Washington
Medical Records Custodian & Retention Laws
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Washington Medical Record Retention Law:
WA Medical Commission guideline GUI2017-02, effective 30 June 2017 (references chapter 70.02 RCW)
- Adult patients: 10 years - the Medical Commission concurs with the WSMA guideline; Washington has no general retention statute.
- Patients who were minors: 21 years from the minor patient's birth.
- The retention period runs from: The last contact with the patient.
- Deceased patients: 6 years from death.
- Retain INDEFINITELY where the patient is incompetent, where there were problems with care, or where litigation is involved.
If you are closing, selling or relocating your practice Washington sets out what has to happen to patient records. The points below are taken from the source above.
- Notify active patients AND patients seen within the last three years
- Give notice at least 30 days in advance; 90 days is stated best practice
- Deliver notice by individual letter to last known address, AND electronically if that is normal for the patient, AND notice in the local newspaper
- Notice must name the responsible entity/agent to contact for records, with telephone and mailing address, and say how records can be obtained or transferred
- A practitioner MAY contract with a third party to act as custodian of the records
- Before destruction, give patients an opportunity to claim records or have them sent to another provider
- Destroy by secure means - HIPAA bars dumpster/recycling disposal until shredded, burned or otherwise rendered unreadable
- RCW 70.02.080: records must be made available to a patient within 15 days of request
Washington closing-practice checklist
The same requirements as a checklist you can print and work through, with the retention periods, the notice each rule requires and what you may charge for copies.
Open the Washington checklist →
Cost
No state copying-fee schedule was located for Washington. Charges should be reasonable and cost-based.
Verified September 2026
This page summarises the source above and is not legal advice. Retention periods change and several states adjust their copying fees every year, so confirm the current text before you rely on a date or a figure.