How long do you need to keep invoices for tax purposes

This is general guidance, not tax advice, requirements vary by country and your specific business structure. Confirm with an accountant or your tax authority for your situation.

General guidance by region

In the UK, HMRC generally expects sole traders and limited companies to keep financial records, including invoices, for at least 5 years after the relevant tax year's filing deadline. In the US, the IRS generally recommends keeping records for at least 3 years from when you filed, though certain situations (underreported income, claims for a loss) extend that to 6 or 7 years.

When in doubt, keep it longer

Storage is essentially free for digital records, there's little practical downside to keeping invoices for 7 years even if your jurisdiction's minimum is shorter. The cost of not having a record when you need it, during an audit, a dispute, or a mortgage application that asks for proof of income, is much higher than the cost of a few extra gigabytes of storage.

Keeping them organised in practice

A folder per tax year, with invoices named consistently (invoice number and client name), is enough for most freelancers and small businesses. The goal isn't a fancy system, it's being able to find any specific invoice in under a minute if a client or accountant asks for it.