Short answer: in 2026, Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which regulates interaction between tax authorities and banking institutions, does not require accountants to print bank payment orders and file them in folders. The format for storing payment orders, statements, and execution confirmations should be determined in accordance with accounting and archival document management rules, as well as the company’s internal procedures. If an organization maintains an electronic archive, it is important to ensure that documents are kept secure and legible and can be promptly provided for the required period. Below, we explain how to organize the storage of banking documents without unnecessary paperwork.
Where Banking Documents Come From and Who Is Responsible for Them
The company’s relationship with the bank and the procedure for obtaining transaction documents are governed by the banking services agreement and the rules applied by the bank. The Tax Code primarily regards banking institutions as participants in tax administration: they assist tax authorities and exchange the prescribed information with them.
In practice, the format of transaction documents—payment orders, statements, and confirmations—depends on the banking system used. When online banking is used, documents are created and processed electronically, while completed transactions are reflected in the bank statement. A printout of such a document is its paper representation; therefore, a folder of printouts does not in itself replace the organized storage of electronic files and related data.
Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan establishes that information is exchanged between banking institutions and tax authorities via telecommunications networks. Information is sent on paper if a technical failure occurs. This provision concerns interaction between a bank and a tax authority and does not require a taxpayer to print every payment order (Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
Information Is Transmitted Electronically—Paper Is Not Needed “Just in Case”
Accountants often print payment orders “just in case”: for example, if payment needs to be confirmed later and prompt access to online banking is no longer available. However, the reliability of an archive depends not on the number of printouts but on how consistently the company retains its documents and whether it can match them to transactions recorded in its accounts.
Banking institutions must notify the tax authority of the opening and closing of bank accounts held by legal entities, their structural subdivisions, individual entrepreneurs, and other persons specified in the Code, as well as of changes to an account’s individual identification code in cases prescribed by law. The deadline for such notification is no later than two business days following the date on which the account was opened or closed or its code was changed (Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan). This rule describes the bank’s obligations to the tax authority, but it does not replace the company’s own obligation to retain documents confirming its transactions.
What the Company Decides Itself: Accounting Policy and Document Management
The main practical question is not “whether to print” but “how to store documents so that they can be found, read, and matched to a specific transaction.” The following decisions should be established in internal documents:
- Storage format. Specify in the accounting policy or document management regulations how the company stores banking documents: in an electronic archive, in accounting software, and, where necessary, on paper.
- Regular exports. Do not rely solely on access to online banking. If the company changes banks, closes an account, or revokes an employee’s access rights, obtaining previous documents may take longer. Export statements and payment documents for a selected period, for example monthly, in a format that preserves their details and transaction processing information.
- Responsible person. Appoint an employee responsible for exporting documents, maintaining a clear electronic folder structure, checking the archive for completeness, and performing backups.
- Retention periods. Set retention periods under the applicable accounting and archival retention rules for each type of document. It is convenient to specify separate retention periods for statements, payment documents, and supporting files in the internal regulations.
- Link to accounting records. If bank statements are uploaded to 1C or other accounting software, ensure that each transaction can be matched to the corresponding electronic document. Files can conveniently be organized by account, year, and month, while retaining their original names or assigning clear identifiers.
- Backup copy. Keep a copy of the archive separately from the accountant’s work computer. Periodically check that the files can be opened, the folder structure remains intact, and access is granted only to authorized employees.
When a Paper Copy May Still Be Useful
In certain working situations, a printout may be convenient, but the decision depends on the purpose for which the document will be used and the company’s established procedures:
- a counterparty or foreign partner requests proof of payment in paper form;
- a paper or certified copy is required for court proceedings, a tender, or a response to an official request;
- the company’s internal regulations provide for maintaining separate paper files for banking transactions;
- before being sent, a payment is approved by the manager on paper because the manager does not participate in the electronic approval workflow.
If the company maintains paper copies, the procedure must be unambiguous: which documents are printed, who checks their completeness, where they are filed, and how long they are retained. Otherwise, two parallel archives are created without making it any faster to find a specific document. The printout must make it possible to identify the payer, recipient, amount, date, purpose of payment, and the bank’s processing result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bank statements need to be filed in 2026? — Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan does not require taxpayers to print and file bank statements. It regulates the electronic exchange of information between banks and tax authorities. The company determines the format for storing accounting documents with due regard to accounting and archival document management rules and establishes it in its internal procedures (Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
What should be done if an inspector requests a payment order on paper? — Prepare a legible printout of the retained electronic document. If the request expressly requires a copy certified by the bank, the document should be obtained in a form that complies with the request. The original electronic file should also be retained so that the printout can be matched to the transaction in the statement and accounting records.
Can payment orders be stored only in online banking? — For reliable document management, it is better to export documents regularly to the company’s own archive. Access to transaction history may change after an account is closed, the company changes banks, the banking system is updated, or an employee’s authority is terminated.
How long should banking documents be retained? — The period depends on the type of document and the applicable accounting and archival retention rules. Record the periods in the internal regulations, appoint a responsible person, and do not delete files until the prescribed retention period has expired.
Do individual entrepreneurs need to print payment orders? — Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan does not establish a separate requirement for individual entrepreneurs to print payment documents. Individual entrepreneurs should organize document storage so that transactions, income, and expenses can be substantiated and the required files can be provided in a legible form (Article 55 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
Sources
- Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Article 55 “Interaction of a Tax Authority with Banking Institutions.”