How long do I have to keep invoices in Germany?

Sources

  1. Retention periods for businesses at a glancesteuerwissen.de1
  2. Changes to retention periods from 2025kanzlei-berger.de2
  3. Archiving digital receipts correctlynorthwind.app3
  4. What applies to till receipts?handwerk-heute.de4

Answer

In Germany you have to keep invoices for eight years. The period was shortened from ten to eight years in 2025.12

The period starts at the end of the calendar year in which the invoice was issued. An invoice from March 2026 may be destroyed from January 1, 2035.1

Digital invoices must be stored in their original format and unchanged. A printout alone is not enough.3

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