An Interpol Red Notice expires after 5 years, and it is not automatically renewed. According to Article 13(2)(f) of Interpol’s Rules on the Processing of Data (RPD), the data retention period is determined by INTERPOL’s Executive Committee. A Red Notice is included in Interpol’s “Nominal Database,” which has a retention period of 5 years.
However, the issuing state can extend a Red Notice. Article 50 of the RPD outlines the procedure for data expiration and extensions. Six months before the expiration date, the General Secretariat will request the issuing state to assess the “need to retain the data.” The state may choose to retain the data, including the Red Notice, for an additional five years, provided they specify the reason for doing so.
Data retention periods applicable to other INTERPOL databases
| Database | Applicable Data Retention Periods |
| Digital INTERPOL Alert Library – Document Database (DIAL DOC) |
10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| DNA Database | 5 years for known individuals 15 years for unknown individuals (crime scene traces) and unidentified human remains or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Electronic Documentation and Information System On Investigation Networks with Information on Travel Documents (EDISON) |
10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Fingerprints Database (AFIS) | 5 years for known individuals 15 years for unknown individuals (crime scene traces) and dead bodies or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| International Child Sexual Exploitation Image Database (ICSE) |
99 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network (IBIN) |
30 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| INTERPOL’s Criminal Information System (ICIS) – Nominal Database |
5 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved 10 years for data recorded for criminal history purposes or for redirecting enquiries |
| INTERPOL Facial Recognition System (IFRS) |
5 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| INTERPOL Firearms Reference Table (IFRT) |
30 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| INTERPOL Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS) |
30 years for firearms records related to stolen, lost, trafficked/smuggled firearms 5 years for firearms trace requests data or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| RELIEF | 10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Stolen Administrative Documents (SAD) | 10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| SLTD Database (travel and identity documents) |
5 years for stolen, lost, revoked and invalid documents 30 years for stolen blank documents or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Stolen Motor Vehicles (SMV) | 5 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Stolen Vessels Database (SVD) | 10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Works of Art (WoA) | 30 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Analysis Files | 10 years or a shorter retention period set by the source or when the purpose has been achieved |
| Compliance Management Database | 6 months with a possibility of extension under certain conditions 20 years to avoid unauthorized or erroneous data processing |
