Real-estate documents: 20 years instead of 10

Scope: what exactly applies

The gap to the ten years is not a nicety but the most frequent expensive mix-up in this area. A tradesman's invoice connected to a property is not simply an invoice: it belongs to the documents on immovable property and therefore runs for twenty years. The same goes for purchase contracts, construction-cost statements, architect contracts and conveyancing records. The reason lies in VAT: with properties an input-tax correction can still come up decades later, and then the vouchers are needed. A second point that often gets missed: the twenty years are a floor, not a ceiling — while the tax limitation period is still running, the retention obligation stays.

When does the period start? An example

A document from March 2026 belongs to the 2026 financial year and remains subject to retention until the end of 2046 — the period runs from the end of the financial year, not from the document date.

In practice with bexio

In bexio nothing distinguishes a tradesman's invoice for the property from an ordinary supplier invoice — the longer period follows from the facts, not the document type. A dedicated cost centre or a clear file name helps. quintio continuously mirrors every document into your own Google Drive, where it stays findable for twenty years, independently of the bexio subscription.

Related retention periods

• VAT-relevant documents until the absolute limitation of the tax claim
• Contracts 10 years — insofar as they substantiate an entry
• Invoices 10 years — insofar as they substantiate an entry
• Records after liquidation 10 years from the company’s deregistration
• To the retention period calculator
• Retention obligation in Switzerland: who, what, how long

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why 20 instead of 10 years for real estate?

Because Art. 70 para. 3 VAT Act sets its own, longer period for documents on immovable property — input-tax corrections on properties can arise decades later.

Does every tradesman's invoice count?

If it concerns a property, yes. What matters is the connection to the immovable property, not the label on the voucher.

After 20 years, is everything really clear?

Not necessarily. While the limitation period of the tax claim is still running, the retention obligation continues beyond that.