Reviewed by Malik Danial, operator of BillCraftPro.
Last updated: September 21, 2026
Short answer: Canadian businesses generally need to keep invoices and other records for at least six years from the end of the last tax year to which they relate. This can include sales invoices, purchase invoices, receipts, contracts, bank records, and supporting documents used to report income or claim expenses.
The six-year rule is a general Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) record-retention rule, not a suggestion to keep only the invoices that remain unpaid. Paid invoices matter too because they help support your reported business income, expenses, and—in some cases—GST/HST reporting.
This guide explains the federal rule in practical terms for Canadian freelancers, sole proprietors, and small businesses. It is general information, not individualized tax or legal advice. If your business has unusual circumstances, unresolved tax issues, or records connected to a corporation or legal dispute, ask a qualified adviser before destroying anything.
How long does the CRA require you to keep invoices?
The CRA says businesses are generally required to keep records for a minimum of six years from the end of the last tax year to which the records relate. The CRA’s definition of a record is broad and includes invoices, agreements, books, statements, vouchers, and other documents containing relevant information.
You can review the CRA’s guidance on business records and supporting documents for the federal rule and examples of records that may be required.
For GST/HST purposes, the CRA also says that sales and purchase invoices, along with other business records related to GST/HST, usually need to be kept for six years from the end of the year to which they relate. See the CRA’s page on GST/HST records to keep.
What does “six years” mean in practice?
The retention period is generally measured from the end of the relevant tax year—not simply from the date printed on the invoice.
For example, suppose a Canadian sole proprietor using a calendar tax year issues an invoice dated June 15, 2026. If the invoice relates to the 2026 tax year, a cautious general approach would be to keep it through at least the end of 2032. This example assumes the invoice is not connected to a special circumstance that requires a longer retention period.
Businesses with non-calendar fiscal years should apply the same general principle to the tax year or reporting period to which the record relates. When in doubt, keep the record longer and confirm the correct treatment with an accountant or the CRA.
Which invoice records should you keep?
A useful record-keeping system should preserve more than the final invoice PDF. You should be able to show what was sold, to whom, when it was sold, how much was charged, what taxes applied, and whether and when the amount was paid.
Depending on your business, keep the following:
- Sales invoices: invoices you issue to clients or customers.
- Purchase invoices and receipts: documents supporting business expenses and purchases.
- Credit notes and revised invoices: records showing how an original charge was corrected.
- Payment evidence: bank deposits, payment confirmations, cancelled cheques, or other records that connect a payment to an invoice.
- Contracts and statements of work: documents explaining the agreed price, scope, payment terms, or billing schedule.
- GST/HST support: tax-related invoices and working papers used for GST/HST returns or input tax credit claims, where applicable.
- Client communications: relevant emails or messages that explain a change in scope, refund, cancellation, discount, or disputed charge.
The CRA states that income records should support the amount and source of business income. Its guidance identifies original documents such as sales invoices, receipts, bank deposit slips, contracts, and fee statements as examples of useful supporting records.
Do you need to keep paper invoices?
Not necessarily. The CRA provides guidance for paper and electronic records. An electronic record can be useful if it remains clear, readable, accessible, and sufficiently detailed to allow the CRA to determine the relevant tax information.
That means scanning a paper invoice and immediately throwing away the original may not always be the right decision. The quality of the electronic copy, the nature of the document, and the applicable rules matter. For records that are difficult to reproduce or especially important, consider retaining the original unless you have confirmed that your digitization process meets the applicable requirements.
The CRA’s broader record-keeping guidance covers electronic formats, imaging paper documents, backup copies, and organizing business records.
What makes an electronic invoice record useful?
A practical electronic record should be:
- Readable: the invoice can be opened and understood without relying on a damaged or obsolete file.
- Complete: the file includes the invoice number, dates, customer information, line items, totals, taxes where applicable, and payment terms.
- Traceable: you can connect the invoice to related payments, refunds, credit notes, contracts, and bookkeeping entries.
- Protected: unauthorized people cannot casually alter or delete it.
- Backed up: a device failure does not destroy your only copy.
PDF is often a practical format for a finalized invoice because it preserves the visible document layout. However, the file format alone does not replace proper bookkeeping. Keep the supporting payment and transaction records too.
A simple invoice record-keeping system for Canadian small businesses
You do not need a complicated filing system to begin. Consistency is more valuable than a large collection of folders that you rarely update.
