How long do you keep tax records in Australia?
The ATO says to keep your written evidence for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Records about an asset you might sell — such as an investment property — are kept for 5 years after it’s certain no capital gains tax event can happen.
Every rule for Australia, with an example
From the official pages linked in each row, checked on October 5, 2026. The example column shows the keep-until date for the 2024–25 tax year where the rule gives one.
| Document | Official rule | Example (2024–25) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax returns (your copies) | Keep your written evidence for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Longer if: Decline-in-value (depreciation) claims: 5 years from your last claim; In a dispute with the ATO: 5 years from lodging or 5 years after the dispute is resolved, whichever is later | lodged October 31, 2025: until October 31, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Receipts and records behind your return | Keep your written evidence for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Longer if: Decline-in-value (depreciation) claims: 5 years from your last claim; In a dispute with the ATO: 5 years from lodging or 5 years after the dispute is resolved, whichever is later | lodged October 31, 2025: until October 31, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Payslips, W-2s, P60s | Keep your written evidence for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Longer if: Decline-in-value (depreciation) claims: 5 years from your last claim; In a dispute with the ATO: 5 years from lodging or 5 years after the dispute is resolved, whichever is later | lodged October 31, 2025: until October 31, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Bank statements | Keep your written evidence for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Longer if: Decline-in-value (depreciation) claims: 5 years from your last claim; In a dispute with the ATO: 5 years from lodging or 5 years after the dispute is resolved, whichever is later | lodged October 31, 2025: until October 31, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Business books and records (self-employed, small business) | Businesses keep most records for 5 years, counted from when the record was prepared or obtained or the transaction was completed, whichever is later. Longer if: Companies must keep financial records for 7 years under the Corporations Act (ASIC) | from June 30, 2025: until June 30, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Payroll records (if you employ someone) | Employers: keep fringe benefits tax records 5 years from lodging the FBT return, and super contribution records 5 years from the contribution. | from June 30, 2025: until June 30, 2030 | ato.gov.au |
| Home and property purchase records | Keep records of buying and selling an asset (including a property) for 5 years after it is certain that no capital gains tax event can happen — in practice, 5 years after the return for the year you sell. | no fixed date | ato.gov.au |
We found no official retention rule in Australia for: medical records and bills, receipts for purchases (warranty). Keep those while they could still matter — for a claim, a warranty or a sale.
Keep them on your phone instead of in a box
Scanned copies take up no space and are easier to find when the tax office asks. For the full list of household papers and how long to keep each, see what documents to keep and for how long; to scan them, see how to scan documents on iPhone. For other countries, use the record retention calculator.
General information from official sources, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and your situation may add exceptions — the linked official page is the final word.
How to work out how long to keep a tax record
- Choose the country. Pick the country whose tax authority the record is for — the one you file returns in.
- Choose the document. Tax return, receipts behind it, payslips, bank statements, business records and so on. Documents with no official rule are marked.
- Enter the year or date. Most rules count from the tax year or from the day you filed. The tool asks for whichever this rule needs.
- Read the date and the exceptions. You get the keep-until date, the rule in plain words, the cases where you must keep it longer, and the official source. Add a calendar reminder if you like.