Brokerage records · 6 statesReal estate transaction record retention by state: how long to keep the file
Brokerage transaction files must be kept for three to five years, depending on the state, and the clock usually starts at closing or when the transaction ends: three years in California, Washington, Virginia and North Carolina, five years in Florida and Arizona. The broker is responsible, so a transaction coordinator's files should end up complete in the brokerage's system – contracts, disclosures, earnest money records, closing statements and, in some states, the advertising and square-footage notes.
State by state
California – 3 years (B&P §10148)
Listings, deposit receipts, canceled checks, trust records and other documents, from closing – or from the listing date if the deal does not close. Ephemeral electronic messages are not required.
Florida – 5 years (§475.5015)
All brokerage records, from receipt of entrusted funds or, if none, from execution of the listing, offer or other agreement; plus 2 years after litigation ends, never less than 5 in total.
Arizona – 5 years (A.R.S. §32-2151.01)
Earnest money receipts, closing statements, sales contracts and employment records, for at least five years after the transaction ends, kept in an Arizona office or a notified Arizona storage site.
Washington – 3 years (WAC 308-124C-110)
Records available for inspection for at least three years; electronic storage allowed if retrieval is immediate, including offers, counteroffers, electronic communications and trust records.
Virginia – 3 years (18VAC135-20-185)
Brokerage agreements and agency disclosures 3 years from execution; contracts, releases, settlement statements and other transaction documents 3 years from closing or from ratification if it fails; trust records 3 years.
North Carolina – 3 years (21 NCAC 58A .0108)
Three years after all funds are disbursed or the transaction concludes, whichever is later, including BPOs, square-footage documentation and advertising; brokers send documents to the firm within three days of receipt.
What a complete file usually holds
- Listing or buyer agreement and agency disclosures.
- Offers, counteroffers, the executed contract, amendments and any release.
- Earnest money receipt and trust account records.
- Seller disclosures and required notices, signed.
- The final closing or settlement statement.
What the TC does at close-out
- Check every required document is signed and in the file before closing it.
- Send the complete file to the brokerage within its deadline – three days in North Carolina.
- Note the retention start date: closing, termination or last disbursement.
- Keep electronic copies retrievable and printable, as Washington requires.
Questions about real estate record retention
How long do real estate brokers keep transaction records in California?
Three years from closing, or from the listing date if the transaction did not close (Bus. & Prof. Code §10148).
How long must a Florida broker keep records?
At least five years from receipt of entrusted funds or, if none, from execution of the agreement, and longer if the records were involved in litigation (§475.5015).
How long do Arizona brokers keep transaction files?
At least five years after the transaction ends (A.R.S. §32-2151.01).
Can transaction records be kept electronically?
Generally yes; Washington, for example, allows electronic storage if retrieval of all documents is immediate and they can be viewed and printed at the firm's office.
Who is responsible for keeping the records – the agent, the TC or the broker?
The rules put the duty on the broker; agents and TCs deliver complete files to the brokerage.
Related guides
Keep every signed document with the deal in ClosingCode and track anything still missing as a task with an owner and due date before the file is closed.
Start free trialSources: California Bus. & Prof. Code §10148; Florida Statutes §475.5015; A.R.S. §32-2151.01; RCW 18.85.285 and WAC 308-124C-110; 18VAC135-20-185; 21 NCAC 58A .0108 – read at the official sources on October 24, 2026.
General information, not legal advice. ClosingCode is software; it is not a law firm or brokerage.