1. Use a predictable file name
Choose a format that lets you identify the document without opening it. For example:
2026-06-15_INV-2026-0147_Northstar-Design_1250.00-CAD.pdf
This fictional example includes the invoice date, invoice number, customer name, amount, and currency. Use fictional or non-sensitive details when creating examples, and avoid putting unnecessary personal information in file names.
2. Separate issued and received documents
A basic structure could look like this:
Business Records / 2026 / Sales Invoices /Business Records / 2026 / Purchase Invoices /Business Records / 2026 / Payments and Deposits /Business Records / 2026 / GST-HST Support /Business Records / 2026 / Contracts and Changes /
If you operate more than one business, keep separate records for each business. This makes it easier to reconcile income and expenses and reduces the risk of mixing personal and business transactions.
3. Record payment status
Mark each sales invoice as unpaid, partially paid, paid, refunded, cancelled, or disputed. Keep the date and amount of each payment. A simple spreadsheet can include the invoice number, client, issue date, due date, subtotal, tax, total, payment date, and balance.
This is especially helpful when an invoice is paid in instalments or when a client pays several invoices in one transaction.
4. Reconcile regularly
At a regular interval, compare your issued invoices with your bank deposits and bookkeeping records. Look for missing invoices, duplicate entries, unrecorded refunds, and payments that have been applied to the wrong customer or invoice.
Regular reconciliation is easier than trying to reconstruct an entire year of transactions before filing a tax return.
5. Back up the records
Keep at least one backup that would remain available if your main computer or phone were lost, damaged, or stolen. Test that you can actually open the backup. A backup that has never been checked may not be usable when you need it.
What if an invoice is corrected or cancelled?
Do not simply delete the original invoice and keep only the replacement. Preserve an audit trail showing what happened. Depending on the situation, that may include:
- the original invoice;
- the corrected invoice or credit note;
- the date and reason for the change;
- the client communication confirming the correction; and
- payment or refund evidence.
For example, if a fictional client was accidentally charged for 10 hours instead of 8, retain the original document and create a clear correction for the two-hour difference. This makes the final amount easier to explain later than deleting the first version.
Can you delete invoices after six years?
Six years is generally a minimum, not an automatic instruction to destroy every record immediately afterward. The CRA may require records to be kept longer in some circumstances, including where a record is connected to an unresolved matter or where the CRA has asked for additional retention.
The CRA’s GST/HST guidance says the agency may ask you to keep invoices longer than six years. You must send a written request and wait for CRA approval before destroying GST/HST records earlier. Review the relevant CRA guidance before disposing of records, particularly if the documents relate to an audit, objection, appeal, reassessment, litigation, or another open matter.
Some corporate records can also have different retention considerations. A corporation, partnership, estate, or business with employees may need a more tailored record schedule than a simple sole-proprietor invoice folder.
How BillCraftPro can help with the invoice document itself
Once you know what information your invoice should contain, you can use BillCraftPro’s free online invoice generator to prepare an invoice document for your customer. Before saving it, check the invoice number, date, customer details, line items, totals, currency, applicable tax information, payment terms, and contact details.
BillCraftPro processes invoice information inside the user’s browser and does not intentionally transmit or store that invoice information on BillCraftPro servers, according to the site’s stated product information. You are still responsible for saving your finalized invoices and related business records in a way that works for your bookkeeping and tax obligations.
FAQ: keeping invoices in Canada
Do I need to keep invoices if the customer already has a copy?
Yes. Your copy supports your own income records and may be needed to explain business revenue, GST/HST reporting, payment history, or an adjustment. A customer having a copy does not replace your record-keeping responsibility.
Do I need to keep unpaid invoices?
Yes. Unpaid invoices can show amounts receivable, collection history, disputed charges, or later write-offs. Keep the invoice and relevant follow-up records until the applicable retention period has passed.
How long should I keep GST/HST invoices?
GST/HST-related sales and purchase invoices usually need to be kept for six years from the end of the year to which they relate. Keep the related working papers and payment evidence as well, and check CRA guidance for exceptions.
Is an emailed invoice enough?
An emailed invoice may be part of your records, but keep the finalized invoice file and relevant supporting information. Preserve the details needed to connect the invoice to the transaction, tax treatment, payment, and any later correction.
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Conclusion
For most Canadian businesses, the practical baseline is to keep invoices and supporting records for at least six years from the end of the relevant tax year. Save paid and unpaid invoices, preserve corrections rather than deleting them, maintain payment evidence, back up electronic files, and keep records organized by year and transaction type.
A consistent process protects more than your tax files. It also makes it easier to answer customer questions, find unpaid invoices, prepare for tax filing, and understand how your business is performing.
