PayPal keeps Personal Information for as long as needed or permitted for the purpose it was collected and consistent with applicable law. Information used for the ongoing relationship between you and PayPal is stored for the duration of the relationship plus 10 years, or the period required by applicable local law once the relationship ends, unless PayPal needs to keep it longer to the extent applicable law permits.
Supporting quotations
We retain Personal Information for as long as needed or is permitted in context of the purpose for which it was collected and consistent with applicable law.
The criteria used to determine our retention period is as follows:
Personal Information used for the ongoing relationship between you and PayPal is stored for the duration of the relationship plus a period of 10 years or such period as mandated by any applicable local law once our relationship comes to an end, unless we need to keep it longer to the extent permitted by applicable law, such as:
Qualifications & exceptions
The 10-year period is the default; local law can mandate a different period.
PayPal may keep information longer where applicable law permits, for the reasons listed next.
Retention & Deletion · Restriction or exception
Reasons PayPal may keep information longer
PayPal may keep Personal Information longer when consistent with a legal obligation or permitted by law (for example under bankruptcy laws and anti-money laundering obligations), and in connection with litigation, investigations, audit and compliance practices or to protect against legal claims. Where retention is advisable for those reasons, PayPal says it keeps information for the least amount of time necessary.
Supporting quotations
When consistent with a legal obligation to which we are subject, or when permitted under applicable law, such as under applicable bankruptcy laws and AML obligations.
In connection with litigation, investigations, audit and compliance practices, or to protect against legal claims.
We retain Personal Information for the least amount of time necessary where retention is advisable in light of litigation, investigations, audit and compliance practices, or to protect against legal claims.
Qualifications & exceptions
The examples of laws given (bankruptcy, AML) are introduced with "such as".
Retention & Deletion · Company commitment
Biometric data retention limit
PayPal keeps biometric data for as long as needed or permitted for the purpose it was collected and no more than 3 years after your account closes, unless applicable law requires otherwise.
Supporting quotations
We retain biometric data for as long as needed or permitted given the purpose for which it was collected and no more than 3 years after your account closes, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applicable law can require a different period.
Cross-references
narrows (model-proposed): How long PayPal keeps Personal Information — narrows: The general rule keeps relationship information for the relationship plus 10 years; biometric data has its own shorter stated limit of no more than 3 years after the account closes, unless law requires otherwise.
Retention & Deletion · Restriction or exception
Information PayPal may keep after you close or delete
If you close your account(s) or profile, delete information or ask PayPal to delete it, PayPal still needs to keep some Personal Information, as explained in the retention section, where permitted by applicable law. The stated reasons are to complete a transaction, provide goods or services you requested or keep its promises in your user agreement or contract; detect and prevent malicious, fraudulent or illegal activity; protect your or another person's legal rights, including the right to free speech; manage internal business processes reasonably related to your expectations; comply with laws and legal or governmental processes; and other exempt purposes under applicable law.
Supporting quotations
If you close your PayPal account(s) or profile, delete, or request that we delete Personal Information, we still need to keep some Personal Information as explained in How Long Do We Store Your Personal Information so we can, where permitted by applicable law:
Complete a transaction, provide goods or services you requested, or comply with our promises to you in the user agreement or other contract you have with us;
Detect and prevent malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activity;
Protect your (or another person’s) legal rights, including the right to free speech;
Manage our internal business processes that are reasonably related to your expectations when using our Services;
Comply with laws and other legal or governmental processes; and
Other exempt purposes under applicable law.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies only "where permitted by applicable law".
The final reason, "other exempt purposes under applicable law", is open-ended.