---
kind: "section"
citation: "21 C.F.R. § 1.360"
title: "21"
number: "1.360"
heading: "What are the record retention requirements?"
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/21/1.360"
---

# §1.360. What are the record retention requirements?

- (a) You must create the required records when you receive and release food, except to the extent that the information is contained in existing records.
- (b) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 6 months after the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any food having a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability within 60 days after the date you receive or release the food.
- (c) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 1 year after the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability occurs only after a minimum of 60 days, but within 6 months, after the date you receive or release the food.
- (d) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 2 years after the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability does not occur sooner than 6 months after the date you receive or release the food, including foods preserved by freezing, dehydrating, or being placed in a hermetically sealed container.
- (e) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 1 year after the dates you receive and release the food all required records for animal food, including pet food.
- (f) If you are a transporter or nontransporter retaining records on behalf of a transporter, you must retain for 6 months after the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any food having a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability within 60 days after the date the transporter receives or releases the food. If you are a transporter, or nontransporter retaining records on behalf of a transporter, you must retain for 1 year after the dates you receive and release the food, all required records for any food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability occurs only after a minimum of 60 days after the date the transporter receives or releases the food.
- (g) You must retain all records at the establishment where the covered activities described in the records occurred (onsite) or at a reasonably accessible location.
- (h) **The maintenance of electronic records is acceptable.** Electronic records are considered to be onsite if they are accessible from an onsite location.

## Notes

### Source

Source: 69 FR 71651, Dec. 9, 2004, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1333, 1453, 1454, 1455, 4402; 19 U.S.C. 1490, 1491; 21 U.S.C. 321, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335a, 342, 343, 350c, 350d, 350j, 352, 355, 360b, 360ccc, 360ccc-1, 360ccc-2, 362, 371, 374, 381, 382, 384a, 387, 387a, 387c, 393, and 2223; 42 U.S.C. 216, 241, 243, 262, 264, 271.

### Source

Source: 42 FR 15553, Mar. 22, 1977, unless otherwise noted.