Retention periods for accounting records differ between the two countries. Slovakia keeps accounting documents, books and financial statements for 10 years, while the Czech Republic keeps ordinary accounting documents for just 5 years and financial statements for 10. VAT documents are kept 10 years in both, and Czech payroll records for pension purposes as long as 45 years. Documents may only be shredded once the retention period has expired.
How long must accounting documents be kept?
This is the main difference between the two systems. In Slovakia, §35 of the Accounting Act sets a single 10-year period for virtually all key records — financial statements, accounting documents, books, the depreciation plan, inventory lists and the chart of accounts. In the Czech Republic, §31 of its Accounting Act splits the rule: financial statements and annual reports for 10 years, but ordinary accounting documents and books for only 5 years.
The practical lesson is simple: never copy the Czech five-year rule into a Slovak file or vice versa. A document from 2026 must be kept until the end of 2036 in Slovakia, but ordinary documents only until the end of 2031 in the Czech Republic. The type of records you generate depends on your bookkeeping system, which we cover in our guide to professional accounting in Slovakia.
How long are invoices and tax documents archived?
For VAT purposes the two countries converge. Slovakia (§76 of its VAT Act) and the Czech Republic (§35 of its VAT Act) both require invoices and tax documents to be kept for 10 years from the end of the period they relate to. So even where the Czech accounting rule is five years, any document relevant for VAT must still be kept for ten.
Throughout the period, the authenticity of origin, integrity of content and legibility of each document must be ensured in both countries. Storing a file is not enough — it must remain complete and verifiable until the end of the retention period.
How do the periods relate to a tax audit?
Retention exists so the tax authority can review past periods. In Slovakia the right to assess tax generally lapses after five years, seven where a tax loss is claimed, with an absolute cap of ten. The Czech Accounting Act (§32) adds that records used for other purposes — tax, warranty or complaints — must be kept as long as those purposes require, often beyond the basic period.
In both countries, keeping complete records at least for the assessment window is what lets you defend even a correctly filed tax. For how invoicing feeds these records, see our guide on how to issue a domestic invoice in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Which documents need longer retention?
Payroll is where the two systems diverge the most. The Czech Republic requires payroll records for pension purposes to be kept for 45 calendar years under §35a of Act No. 582/1991 (10 years for pensioners). Slovakia has no single fixed statutory figure of this kind; payroll records are treated as accounting records (at least 10 years) and otherwise governed by the employer’s records-management plan.
The takeaway: a Czech employer must plan for decades of payroll storage, whereas a Slovak employer follows the general accounting period plus its own filing plan. Do not assume the same number applies on both sides of the border.
Can documents be archived electronically?
Yes, in both countries. Records may be kept in paper, electronic or combined form. For digital archiving, the authenticity, integrity and legibility of the document must be guaranteed for the whole retention period. Where a paper document is converted to electronic form, that reliability must be preserved.
Electronic archiving saves space and speeds up retrieval, but it does not remove the company’s responsibility to keep records intact and accessible. Set the rules before paper originals start being destroyed.
How does shredding work and when can you destroy documents?
Documents may be destroyed only after the retention period has expired. Slovakia regulates this through its Act on Archives and Registries (No. 395/2002), the Czech Republic through its Act on Archiving and Records Service (No. 499/2004). Both require a records plan with retention periods and a formal shredding procedure; in Slovakia the disposal of registry records is subject to the approval of the competent state archive.
Keep any documents that may still be needed for an ongoing dispute or audit beyond the minimum period. When in doubt about a specific type of record, consult your accountant before shredding.
Not sure which documents you can already shred and which you must still keep? We will go through the retention periods with you, set up a clear archiving system and help with safe disposal once the periods expire.
FAQ
How long must I keep accounting documents?
In Slovakia, key accounting records are kept for 10 years under §35 of the Accounting Act. In the Czech Republic, ordinary accounting documents are kept for 5 years, but financial statements for 10. VAT documents are kept for 10 years in both countries. The period runs from the end of the year the records relate to.
Are the retention periods the same in Slovakia and the Czech Republic?
No. The biggest difference is ordinary accounting documents: 10 years in Slovakia versus 5 years in the Czech Republic. VAT documents are 10 years in both, while Czech payroll records for pension purposes reach 45 years. Never apply one country’s figure to the other.
Can I scan paper invoices and destroy the originals?
Both countries allow paper, electronic or combined archiving, so digitising is possible. You must preserve the authenticity, integrity and legibility of the document for the whole retention period. For sensitive records it is safer to keep the originals until the period expires.