diff --git a/cmd/ingestor/config.go b/cmd/ingestor/config.go
index 4895676a..850014bd 100644
--- a/cmd/ingestor/config.go
+++ b/cmd/ingestor/config.go
@@ -32,6 +32,20 @@ type Config struct {
 	LogLevel       string            `json:"logLevel,omitempty"`
 	ChannelKeysPath string           `json:"channelKeysPath,omitempty"`
 	ChannelKeys    map[string]string `json:"channelKeys,omitempty"`
+	Retention      *RetentionConfig  `json:"retention,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// RetentionConfig controls how long stale nodes are kept before being moved to inactive_nodes.
+type RetentionConfig struct {
+	NodeDays int `json:"nodeDays"`
+}
+
+// NodeDaysOrDefault returns the configured retention.nodeDays or 7 if not set.
+func (c *Config) NodeDaysOrDefault() int {
+	if c.Retention != nil && c.Retention.NodeDays > 0 {
+		return c.Retention.NodeDays
+	}
+	return 7
 }
 
 // LoadConfig reads configuration from a JSON file, with env var overrides.
diff --git a/cmd/ingestor/db.go b/cmd/ingestor/db.go
index 5860b4c0..45fff738 100644
--- a/cmd/ingestor/db.go
+++ b/cmd/ingestor/db.go
@@ -87,6 +87,19 @@ func applySchema(db *sql.DB) error {
 		CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_nodes_last_seen ON nodes(last_seen);
 		CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_observers_last_seen ON observers(last_seen);
 
+		CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS inactive_nodes (
+			public_key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+			name TEXT,
+			role TEXT,
+			lat REAL,
+			lon REAL,
+			last_seen TEXT,
+			first_seen TEXT,
+			advert_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0
+		);
+
+		CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_inactive_nodes_last_seen ON inactive_nodes(last_seen);
+
 		CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS transmissions (
 			id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
 			raw_hex TEXT NOT NULL,
@@ -331,6 +344,34 @@ func (s *Store) Close() error {
 	return s.db.Close()
 }
 
+// MoveStaleNodes moves nodes not seen in nodeDays to the inactive_nodes table.
+// Returns the number of nodes moved.
+func (s *Store) MoveStaleNodes(nodeDays int) (int64, error) {
+	cutoff := time.Now().UTC().AddDate(0, 0, -nodeDays).Format(time.RFC3339)
+	tx, err := s.db.Begin()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("begin tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer tx.Rollback()
+
+	_, err = tx.Exec(`INSERT OR REPLACE INTO inactive_nodes SELECT * FROM nodes WHERE last_seen < ?`, cutoff)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("insert inactive: %w", err)
+	}
+	result, err := tx.Exec(`DELETE FROM nodes WHERE last_seen < ?`, cutoff)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("delete stale: %w", err)
+	}
+	moved, _ := result.RowsAffected()
+	if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("commit: %w", err)
+	}
+	if moved > 0 {
+		log.Printf("Moved %d node(s) to inactive_nodes (not seen in %d days)", moved, nodeDays)
+	}
+	return moved, nil
+}
+
 // PacketData holds the data needed to insert a packet into the DB.
 type PacketData struct {
 	RawHex         string
diff --git a/cmd/ingestor/main.go b/cmd/ingestor/main.go
index 59632e20..95ef01a1 100644
--- a/cmd/ingestor/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ingestor/main.go
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ func main() {
 	defer store.Close()
 	log.Printf("SQLite opened: %s", cfg.DBPath)
 
+	// Node retention: move stale nodes to inactive_nodes on startup
+	nodeDays := cfg.NodeDaysOrDefault()
+	store.MoveStaleNodes(nodeDays)
+
+	// Daily ticker for node retention
+	retentionTicker := time.NewTicker(24 * time.Hour)
+	go func() {
+		for range retentionTicker.C {
+			store.MoveStaleNodes(nodeDays)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	channelKeys := loadChannelKeys(cfg, *configPath)
 	if len(channelKeys) > 0 {
 		log.Printf("Loaded %d channel keys for GRP_TXT decryption", len(channelKeys))
@@ -124,6 +136,7 @@ func main() {
 	<-sig
 
 	log.Println("Shutting down...")
+	retentionTicker.Stop()
 	for _, c := range clients {
 		c.Disconnect(1000)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/server/config.go b/cmd/server/config.go
index 3085e116..d8afe52a 100644
--- a/cmd/server/config.go
+++ b/cmd/server/config.go
@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ type Config struct {
 	} `json:"liveMap"`
 
