How long to keep business records, and a POPIA check

How long to keep tax, payroll, company and close corporation records under SARS, labour and company law, as a list you can print, and a 10-question POPIA check. Free.

The rules in short

• Tax records (invoices, receipts, bank statements, returns): 5 years from the date the return was submitted; longer during an audit or objection.
• Payroll: 5 years (the BCEA alone asks 3 years from the last entry). Disciplinary records: 3 years (LRA s205).
• Companies: accounting records and financial statements 7 years; registration documents for as long as the company exists. Close corporations: accounting records 15 years.
• Personal information (POPIA s14): no longer than you need it, unless a law requires longer.

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General guidance only, not legal, tax or compliance advice. Requirements, fees and processes change: confirm each item with the official body before you act. SignalLedger is an independent private platform, not a government website. Checked 19 October 2026. How we check our information.