Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 section 886A

Retention and inspection of records in relation to claims by individuals

Section 886A requires individuals claiming tax allowances, deductions or reliefs to keep supporting records, sets out the retention period, and gives Revenue the power to enquire into claims and request documentation.

• Individuals must keep all records needed to support a claim for any allowance, deduction or relief, and retain them for six years after the end of the relevant tax year or until any Revenue enquiry is completed, whichever is later.
• Failure to keep the required records carries a penalty of €1,520, but this penalty does not apply where the individual can prove the relevant facts through other documentary evidence.
• A Revenue officer may open an enquiry into a claim or any amendment of a claim, provided notice is given within four years from the end of the year of assessment in which the claim or amendment was made.
• The individual may supply photocopies instead of original documents, but the Revenue officer may insist on seeing the originals and may take copies or extracts from any documents produced.