State medical records law
Iowa medical records laws
How do I get my medical records in Iowa, and what can a provider charge?
No Iowa statute sets a records-access deadline, so HIPAA applies: the provider must respond within 30 days and may extend once by 30 days with written notice. Iowa physicians must also provide copies 'in a timely manner' on written request. No Iowa-specific copy-fee cap was found. Under HIPAA, a provider may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying labor, supplies and postage, and may not charge for searching or retrieving records.
- Response deadline
- 30 days (HIPAA)
- Copy fees
- Reasonable, cost-based (HIPAA)
- Retention — physician offices
- At least 7 years from the last date of service; minors' records for the period set by Iowa Code § 614.8 (limitations extension for minors).
How Iowa differs from federal HIPAA
- Iowa physicians must keep records at least 7 years from the last date of service (longer for minors); HIPAA sets no medical-record retention period.
How long a provider has to respond
No Iowa statute sets a records-access deadline, so HIPAA applies: the provider must respond within 30 days and may extend once by 30 days with written notice. Iowa physicians must also provide copies 'in a timely manner' on written request.(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5, 45 CFR 164.524)
Under 45 CFR § 164.524, a provider may take one 30-day extension only if it tells you in writing, within the first 30 days, why and when you will get the records.
What a provider can charge
No Iowa-specific copy-fee cap was found. Under HIPAA, a provider may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying labor, supplies and postage, and may not charge for searching or retrieving records.(45 CFR 164.524)
- Paper copies
- No state per-page cap found; HIPAA reasonable cost-based fee applies
- Electronic copies
- HIPAA applies: cost-based fee for labor, supplies and postage; no search or retrieval fee.
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
- Physician offices: At least 7 years from the last date of service; minors' records for the period set by Iowa Code § 614.8 (limitations extension for minors).(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5)
If a provider doesn't comply
No state private right of action for access violations found; HIPAA has none — file with HHS OCR. A physician's failure to provide records may be raised with the Iowa Board of Medicine as a standards-of-practice issue under 653—13.5.(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5)
physicians, other licensed health professionals, and health facilities
HIPAA violations by any covered entity, within 180 days
How to request your records in Iowa
- 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 (HIPAA) 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 Iowa hospital's records office, or browse hospitals in Iowa.
Common questions about Iowa medical records
How long does an Iowa provider have to give me my records?
Iowa has no separate statutory deadline, so the federal HIPAA rule applies: 30 days, with one 30-day extension if the provider tells you in writing. Iowa Board of Medicine rules also require physicians to provide copies in a timely manner on written request.(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5, 45 CFR 164.524)
How much can I be charged for my medical records in Iowa?
No Iowa-specific fee cap was found. Under HIPAA, providers may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying labor, supplies and postage, and no search or retrieval fee.(45 CFR 164.524)
How long do Iowa doctors keep medical records?
Iowa physicians must keep records for at least seven years from the last date of service. For minor patients, records must be kept for the period set by Iowa Code section 614.8.(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5)
Can my Iowa doctor send my records to a new physician?
Yes. Iowa Board of Medicine rules require a physician to provide a copy of the records they generated, in a timely manner, to the patient or another physician the patient designates on written request.(Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5)
Where do I complain about a records problem in Iowa?
Complaints about physicians, other health professionals and health facilities are handled by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). HIPAA access complaints can be filed with the HHS Office for Civil Rights within 180 days.(Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing — Complaints)
Sources
Checked against official sources on November 3, 2026.
- Iowa Admin. Code r. 653—13.5 — Board of Medicine — Standards of practice: office practices (ARC 9115C, eff. 5/21/25)
- Iowa Admin. Code ch. 653-13 (rule list) — Standards of Practice and Principles of Medical Ethics — chapter index (official text via a public mirror)
- Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing — Complaints — File a complaint (DIAL)
- 45 CFR 164.524 — HIPAA Privacy Rule — individual right of access