Logistics and distribution
How long should logistics companies keep shipping records?
By SourceX Editorial · Reviewed by Noah Loul ·
Short answer
How long to keep shipping records depends on the strictest rule that applies to each document: federal transportation rules for brokers and carriers, customs recordkeeping for import entries, tax rules, contract terms and claim deadlines. Set retention per document type from those drivers, confirm current periods with counsel, and archive rather than delete records that still have value.
Key takeaways
- No single retention period fits a logistics company; each document type has its own driver, and the role the company played on the shipment matters.
- Brokers, carriers, 3PLs and customs brokers keep different records under different rules, even for the same shipment.
- A legal hold for a claim or lawsuit overrides the normal schedule until counsel releases it.
- Contracts and privacy laws may require deleting records that no regulation requires keeping, so retention and deletion are planned together.
What sets retention for shipping records?#
Retention for shipping records is set by several independent sources, and the longest applicable period for a given document usually wins unless a deletion duty applies. A COO building a schedule needs to know which sources reach which documents, then have counsel and the accountant confirm the current periods.
The role the company played matters as much as the document. The same bill of lading can be a broker's transaction record, a carrier's proof of the contract of carriage and a 3PL's evidence for a client billing dispute, and each role carries different obligations.
- Transportation regulations: federal rules require licensed brokers and motor carriers to keep certain transaction, safety and driver records for set periods.
- Hazardous materials rules: shippers and carriers keep shipping papers for hazmat loads for a set period.
- Customs recordkeeping: importers and customs brokers keep entry records and supporting documents under CBP rules.
- Tax and accounting: records supporting revenue, costs and deductions are kept while they may matter for a return or an audit.
- Contracts: shipper agreements, carrier agreements and 3PL service agreements may set their own retention or return-and-delete terms.
- Claims and litigation: cargo claim deadlines, limitation periods and insurance requirements keep files alive.
- Business value: pricing history, dispute evidence and operational learning may justify keeping records longer where nothing prohibits it.
Which federal periods can a schedule anchor to?#
A few federal periods are specific enough to anchor a logistics retention schedule, though each is a minimum rather than a limit and counsel should confirm the current text. FMCSA guidance says that under 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1) a motor carrier must keep drivers' records of duty status and all supporting documents for six months from the date of receipt.
That rule reaches further than driver logs. FMCSA counts bills of lading, itineraries, schedules and similar documents showing trip origin and destination among supporting documents, so a carrier's bill of lading can carry a safety-rule period as well as its commercial and claims periods. Driver qualification files run longer, and tax records follow IRS limitation periods.
| Record | Rule or guidance | Minimum period |
|---|---|---|
| Records of duty status and supporting documents, including bills of lading | 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1), per FMCSA guidance | Six months from the date of receipt |
| ELD records of duty status and back-up data | FMCSA ELD guidance; back-up kept on a separate device under 49 CFR 395.22(i) | Six months, stored in a way that protects driver privacy |
| Driver qualification files | 49 CFR 391.51(c) | Length of employment plus three years; some items removable three years after execution |
| Records supporting income, deductions or credits | IRS guidance on the period of limitations | Generally three years; longer in specific cases such as substantially underreported income |
| Employment tax records | IRS guidance | At least four years after the tax is due or paid, whichever is later |
Retention drivers by document type#
Retention drivers differ by document type, so a schedule lists documents, not departments. The table names the typical driver for each common shipping document and notes how it is usually archived and what it is worth beyond compliance. Periods are left out here because most depend on the company's role as broker, carrier, 3PL or customs broker; confirm each one against current rules.
| Document | Typical retention driver | Archive and value note |
|---|---|---|
| Bills of lading | Transportation rules, claims, contracts | Keep linked to the load or order number; core evidence in disputes |
| Proof of delivery | Claims, billing disputes, contracts | Images are bulky; index them by load so they stay retrievable |
| Rate confirmations and carrier agreements | Broker transaction rules, contracts, tax | Revisions matter as much as originals for pricing history |
| Freight invoices and carrier settlements | Tax and accounting, audits | Keep with the rate confirmation they settle |
| Customs entry records | CBP recordkeeping rules for importers and brokers | Keep classification support with the entry, not in a separate drive |
| Hazmat shipping papers | Hazardous materials rules | Store separately enough that they can be produced quickly |
| Driver logs and qualification files | Motor carrier safety rules (see the federal periods above) | Personal data; restrict access and delete when no longer required |
| Cargo claim files | Claim deadlines, limitation periods, insurance | Closed claims with outcomes are instructive records |
| WMS order and inventory records | Client contracts, tax, inventory audits | Client agreements may require return or deletion at exit |
| EDI transaction logs and emails | Contracts, disputes, legal holds | Often the only record of changes agreed after booking |
Why one company-wide period fails#
One company-wide retention period fails because it either keeps too little to satisfy the strictest rule or keeps everything forever. Keeping everything sounds safe, but it raises storage cost, enlarges what must be searched in litigation and conflicts with privacy expectations for personal data such as driver records and consumer delivery addresses.
The opposite mistake is common after a system migration. A company moves to a new TMS or WMS, carries over open loads or orders and lets the old system's subscription lapse. Closed history that rules or contracts still require may disappear with it, along with the pricing and exception history the company could have used.
When retention and deletion obligations conflict#
Retention and deletion obligations conflict more often than logistics companies expect, especially for 3PLs holding client data and for any company holding personal data. Some state privacy laws expect businesses not to keep personal information longer than reasonably necessary for the disclosed purpose, while client contracts may require return or deletion at termination.
