audit over this period.

The types of documents concerned

The list of documents to be retained for 10 years is precise and exhaustive:

• Accounting books: journal, ledger, inventory book

• Supporting documents: all evidence of accounting entries

• Invoices: issued and received, with or without QR-code

• Bank statements and account extracts

• VAT documents: returns, deduction supporting documents

• Commercial contracts: leases, agreements with suppliers and customers

• Important commercial correspondence (emails, letters)

Beyond strictly mandatory documents, it is recommended to also retain HR documents (employment contracts, payslips) and social insurance supporting documents for the same period.

The 10-year period: how does it work?

The calculation of the 10-year retention period begins after the closing of the accounting year during which the document was created or received. In practice: an invoice issued in March 2024 for a year ending on 31 December 2024 must be retained until 31 December 2034.

Practical example:

• Invoice dated 15 March 2024 → Year closed on 31.12.2024 → Retention until 31.12.2034

• Bank statement from January 2025 → Year closed on 31.12.2025 → Retention until 31.12.2035

Warning: for companies with a staggered accounting year (for example from 1 July to 30 June), it is the closing date of that year that applies. The period always runs from the end of the year, not from the date of the document.

Digital retention: the new 2025 rules

Since 1 January 2025, the revised Olico clarifies and modernises the rules for digital retention of accounting documents. The law now explicitly recognises the validity of archiving on digital media, subject to meeting three essential conditions.

Digital documents must guarantee integrity (no untraced modification), readability (accessible format throughout the retention period) and accessibility (possibility of rapid retrieval in case of audit).

The company must be able to produce documents either in digital form or in paper form if the audit authority requires it. This flexibility greatly facilitates administrative management whilst maintaining the requirements for tax evidence.

Paper documents vs digital documents

The question often arises: can you digitise paper documents and destroy the originals? The answer is yes, provided you comply with Olico requirements concerning integrity and readability.

For invoices received by post, you can scan them in PDF/A format and destroy the paper once the digitisation has been verified. Electronic invoices received by email must be retained in their original digital format.

Advantages of digital: space saving, facilitated search, possible backups, remote access. Limitations: technological dependence, risk of data loss, need for format migrations.

Certain documents such as notarial deeds or property titles must be retained in original paper form. For current accounting documents, digital is fully recognised.

The technical requirements for digital archiving

For compliant legal archiving, favour the PDF/A (PDF Archive) format, specially designed for long-term retention. This format guarantees that your documents will remain readable in 10 years, independently of software developments.

Implement a coherent filing system: by year, by document type, then in chronological order. Example: 2024/Invoices_issued/2024-01-001.pdf. This nomenclature facilitates searching and demonstrates your organisation during an audit.

Data security is crucial: perform regular backups (ideally automatic), store them on at least two different media, and periodically test restoration. Protect your files against unauthorised modifications with appropriate access rights.

Document any modification: who, when, why. This traceability strengthens the evidential value of your archives.

How to organise your archiving in practice

An effective archiving system relies on clear organisation from the start. Create a logical folder structure: one main folder per year, then sub-folders by category (Invoices issued, Invoices received, Bank, VAT, Contracts).

To name your files, adopt a systematic convention: YYYY-MM-DD_Type_Number.pdf (example: 2024-03-15_Invoice_001.pdf). This method allows automatic chronological sorting and rapid searching.

Archive regularly, ideally each month after closing. Do not let months of documents accumulate: you risk forgetting important documents or wasting time catching up on everything.

Create a simple register (Excel file) listing your archives: year, type, period, location. This document will serve as a map during a tax audit.

Physical archiving: the rules to follow

If you opt for paper archiving, storage conditions are essential. Choose a dry location, protected from humidity, direct light and temperature variations. A locked room guarantees security against loss or theft.

Use ring binders or rigid cardboard archive boxes, clearly labelled: year, document type, period. Arrange them in chronological order to facilitate searching.

Create a physical index: a sheet stuck on each binder or box indicating the precise contents. Also keep a general register of your physical archives with their exact location.

Plan sufficient space: 10 years of documents represents a considerable volume. Consider a dedicated room or a secure external archiving service if space is lacking.

Digital archiving: solutions and tools

Several options are available for digital archiving: local storage (external hard drive, NAS), cloud solutions (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive), or mixed solutions combining both for greater security.

