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Storage Limitation

What is Storage Limitation?

The principle under GDPR Article 5(1)(e) that personal data should be kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed.

Privacy

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as storage limitation. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on storage limitation

Requirements naming storage limitation across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Art.12 fairness and transparency; Art.13 purpose limitation; Art.14 accuracy; Art.15 storage limitation - personal data shall be kept for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it is processed.

ETH-PDPP-Art.12-15 · Fairness/transparency, purpose limitation, accuracy, storage limitation

Data collected for specified, explicit, legitimate purposes; adequate, relevant, not excessive; kept no longer than necessary.

MALABO-Art13-P3 · Principle of Purpose, Relevance and Storage Limitation

Schedule 1, Fifth Principle: personal data must not be kept for longer than is necessary for the purpose(s) for which they are processed.

CAYDPA-P5 · Fifth Principle - Storage Limitation

Section 8B and related provisions of POPL 5741-1981 establish purpose limitation + lawful processing principles. (1) Section 8B Use Limitations: personal information in a database may be used only for purposes for which it was collected and registered + or for...

IsraelPPL-PurposeLimitation-UseLimitations-Sec8B-LawfulProcessing-Notice-Consent-DataMinimisation · Israel POPL Purpose Limitation + Section 8B Use Limitations + Lawful Processing Bases + Notice + Consent + Data Minimisation + Storage Limitation + Amendment 13 Modernisation

Set storage-limitation and archival rules for research data, permitting longer retention for research subject to Article 89 safeguards.

RDCOC-RET-01 · Retention and Archival

Questions people ask about storage limitation

What is Storage Limitation?
The principle under GDPR Article 5(1)(e) that personal data should be kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed.
Why is Storage Limitation important for compliance?
Storage Limitation is a key concept in Privacy. Understanding storage limitation helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Storage Limitation?
Storage Limitation appears in the requirement text of Ethiopia Personal Data Protection Proclamation (No. 1321/2024), African Union Malabo Convention, Cayman Islands Data Protection Act 2017 (DPA), Israel Protection of Privacy Law (5741-1981), Jamaica Data Protection Act 2020. Across these standards we have identified 7 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Storage Limitation?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how storage limitation applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Storage Limitation applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.