Short answer: keep them forever, and keep the originals somewhere locked. The FTC's 2025 guidance puts birth certificates, Social Security cards, valid passports, citizenship papers, marriage and divorce records, family death certificates and older health records in a single category: "Keep Forever." It also suggests locking them up.
These are the documents other documents depend on. You rarely need them, and when you do, nothing else will do. So the job is less about how long and more about where: the original in a safe place, a copy you can find in a minute, and a plan for replacing one if it disappears.
The keep-forever list
| Document | Keep for | Why / source |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate or adoption papers | Forever | FTC "Keep Forever"; many ID replacements ask for it to prove identity or citizenship (USAGov) |
| Social Security card | Forever | FTC "Keep Forever"; the SSA says you may not need the card if you know your number |
| Valid passport | Forever, while valid | FTC "Keep Forever"; it proves citizenship and identity |
| Citizenship or residency papers | Forever | FTC "Keep Forever" |
| Marriage licenses and divorce decrees | Forever | FTC "Keep Forever" |
| Death certificates of family members | Forever | FTC "Keep Forever" |
| Vital health records, especially older paper ones | Forever | FTC: especially those that pre-date electronic health records |
For the documents that do expire, from tax returns to utility bills, see the master chart of what to keep and for how long.
Why these never leave the drawer
Vital records are the base layer of proving who you are. As USAGov puts it, rules for replacing government ID cards vary, but many "require you to show an official document, like your birth certificate. This proves your identity or citizenship."
That's also why a phone scan, however sharp, can't replace them. Offices that check identity usually want the original or a certified copy. California's DMV, for example, lists documents like a "valid U.S. passport, certified copy of U.S. birth certificate" as identity proof for REAL ID. Other states and agencies set their own lists, so check the office you're dealing with before you go.
A certified copy is one issued by the office that holds the record, which is different from a photocopy someone stamped. If the distinction has ever tripped you up, here's certified copy vs. notarized copy in plain English.
Keep the original, digitize a copy
The original belongs in one locked place: a fire-resistant box at home, a safe deposit box, wherever you'll remember. Then make a copy you can reach from anywhere. A scan won't get you a REAL ID, but it does hold every number and date a replacement form will ask for: the certificate number, the issuing state, the exact spelling of a name. It's also how you prove to yourself that you still have the thing.
Do it for everyone in the household. Kids' birth certificates and Social Security cards are the ones most likely to be "somewhere," and the ones you'll need for school, passports and benefits. A digital emergency binder is the tidy way to keep the whole family's copies together.
If one goes missing
Each document has its own replacement route:
- Birth certificate. USAGov's instruction: "Contact your birth state or territory's vital records office to get a certified copy of your birth certificate." It's issued by the state where you were born, not where you live now, and each state sets its own process.
- Social Security card. Before you replace it, check whether you need to. The SSA says "you may not need to replace your card if you know your Social Security number. In most cases, a physical card isn't necessary." If you do replace it, the SSA says the new card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.
- Passport. The State Department says to report a lost or stolen valid passport immediately, and notes that "reporting it lost or stolen does not replace it." Once you report it, you can't use it for international travel, even if it turns up in a coat pocket a week later. So search properly before you report, then apply for a new one.
For marriage, divorce and death records, the process depends on where the record was issued, so start from that state's official site. A scan that shows which office issued the record saves you a round of guessing.
Where to keep the copies on your iPhone
The manual way (free, built in): open the Files app, tap the More button, then Scan Documents, and place each certificate in view of the camera. When you're done, choose a location, such as a folder called "Vital records", and tap Save. Then lock the Files app: touch and hold its icon until the Quick Actions menu opens and tap Require Face ID. Name each file plainly ("Birth certificate, Maya") so the right one is a search away.
The automatic way: Paperlock reads each document as you save it, files it without folders, and keeps the vault behind Face ID. IDs and passports show blurred thumbnails until you confirm it's you, so scrolling past them on a bus doesn't show the world your passport number. And because passports do expire, it reminds you six months, 30 days and 7 days ahead once reminders are on. That's handy, because the six-month rule catches people out; here's how to check your passport expiration date by hand.
Either way, the paper stays in the locked box. The copy on your phone is for finding, not for proving.