How long to keep diving records: retention periods by jurisdiction
Retention periods for dive records differ between jurisdictions and between the contractor's and the diver's own records. Here they are side by side, each with its source.
- Built from
- 5 primary sources Law
- Sources last checked
- 28 Sep 2026
- Editorial check
- 28 Sep 2026
How to read this page: four kinds of statement
- Law Law / regulation
- Legislation: Acts, regulations and statutory instruments. It has the force of law in its jurisdiction.
- ACOP / code Approved Code of Practice or code with legal status
- A code the law itself gives special status (for example an HSE Approved Code of Practice). Following it is one way of complying; alternatives must be at least as good.
- Guidance Regulator or industry guidance
- Guidance, industry codes and standards. No legal force by itself, although clients, contracts or regulators may call it up.
- Explanation Marine Deep explanation
- Our own plain-English explanation. It is not a requirement and not legal advice.
Every law, code and guidance statement links to its primary source. Read the source before relying on it: our summary is not a substitute.
Explanation Marine Deep's explanation, not a requirement.
Retention rules answer "how long at least". Contracts, insurers, clients and your own procedures can ask for longer. Where more than one rule applies, check each one; the periods below are minimums from the regulations themselves.
Great Britain
United States
- LawDive records must be kept for 1 year, or 5 years where there has been a case of decompression sickness. 29 CFR 1910 Subpart T, § 1910.440(b)(3)(iv)
- LawOther retention periods: safe practices manual (current version only), depth-time profiles (until the dive record or decompression assessment is complete), decompression assessments and hospitalisation records (5 years), equipment records (current entry or tag, or until withdrawn from service). 29 CFR 1910 Subpart T, § 1910.440(b)(3)(ii), (iii), (v)–(vii)
- LawAfter a reported casualty, logbooks and related reports must be kept on board for 6 months, or until the Officer-in-Charge, Marine Inspection, says otherwise, and made available to Coast Guard investigators. 46 CFR 197 Subpart B, § 197.488
Canada
- LawThe diving contractor has to retain diving operations logbooks and records delivered by supervisors for at least two years after the last entry. COGDR SOR/88-600, s. 9(5)(n)
- LawEach diver has to keep a personal log of all dives and exposures for two years after the last entry, with each dive verified and initialled by the diving supervisor. BC OHSR Part 24, s. 24.14(1)–(2)