I-9 Audit Readiness Guide 2025

Executive summary

Complete checklist to ensure your organization is ready for I-9 audits. Topics covered include: Complete and retain Form I-9 for every active employee. Topics covered include: Retain forms for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later. Topics covered include: Purge outdated forms regularly and store I-9s separately from other personnel files. Topics covered include: Organize forms by active and inactive status to simplify audits. For readers deciding whether to download, these topics provide an overview of the questions addressed in the resource. Consider them alongside your organization's current processes, priorities, and constraints. Identify the sections most relevant to the work your team needs to do. The overview and takeaways on this page are a starting point, not a substitute for the complete publication. Use the download form to access the full resource, including its original context, explanations, and any qualifications. Read the full publication before applying its guidance to a specific organization or making decisions based on an individual finding.

Page first recorded 2025-12-10

Key takeaways

• Complete and retain Form I-9 for every active employee.
• Retain forms for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later.
• Purge outdated forms regularly and store I-9s separately from other personnel files.
• Organize forms by active and inactive status to simplify audits.