 	CacheTTL map[string]interface{} `json:"cacheTTL"`
+
+	Retention *RetentionConfig `json:"retention,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type RetentionConfig struct {
+	NodeDays int `json:"nodeDays"`
+}
+
+// NodeDaysOrDefault returns the configured retention.nodeDays or 7 if not set.
+func (c *Config) NodeDaysOrDefault() int {
+	if c.Retention != nil && c.Retention.NodeDays > 0 {
+		return c.Retention.NodeDays
+	}
+	return 7
 }
 
 type HealthThresholds struct {
diff --git a/config.example.json b/config.example.json
index 1a6b7df5..6991efe8 100644
--- a/config.example.json
+++ b/config.example.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "port": 3000,
   "apiKey": "your-secret-api-key-here",
+  "retention": {
+    "nodeDays": 7,
+    "_comment": "Nodes not seen in this many days are moved to inactive_nodes table. Default 7."
+  },
   "https": {
     "cert": "/path/to/cert.pem",
     "key": "/path/to/key.pem"
diff --git a/db.js b/db.js
index 504c8a16..f96c728c 100644
--- a/db.js
+++ b/db.js
@@ -52,8 +52,20 @@ db.exec(`
     noise_floor INTEGER
   );
 
+  CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS inactive_nodes (
+    public_key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+    name TEXT,
+    role TEXT,
+    lat REAL,
+    lon REAL,
+    last_seen TEXT,
+    first_seen TEXT,
+    advert_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0
+  );
+
   CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_nodes_last_seen ON nodes(last_seen);
   CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_observers_last_seen ON observers(last_seen);
+  CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_inactive_nodes_last_seen ON inactive_nodes(last_seen);
 
   CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS transmissions (
     id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
@@ -870,4 +882,20 @@ function getNodeAnalytics(pubkey, days) {
   };
 }
 
-module.exports = { db, schemaVersion, observerIdToRowid, resolveObserverIdx, insertTransmission, upsertNode, incrementAdvertCount, upsertObserver, updateObserverStatus, getPackets, getPacket, getTransmission, getNodes, getNode, getObservers, getStats, searchNodes, getNodeHealth, getNodeAnalytics, removePhantomNodes };
+// Move stale nodes to inactive_nodes table based on retention.nodeDays config.
+function moveStaleNodes(nodeDays) {
+  if (!nodeDays || nodeDays <= 0) return 0;
+  const cutoff = new Date(Date.now() - nodeDays * 24 * 3600000).toISOString();
+  const move = db.transaction(() => {
+    db.prepare(`INSERT OR REPLACE INTO inactive_nodes SELECT * FROM nodes WHERE last_seen < ?`).run(cutoff);
+    const result = db.prepare(`DELETE FROM nodes WHERE last_seen < ?`).run(cutoff);
+    return result.changes;
+  });
+  const moved = move();
+  if (moved > 0) {
+    console.log(`[retention] Moved ${moved} node(s) to inactive_nodes (not seen in ${nodeDays} days)`);
+  }
+  return moved;
+}
+
+module.exports = { db, schemaVersion, observerIdToRowid, resolveObserverIdx, insertTransmission, upsertNode, incrementAdvertCount, upsertObserver, updateObserverStatus, getPackets, getPacket, getTransmission, getNodes, getNode, getObservers, getStats, searchNodes, getNodeHealth, getNodeAnalytics, removePhantomNodes, moveStaleNodes };
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 8f8ec0dd..422d9c43 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -476,6 +476,13 @@ setInterval(() => {
   }
 }, 60000).unref();
 