Selection criteria: security (encryption, automatic backups), accessibility (access from anywhere), sustainability (provider reliability), and cost (monthly subscription or one-off purchase).

If you use BePaid for your invoicing, your issued invoices are automatically retained in compliance with Swiss standards. You maintain permanent access to your history and can export your data at any time.

Whatever your solution, plan regular backups (weekly minimum) on a separate medium.

Tax audits: what you need to know

During a tax or VAT audit, the administration generally notifies you by registered letter. You usually have a period of 30 days to gather and present the requested documents, although this period may vary according to canton.

Auditors can require documents in digital format (PDF) or paper. They verify the consistency between your tax returns and your supporting documents. Prepare structured access to your archives to facilitate their work.

In case of missing or non-compliant documents, the consequences are serious: the administration can proceed with an ex officio assessment of your income (generally unfavourable), refuse the deductibility of unjustified expenses, and apply fines.

You have the right to be assisted by a representative (fiduciary, chartered accountant) during the audit.

The sanctions in case of non-compliance

The non-compliance with the retention obligation exposes you to graduated sanctions according to severity. Fines can reach several thousand francs, or even more for repeated or intentional infractions.

More problematic: in the absence of supporting documents, the tax administration proceeds with an ex officio assessment of your income and expenses. This assessment is generally increased and unfavourable to the taxpayer. You lose the possibility to contest effectively.

For VAT, the absence of supporting documents results in the refusal of input tax deduction. You must then reimburse the deducted VAT, with default interest.

Concrete example: an expense of 10,000 CHF without supporting document can be refused, resulting in additional tax of 2,000 to 3,000 CHF depending on your tax rate, plus interest and possible fines.

Special cases and specific situations

In case of cessation of activity or liquidation, the retention obligation persists for 10 years after final closure. You must organise archiving even if your company no longer exists. Inform your fiduciary or designate a person responsible for retention.

During a business transfer (sale, succession), the successor generally inherits the archives. Clarify this point in the transfer deed. The transferor can keep a copy to protect themselves in case of an audit covering the previous period.

In case of bankruptcy, the administrator of the estate takes charge of document retention. For electronic invoices with digital signature, also retain the signature certificate to guarantee validity.

Foreign documents (EU invoices, non-EU) follow the same retention rules as Swiss documents.

How BePaid facilitates your legal archiving

BePaid simplifies your retention obligation by automatically storing all the invoices you create on the platform. Each document remains accessible in your space, without time limit, well beyond the required 10 years.

You benefit from permanent access to your history: search by customer, by date, by amount, or by invoice number. All your QR-invoices comply with Swiss standards and are retained in a format guaranteeing their long-term readability.

The export functions (individual or grouped PDF, Excel) allow you to easily build complementary archives or respond quickly to a request from the tax administration.

BePaid is not a miracle solution for all your accounting documents, but it automatically handles the invoicing part, often the most voluminous of your archives.

Checklist: are you compliant?

Use this compliance checklist to verify that your archiving complies with legal obligations:

• ☐ All types of mandatory documents are identified and retained

• ☐ The filing system (physical or digital) is in place and documented

• ☐ Digital documents are in PDF/A format or equivalent sustainable format

• ☐ Regular backups are performed (minimum monthly)

• ☐ Archives are stored in a secure and accessible location

• ☐ The 10-year period after year-end closing is respected

• ☐ An archive register exists (list of documents and locations)

• ☐ Documents are quickly retrievable (search test performed)

• ☐ Conditions of readability and integrity are guaranteed

If you tick all the points, your archiving is compliant. Otherwise, identify the gaps and correct them quickly.

Retaining your documents for 10 years is not an option: it is a legal obligation that concerns all Swiss entrepreneurs. Invoices, accounting documents, bank statements, VAT documents – all must be archived in a compliant manner, whether in paper or digital format. Since 2025, the rules for electronic archiving have been clarified, offering more flexibility to companies that comply with the technical requirements of readability, integrity and availability.

Well-organised archiving protects you in case of tax audit and helps you avoid sanctions that can reach 100,000 francs. Beyond compliance, it is also a valuable time saving: finding a document in a few seconds rather than rummaging through boxes.

BePaid centralises and automatically retains all your issued invoices, with digital archiving compliant with Swiss standards. You save time, you remain compliant, and you keep a complete record of your activity. Create your free account and simplify your document management today.