State medical records law
Arkansas medical records laws
How do I get my medical records in Arkansas, and what can a provider charge?
Arkansas requires electronic records to be produced within 30 days of the request; for paper records the state sets no deadline, so HIPAA's 30 days (one 30-day extension with written notice) applies. Arkansas caps paper copies at $0.50 per page for the first 25 pages and $0.25 per page after that, plus a labor charge of up to $25 per request (or a reasonable retrieval fee instead if records are stored off-site) and actual postage; certified copies cost $2 more. Electronic records carry a flat $75 fee plus postage. For a patient's own HIPAA access request, HIPAA limits charges to a reasonable cost-based fee.
- Response deadline
- 30 days
- Copy fees
- $0.50/page
- Retention — hospitals
- 10 years after the last discharge (then may be destroyed if kept permanently in the Master Patient Index); complete records of minors 2 years after the age of majority
How Arkansas differs from federal HIPAA
- State per-page caps ($0.50/$0.25), up to $25 labor fee, and a flat $75 electronic fee; HIPAA separately limits a patient's own access request to a cost-based fee.
- Electronic records due within 30 days, with no extension in the statute.
- Court may award attorney's fees and costs if a patient must subpoena their own records.
- Hospitals must keep records 10 years after last discharge.
How long a provider has to respond
Arkansas requires electronic records to be produced within 30 days of the request; for paper records the state sets no deadline, so HIPAA's 30 days (one 30-day extension with written notice) applies.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106, as amended by Act 765 of 2023 (SB 359), 45 CFR § 164.524)
What a provider can charge
Arkansas caps paper copies at $0.50 per page for the first 25 pages and $0.25 per page after that, plus a labor charge of up to $25 per request (or a reasonable retrieval fee instead if records are stored off-site) and actual postage; certified copies cost $2 more. Electronic records carry a flat $75 fee plus postage. For a patient's own HIPAA access request, HIPAA limits charges to a reasonable cost-based fee.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106, as amended by Act 765 of 2023 (SB 359), 45 CFR § 164.524)
- Paper copies
- $0.50 per page for pages 1–25; $0.25 per page after 25 (paper)
- labor charge per request (max), plus actual postage
- Up to $25.00
- Electronic copies
- Flat $75 production fee plus actual postage if required — the only fees allowed for electronic records
A provider cannot refuse to give you your records because you owe money for treatment. Compare every state on the medical records fees by state page.
How long records must be kept
- Hospitals: 10 years after the last discharge (then may be destroyed if kept permanently in the Master Patient Index); complete records of minors 2 years after the age of majority(Ark. Code R. 007.05.02-001 § 14 (Rules for Hospitals and Related Institutions))
Minors and sensitive records
- Minors: Arkansas hospital rules require complete records of minors to be kept 2 years after the patient reaches the age of majority.(Ark. Code R. 007.05.02-001 § 14 (Rules for Hospitals and Related Institutions))
If a provider doesn't comply
If a patient has to use a subpoena to get records after reasonable requests and a reasonable time, the court may award a reasonable attorney's fee and court costs against the provider (§ 16-46-106(c)). HIPAA has no private right of action — file with HHS OCR.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106 (2020 text))
physicians (written complaints by mail, email or fax)
HIPAA violations by any covered entity, within 180 days
How to request your records in Arkansas
- Ask the provider's medical records (health information) department for its request form, or write your own request with your name, date of birth, dates of care, the records you want, and the format (paper or electronic).
- Keep a copy and note the date — the 30 days clock runs from when the provider receives it.
- If the deadline passes or the bill exceeds the rules above, use the complaint routes on this page.
Templates and step-by-step help are on the records-access hub. Find a Arkansas hospital's records office, or browse hospitals in Arkansas.
Common questions about Arkansas medical records
How long does an Arkansas provider have to give me my records?
Arkansas requires electronic records to be produced within 30 days of the request. For paper records, HIPAA's 30-day deadline applies, with one 30-day extension if the provider tells you in writing.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106, as amended by Act 765 of 2023 (SB 359), 45 CFR § 164.524)
How much can I be charged for medical records in Arkansas?
Paper copies are capped at $0.50 per page for the first 25 pages and $0.25 per page after that, plus up to $25 in labor per request and actual postage. Electronic records have a flat $75 fee plus postage. For your own HIPAA access request, charges are limited to a reasonable cost-based fee.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106, as amended by Act 765 of 2023 (SB 359), 45 CFR § 164.524)
Can an Arkansas provider make me pay first?
Arkansas law entitles patients to copies upon tender of the expense of the copies, so payment of the allowed fee can be required.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106 (2020 text))
Can a doctor in Arkansas withhold my records?
A doctor who wants to withhold records must give you, your guardian or attorney a written determination that disclosure would be detrimental to your health or well-being. Hospital rules also require the physician to document such a determination in the record.(Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106 (2020 text), Ark. Code R. 007.05.02-001 § 14 (Rules for Hospitals and Related Institutions))
How long do Arkansas hospitals keep medical records?
Hospitals must keep records 10 years after the last discharge, and complete records of minors for 2 years after the patient reaches the age of majority.(Ark. Code R. 007.05.02-001 § 14 (Rules for Hospitals and Related Institutions))
Where can I complain about an Arkansas doctor?
Send a signed written complaint to the Arkansas State Medical Board by mail, email or fax; it does not accept verbal complaints. You can also file a HIPAA complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights within 180 days.(Arkansas State Medical Board — File a Complaint)
Sources
Checked against official sources on November 3, 2026.
- Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106, as amended by Act 765 of 2023 (SB 359) — Access to medical records — fees and electronic production (Act approved Apr. 12, 2023) (official text via a public mirror)
- Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-106 (2020 text) — Access to medical records — patient entitlement, withholding, attorney's fees (official text via a public mirror)
- Ark. Code R. 007.05.02-001 § 14 (Rules for Hospitals and Related Institutions) — Health Information Services — hospital record retention and patient access (official text via a public mirror)
- Arkansas State Medical Board — File a Complaint — ASMB complaint instructions
- 45 CFR § 164.524 — HIPAA right of access