+// --- Node Retention: move stale nodes to inactive_nodes ---
+const RETENTION_NODE_DAYS = (config.retention && config.retention.nodeDays) || 7;
+db.moveStaleNodes(RETENTION_NODE_DAYS);
+setInterval(() => {
+  db.moveStaleNodes(RETENTION_NODE_DAYS);
+}, 24 * 3600000).unref();
+
 // --- Health / Telemetry Endpoint ---
 app.get('/api/health', (req, res) => {
   const mem = process.memoryUsage();
diff --git a/test-db.js b/test-db.js
index f53b4f20..4b69e002 100644
--- a/test-db.js
+++ b/test-db.js
@@ -447,6 +447,61 @@ console.log('\nstats exclude phantom nodes:');
   assert(statsAfter.totalNodesAllTime === countBefore, 'phantom removed from totalNodesAllTime');
 }
 
+// --- moveStaleNodes ---
+console.log('\nmoveStaleNodes:');
+{
+  // Verify inactive_nodes table exists
+  const tables = db.db.prepare("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table'").all().map(r => r.name);
+  assert(tables.includes('inactive_nodes'), 'inactive_nodes table exists');
+
+  // Verify inactive_nodes has same columns as nodes
+  const nodesCols = db.db.pragma('table_info(nodes)').map(c => c.name).sort();
+  const inactiveCols = db.db.pragma('table_info(inactive_nodes)').map(c => c.name).sort();
+  assert(JSON.stringify(nodesCols) === JSON.stringify(inactiveCols), 'inactive_nodes has same columns as nodes');
+
+  // Insert a stale node (last_seen 30 days ago) and a fresh node
+  const thirtyDaysAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 30 * 24 * 3600000).toISOString();
+  const now = new Date().toISOString();
+  db.upsertNode({ public_key: 'stale00000000000000000000stale000', name: 'StaleNode', role: 'repeater', last_seen: thirtyDaysAgo, first_seen: thirtyDaysAgo });
+  db.upsertNode({ public_key: 'fresh00000000000000000000fresh000', name: 'FreshNode', role: 'companion', last_seen: now, first_seen: now });
+
+  // Verify both exist in nodes
+  assert(db.getNode('stale00000000000000000000stale000') !== null, 'stale node exists before move');
+  assert(db.getNode('fresh00000000000000000000fresh000') !== null, 'fresh node exists before move');
+
+  // Move stale nodes (7 day threshold)
+  const moved = db.moveStaleNodes(7);
+  assert(moved >= 1, `moveStaleNodes moved at least 1 node (got ${moved})`);
+
+  // Stale node should be gone from nodes
+  assert(db.getNode('stale00000000000000000000stale000') === null, 'stale node removed from nodes');
+
+  // Fresh node should still be in nodes
+  assert(db.getNode('fresh00000000000000000000fresh000') !== null, 'fresh node still in nodes');
+
+  // Stale node should be in inactive_nodes
+  const inactive = db.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM inactive_nodes WHERE public_key = ?').get('stale00000000000000000000stale000');
+  assert(inactive !== null, 'stale node exists in inactive_nodes');
+  assert(inactive.name === 'StaleNode', 'stale node name preserved in inactive_nodes');
+  assert(inactive.role === 'repeater', 'stale node role preserved in inactive_nodes');
+
+  // Fresh node should NOT be in inactive_nodes
+  const freshInactive = db.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM inactive_nodes WHERE public_key = ?').get('fresh00000000000000000000fresh000');
+  assert(!freshInactive, 'fresh node not in inactive_nodes');
+
+  // Running again should move 0 (already moved)
+  const moved2 = db.moveStaleNodes(7);
+  assert(moved2 === 0, 'second moveStaleNodes moves nothing');
+
+  // With nodeDays=0 should be a no-op
+  const moved3 = db.moveStaleNodes(0);
+  assert(moved3 === 0, 'moveStaleNodes(0) is a no-op');
+
+  // With null should be a no-op
+  const moved4 = db.moveStaleNodes(null);
+  assert(moved4 === 0, 'moveStaleNodes(null) is a no-op');
+}
+
 cleanup();
 delete process.env.DB_PATH;