The table shows common conflicts and the usual way through them. This is general information, not legal advice; rules change and contracts differ, so confirm each case with counsel.
| Situation | What usually takes priority | Practical step |
|---|---|---|
| A claim or lawsuit is pending or expected | Legal hold | Suspend deletion for affected records until counsel releases the hold |
| A regulation requires keeping a record the client wants deleted | The legal requirement, within its scope | Keep only what the rule covers and document why |
| A client contract requires deletion at exit | The contract, subject to legal requirements | Return or delete client data and record the certificate |
| Personal data is kept beyond its purpose | Privacy expectations | Delete or de-identify the personal fields while keeping operational records where allowed |
| A system is being retired | All of the above | Export required history in a readable format before access ends |
How to build a retention schedule#
A retention schedule for a logistics company is built from an inventory of documents and systems, then mapped to drivers and confirmed by counsel. The work is mostly operational and can be led by the COO with input from finance, compliance and IT.
- Inventory every document type and the system that holds it: TMS, WMS, ERP, EDI platform, email, shared drives and scanning tools.
- Record the company's role for each document: broker, carrier, 3PL, forwarder or customs broker.
- Map each document to its retention drivers and ask counsel and the accountant to confirm current periods.
- Set the trigger event for each period, such as delivery date, invoice date, contract end or claim closure.
- Configure purge and archive settings in each system to match, and check them after every upgrade.
- Write a legal hold procedure that can stop deletion quickly.
- Review the schedule on a fixed cycle and whenever a system is replaced.
Illustrative: a carrier with a brokerage arm retires its TMS#
Illustrative: a fictional regional truckload carrier with a brokerage division is replacing its long-used TMS. The vendor will end access shortly after the cutover, and the migration plan covers only active customers, open loads and current rates.
The COO's retention review finds that broker transaction records, carrier settlements and closed claim files in the old system are still within periods counsel identifies, and that rate confirmation revisions and exception notes exist nowhere else. Driver qualification files sit in a separate safety system and are unaffected.
The decision is to export closed loads, rate confirmations with revisions, settlements, claim files and exception notes to a documented archive in open formats, with an index by load number. Driver personal data in dispatch notes is flagged for deletion once its periods end. The archive meets the retention schedule and preserves history the company may later want to analyze or license.
Records worth keeping beyond the minimum#
Records worth keeping beyond the minimum are those that show decisions and outcomes: rate confirmation revisions, exception notes, claim resolutions and client dispute histories. Where no contract or privacy rule requires deletion, these records can support pricing analysis, training and, with rights cleared, licensing to AI developers.
SourceX works with logistics companies whose archives may qualify for licensing, using the SourceX five-step transaction: Supply, Rights, Preparation, Approval and Delivery. Nothing is shared during the initial assessment, large archives stay in the company's own storage or ship on encrypted drives, and each approved package carries a SourceX Evidence Packet. Retention compliance always comes first; licensing applies only to records the company may lawfully keep and use.
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep scanned or electronic copies instead of paper?
Many recordkeeping rules generally accept electronic copies if they are accurate, complete and can be produced in readable form when requested, but some rules set specific conditions. Check each applicable rule, keep the scanning process documented and make sure images are indexed so they can be found by load or entry number.
Who keeps the bill of lading, the broker or the carrier?
Often both, for different reasons. The carrier keeps it as evidence of the shipment it handled, the broker as part of its transaction records and the shipper for its own claims and accounting. Each party's retention duty is separate, so one party's archive does not satisfy another's obligation.
What happens to client records when a 3PL client leaves?
The service agreement usually decides. Many require the 3PL to return or delete client data at termination, sometimes with an exception for records the 3PL must keep by law. Document what was returned, what was deleted and what was retained under a legal requirement.
What happens to shipping records when a logistics company shuts down?
Retention obligations do not end when operations stop. Someone, often a wind-down officer or the owners, must keep required records accessible for their remaining periods. Export data before systems and subscriptions are switched off, because recovering it afterward can be difficult or impossible.
Should emails follow the same schedule as TMS records?
Emails about specific shipments often contain the only record of changes, approvals and disputes, so they may need the same retention as the load or order they concern. Mailbox-wide deletion rules can conflict with that, so align email policies with the document schedule and with any legal hold.
Sources
- FMCSA guidance says that under 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1) a motor carrier must keep each driver's records of duty status and all supporting documents, such as bills of lading, itineraries and schedules, for six months from the date of receipt. Source
- Motor carriers must retain ELD records of duty status and back-up data for six months, keep the back-up on a separate device under 49 CFR 395.22(i), and store records in a manner that protects driver privacy. Source
- 49 CFR 391.51(c) requires each driver qualification file to be retained for as long as the carrier employs the driver and for three years thereafter, with certain items removable three years after execution under 391.51(d). Source
- The IRS says to keep records supporting income, deductions or credits until the period of limitations runs out, generally 3 years with longer periods in specific cases, and employment tax records for at least 4 years. Source
Related resources
- IndustryFreight brokerages data
- QuestionDo AI labs buy legal documents?
- QuestionWhat is the AI data supply chain?
- InsightCan licensing pricing data to AI create antitrust risk?
- InsightCan a distributor license its pricing and quote history?
- InsightDoes licensing company data need lender consent under a credit agreement?
See if your company qualifies
A short company assessment. No data uploads are needed.