How long should you keep your police logbook?
Five, six, or ten years: the retention period for the police register depends on the register in question and its format. Here's how to find your way around.
- Paper register of used items: 5 years after its closure.
- Register of electronic second-hand items: 10 years after the data has been recorded.
- Precious Metals Register: 6 years from the date of the last recorded transaction.
- If the same register covers both, remember the longest duration.
The three durations to know
5 years
Register of second-hand items kept on paper, from its closing date (Penal Code, art. R. 321-6).
10 years
Register of second-hand items kept on electronic media, from the date of data registration (Penal Code, art. R. 321-6-1).
6 years
Register of precious metals, from the last transaction mentioned (Annex IV of the CGI, art. 56 J quaterdecies, which refers to art. L. 102 B of the Book of Tax Procedures).
From what point does counting begin?
The starting point is not the same depending on the register:
- Paper register of second-hand items : the time limit starts from the closing the register, and not of each individual entry. A register opened in 2019 and closed in 2023 is kept until 2028.
- Electronic register : each piece of data is preserved 10 years after its recording.
- Precious Metals Register : the time limit starts from the last operation registered.
Many jewelers record second-hand precious metal items in their register of second-hand goods, using a different color ink, as permitted by Appendix IV of the French General Tax Code (CGI). In this case, the register falls under both tax regimes: keep it for at least 6 years after the last transaction.
And what about the supporting documents?
The police logbook relies on other documents: supplier invoices, buyback contracts, consignment sales contracts, repair records. These supporting documents are kept. 10 years under the Commercial Code (art. L. 123-22). Keep them for as long as the register allows you to answer a question during an audit.
After the deadline: personal data
The police register contains the identity of the vendors and their identity document references. Once the legal retention period has expired, this data must not be kept without reason: the GDPR requires limiting the retention period of personal data to what is necessary.
For all the rules of the register, see our page on the electronic police logbook and our article Police logbook: what has changed since July 2025.
The history of the police logbook in Jewely Retail
In Jewely Retail, the police logbook remains accessible at all times, filterable by period and exportable as a PDF.
Sources: Penal Code, Articles R. 321-6 and R. 321-6-1; Appendix IV of the French General Tax Code, Article 56 J quaterdecies; Book of Tax Procedures, Article L. 102 B; Commercial Code, Article L. 123-22; GDPR, Article 5. This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace applicable laws or legal advice.