How Long Should You Keep Propane Inspection Records?
How Long Should You Keep Propane Inspection Records?
No single number covers every file; the period depends on the record type. The one fixed rule is for hazmat training records: the current record plus the preceding three years, kept while the person is employed and for 90 days after (49 CFR 172.704(d)). Have your reviewer check the rules and terms first. Keep the final schedule with the office filing plan. List each file type, its owner and any holds before you approve when to delete it.
Reviewed Oct 2026
Sort the file before choosing a period
Create separate groups for site checks, leak checks, repairs and employee training. Ask your reviewer which rule or term sets the period for each group. Show which site and work the files cover.
One exact rule belongs to training
For hazmat employees, 49 CFR 172.704(d) requires the current training record, including the preceding three years. Keep it while the person is employed as a hazmat employee and for 90 days after. That is a training-record rule, not a tank-inspection retention term.
Make deletion a reviewed task
As a proposed office process, check for open issues and record holds before any deletion. Ask your reviewers what stops the normal schedule.
Tank Spotter lists safety forms and issue records. Compare your filing needs with those tools, and confirm export and retention arrangements before relying on them.
Questions and answers
Can this page give one number for all tank records?
This page gives no single period for all checks. Ask the reviewer for the source that applies to each file group.
Does DOT’s training rule cover leak-check files?
The cited paragraph covers hazmat employee training records. Do not use its period as a substitute for reviewing inspection records.
Should the office delete records when a customer leaves?
Use the reviewed schedule and check any hold first. Do not make account closure the only deletion trigger.
What should we ask about a digital system?
Ask how to export a complete file, who can access it and what happens when the account ends. Get those terms in writing.
About Bill Stomp
Bill Stomp built Tank Spotter. He is a war veteran who ran over 87 propane branch offices across 12 states, and he has helped more than 200 propane companies improve their profits, sales, safety and operations.
Next step
Book a demo and ask us how export and retention work for your files.
General information, not legal advice.