How long do I need to keep invoices?
The Belastingdienst requires 7 years fiscal retention for your administration, including invoices. For real estate the retention is 10 years (9-year VAT review period plus the year of first use). Digital retention is allowed, provided authenticity and legibility hold.
Try this first
- 1Retain incoming and outgoing invoices 7 years after the end of the financial year. Statutory, not negotiable.
- 2Digital is fine, provided the original (or a conversion where authenticity and integrity are demonstrable) is preserved. Scan a paper invoice and toss the original is allowed, if the scan process is documented.
- 3Build retention into the accounting tool or DMS. Delete after 7 years, not earlier, even during "tidy-ups".
- 4For VAT on real-estate investments, a 9-year review period plus year of first use applies. Check with your accountant for scope.
When to bring us in
International trade can mean longer or country-specific rules. Ask your accountant or a tax advisor; do not guess.
See also
- Does NIS2 apply to my company?Two questions decide it: are you in a listed sector, and do you meet the threshold from Recommendation 2003/361/EC (more than 50 FTE and more than EUR 10M turnover or balance sheet). Below that you are only indirectly in scope, via your customers. The threshold determines whether you are an important or essential entity depending on sector.
- What changes with the Dutch Cyber Security Act?The Cyberbeveiligingswet is the Dutch implementation of NIS2. Track NCSC for the exact effective date and the lower regulations.
- Am I personally liable as a director under NIS2?Yes. The board is accountable for approving and overseeing the cyber measures. Severe negligence can become personal.
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