Guide
How long to retain cleaning records (secondary recommendations)
Managers ask “how many years of hood files do I need?” and get three different answers — fire marshal, carrier, landlord — often in the same week. Secondary sources do not agree on a single national NFPA retention number; some vendor pages claim a three-year NFPA minimum, while others say NFPA only requires records to be available to the AHJ and leave the years to local code, policy, and lease. This page is the retention decision: what real IFC/AHJ bullets and secondary carrier/vendor guidance say, and how to pick a keep-period you can defend. For what belongs in the file, see documentation binder and digital vs paper certificates.
Who sets the clock (three masters)
| Party | What they usually ask | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| AHJ / fire code | Records completed after each inspection/cleaning; often “on the premises” for a stated minimum (commonly 3 years under IFC language) | Adopted fire code section; local bulletin; walk-in inspection |
| Insurance carrier | Written reports for the policy term / prior 24–36 months at claim or renewal; some overlays longer | Policy conditions, warranties, loss-control, renewal questionnaire |
| Landlord / lease | Proof of maintenance across the tenancy or on exit / assignment | Lease maintenance exhibits; estoppel / sale packets |
Kitchen Guard (secondary, CT/NY): NFPA 96 requires records available to the AHJ on request but does not set a fixed retention period — their practical standard is at least three years. FindHoodCleaner and some other secondary pages claim an NFPA “minimum of three years”; treat that as vendor framing until you confirm the edition text your AHJ enforces. Charleston’s fire marshal bulletin (local IFC adoption) is clearer: maintain records on the premises for a minimum of three years and copy the fire code official on request.
Secondary keep-period patterns (label as secondary)
| Source type | Period often cited | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IFC §606.3.3.3 (AHJ bulletin example) | 3 years on premises | Charleston Fire Marshal IB citing 2021 IFC — local adoption, not every city |
| Carrier overlay (Facilitec secondary) | ~36 months of written reports; keep 48 months as buffer | Policy language varies; ask broker for the number in your policy |
| Vendor / operator blogs (secondary) | 3 years floor; 5 years strongly recommended | FindHoodCleaner, Superior Clean CT, others — not primary code text |
| Deficiency / AHJ notices | Until resolved + keep after (secondary: +1 year / up to 5 years) | Keep correction proof with the notice; do not shred after the reinspection stamp |
| Post-claim enhanced review | Longer retention often demanded for several renewals | Facilitec secondary: expect tighter retention after a fire claim |
What to keep for that whole window
- Written cleaning / inspection reports — full PDF, not just the invoice
- Service-label photos — and panel-tag photos when panels were opened
- Before/after path photos — filters, plenum, duct access, fan when hinged
- Suppression ITM certificates — separate licensed fire-protection vendor
- AHJ notices + corrective proof — keep past “resolved”
- Schedule / cadence notes — cooking volume category you claim
Storage: durable digital copy you control (export out of vendor portals) plus a thin printed set on-site for walk-ups. See photo evidence for renewals for folder naming that survives turnover.
Defensible habit
- Write down the three numbers: AHJ years, carrier months, lease ask
- Keep the max; digital archive costs almost nothing
- Export every visit into your drive the week of the clean
- Binder holds latest print; history lives in dated folders
- Broker gets a read-only share at renewal — not a scavenger hunt
Fragile habit
- Assuming “NFPA says three years” without checking your adopted code
- Deleting last year’s PDFs after the sticker looks current
- Only copy lives in a vendor portal nobody can log into
- Invoice folder ≠ report + photos + label shots
- Shredding deficiency packets the day the reinspection clears
Field note — pick a number, write it in the SOP
- If your city adopted IFC kitchen-hood record language like Charleston’s bulletin, plan for at least three years on-site unless your AHJ tells you otherwise in writing.
- If your broker’s renewal list asks for 24–36 months of reports, keep 48 months so one missed export does not sink the pack (Facilitec secondary practice).
- Multi-site: standardize on one corporate retention (longest common AHJ/carrier ask), not a different rule per GM.
- When vendors disagree on whether “NFPA itself” sets three years, cite your AHJ bulletin and policy — not a blog table.
Who it’s for / not for
- For: managers setting binder/Drive purge rules; multi-unit ops writing a retention SOP; anyone facing renewal or claim document requests
- Not for: treating a vendor “5 years” tip as law; shredding early because the hood sticker is current; using this as legal or insurance advice
Sources
- Charleston Fire Marshal — Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning bulletin (AHJ; cites IFC §606.3.3.3 — records maintained on premises minimum three years)
- Charleston — Commercial Kitchen Exhaust (AHJ program page)
- Kitchen Guard — How to document hood cleaning (CT/NY) (secondary; NFPA availability without fixed retention; practical ≥3 years)
- Facilitec Southwest — When insurance requires more than NFPA 96 (secondary; ~36-month carrier overlay; keep 48 months practice)
- Facilitec Southwest — Hood cleaning insurance documentation (secondary)
- FindHoodCleaner — Hood cleaning documentation (secondary; 3-year / 5-year table — verify “NFPA minimum” claims against your AHJ edition)
- Superior Clean — Hood cleaning documentation CT (secondary; ≥3 years on-site)
- IKECA FAQs
Next step
Email the broker one question: “How many months of hood cleaning reports does the carrier expect on file?” Call or check your AHJ page for record language (IFC-style three years is common where adopted). Write the longer number into the binder SOP and stop deleting folders older than that.