Audit Readiness 6 min read August 02, 2026

Aerospace Record Retention: How Long Must Machine Shops Keep NC & CAPA Records?

Detailed guide to aerospace record retention requirements (10 years, 40 years for flight safety, or life-of-program) and how to avoid ITAR / CUI storage liability.

Standard Aerospace Retention Timeframes

Under AS9100D Clause 7.5.3 and standard prime customer purchase order clauses:

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**General Commercial Aerospace**: Minimum of **10 years** from date of final shipment.

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**Flight Safety / Critical Parts (Fracture Critical)**: Minimum of **40 years** or life-of-aircraft (Commercial and Defense Prime OEMs).

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**Space & Launch Vehicles (DoD & Civil Space Programs)**: Often **indefinite** or 10 years past program retirement.

Keeping Your QMS Out of ITAR / CUI Data-Handling Scope

A critical design consideration for small aerospace suppliers is avoiding unnecessary exposure to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or ITAR technical data regulations in non-core software tools.

By keeping your NC and CAPA system focused on metadata (drawing zone references, balloon callout numbers, CAGE codes, dimensional discrepancies, and inspection photos) rather than storing full 3D CAD files or classified blueprints inside your nonconformance tracker, you keep your quality log agile, secure, and compliant without requiring multi-million dollar GovCloud overhead.

Download our Aerospace Record Retention Schedule Matrix.Includes Excel sheet, CSV mapping, and Clause 8.7 / 10.2 registrar checklist.

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