A method for drying and storing endoscopes with an endoscope drying and storing system, containing at least two endoscope cabinets (5, 10) and a data processing unit, wherein the first endoscope cabinet is different from the second endoscope cabinet and the first endoscope cabinet comprises an active drying function, comprising the following steps: (a) introduction of an endoscope into the first endoscope cabinet and reading-in of an identification mark of the endoscope by means of a reading device associated with the first endoscope, and transmission of the read-in data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-in, a first reading-in time is determined and acquired, (b) drying of the endoscope in the first endoscope cabinet, (c) removal of the dried endoscope from the first endoscope cabinet and reading-out of the identification mark of the endoscope from the first endoscope cabinet as well as transmission of the read-out data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-out, a first reading-out time is determined and acquired, (d) introduction of the dried endoscope into the second endoscope cabinet and reading-in of the identification mark of the endoscope by means of a reading device associated with the second endoscope cabinet, and transmission of the read-in data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-in, a second reading-in time is determined and acquired, (e) verification in the data processing unit as to whether the difference between the second reading-in time E2 and the first reading-out time A1 is less than a predetermined maximum transfer duration t trans, (f) repeated verification in the data processing unit as to whether the difference between the current time and the first reading-in time E1 is below a predetermined maximum storage duration t max, (g) triggering of an alarm function when - at least one of the values E1, A1 or E2 is absent, or - the maximum transfer duration t trans has been exceeded, or - the maximum storage duration t max has been exceeded. (a) introduction of an endoscope into the first endoscope cabinet and reading-in of an identification mark of the endoscope by means of a reading device associated with the first endoscope, and transmission of the read-in data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-in, a first reading-in time is determined and acquired, (b) drying of the endoscope in the first endoscope cabinet, (c) removal of the dried endoscope from the first endoscope cabinet and reading-out of the identification mark of the endoscope from the first endoscope cabinet as well as transmission of the read-out data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-out, a first reading-out time is determined and acquired, (d) introduction of the dried endoscope into the second endoscope cabinet and reading-in of the identification mark of the endoscope by means of a reading device associated with the second endoscope cabinet, and transmission of the read-in data to the data processing unit, wherein, during the reading-in, a second reading-in time is determined and acquired, (e) verification in the data processing unit as to whether the difference between the second reading-in time E2 and the first reading-out time A1 is less than a predetermined maximum transfer duration t trans, (f) repeated verification in the data processing unit as to whether the difference between the current time and the first reading-in time E1 is below a predetermined maximum storage duration t max, (g) triggering of an alarm function when - at least one of the values E1, A1 or E2 is absent, or - the maximum transfer duration t trans has been exceeded, or - the maximum storage duration t max has been exceeded. - at least one of the values E1, A1 or E2 is absent, or - the maximum transfer duration t trans has been exceeded, or - the maximum storage duration t max has been exceeded.