Medical Records Retention Laws by State 2026

States With Longer Retention Periods for Physicians

Some states require physicians to retain medical records for longer than the commonly observed baseline of about six years. These extended requirements typically range from 7 to 10 years for adult patient records.

States requiring 7 years of retention include Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas. States requiring 10 years include Georgia, Kansas, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Longer retention periods increase administrative responsibility but help ensure records remain available for legal, clinical, and continuity-of-care purposes.

States With Longer Retention Periods for Hospitals

Some states require hospitals to retain medical records for longer periods than the commonly observed baseline. These requirements are often set at 10 years or more and reflect stricter standards for institutional recordkeeping.

States requiring hospitals to retain adult patient records for 10 years include Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. North Carolina requires 11 years, while Massachusetts requires 30 years. Longer retention periods increase recordkeeping demands but help ensure long-term access for legal, regulatory, and clinical purposes.

States Following Standard Retention Periods

Many states follow retention periods that align with a commonly observed baseline of about 6 years for medical records. These timeframes most commonly apply to physicians and, in some cases, hospitals, creating a relatively consistent standard across many jurisdictions.

States with 6-year retention requirements for physicians include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Several states also require hospitals to retain records for approximately 6 to 7 years, including Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and West Virginia.

States With Shorter Retention Periods

Some states require medical records to be retained for shorter periods than the commonly observed baseline, typically 5 years or less. These shorter timeframes apply primarily to physicians and, in some cases, hospitals.

States with 5-year retention requirements for physicians include Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia requires 3 years, while New Mexico requires 2 years beyond certain federal and insurance-related requirements. Shorter retention periods may reduce administrative burden but can limit long-term access to records for legal, clinical, or continuity-of-care purposes.

Special Rules for Minor Medical Records

Medical records for minor patients are often subject to extended retention requirements that go beyond standard timeframes for adult records. In many states, providers must retain records until the patient reaches the age of majority, plus an additional number of years, or follow a “whichever is later” rule.

Examples include South Carolina, which requires physician records to be retained for 13 years, and North Carolina, where hospital records must be kept until the patient turns 30. Other states, such as Colorado and Texas, extend retention periods based on age thresholds or require records to be kept for a set number of years after the patient reaches adulthood. These rules ensure that records remain accessible for legal and medical purposes well into adulthood.