State medical records law
Mississippi medical records laws
How do I get my medical records in Mississippi, and what can a provider charge?
Mississippi sets no fixed number of days — Board rules require physicians to provide copies 'within a reasonable period of time' — so HIPAA's 30 days (one 30-day extension with written notice) is the operative deadline for HIPAA-covered providers. Providers and facilities may charge patients no more than $20 for the first 20 pages, $1 per page for the next 80 pages and 50 cents per page after that, plus up to 10% for postage and handling and $15 to retrieve off-site archived records. The statute says these fees must comply with HIPAA, so HIPAA-covered providers must also keep patient fees cost-based.
- Response deadline
- 30 days (HIPAA)
- Copy fees
- $1.00/page
- Retention — hospitals
- Complete records at least 10 years from discharge (2024 amendment; replaces the former tiered adult/minor/deceased periods); images and x-ray films at least 3 years from discharge, longer on the patient's written request
How Mississippi differs from federal HIPAA
- Sets tiered dollar caps on copy fees ($20 for first 20 pages, $1/page to 100, $0.50 after, +10%); the statute itself requires HIPAA compliance.
- Physicians may not withhold records over an unpaid medical bill (copy fees may be collected in advance).
- No state deadline shorter than HIPAA's 30 days.
How long a provider has to respond
Mississippi sets no fixed number of days — Board rules require physicians to provide copies 'within a reasonable period of time' — so HIPAA's 30 days (one 30-day extension with written notice) is the operative deadline for HIPAA-covered providers.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 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
Providers and facilities may charge patients no more than $20 for the first 20 pages, $1 per page for the next 80 pages and 50 cents per page after that, plus up to 10% for postage and handling and $15 to retrieve off-site archived records. The statute says these fees must comply with HIPAA, so HIPAA-covered providers must also keep patient fees cost-based.(Miss. Code Ann. § 11-1-52, 30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 45 CFR 164.524)
- Paper copies
- $20 for pages 1–20, $1.00/page for pages 21–100, $0.50/page after; +10% postage/handling
- flat charge covering pages 1–20
- Up to $20.00
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: Complete records at least 10 years from discharge (2024 amendment; replaces the former tiered adult/minor/deceased periods); images and x-ray films at least 3 years from discharge, longer on the patient's written request(2024 Miss. SB 2873 (approved May 13, 2024), amending Miss. Code Ann. § 41-9-69, § 73-43-11, § 73-9-13)
- Physician offices: At least 10 years from the patient's last treatment (Board rule effective Jan. 1, 2026, for new patients and those seen after Jan. 1, 2022); images and x-ray films at least 5 years(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10)
Minors and sensitive records
- Minors: Hospital and physician records of an unemancipated minor under 18 must be provided to a parent or guardian on request, without the minor's permission.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 2024 Miss. SB 2873 (approved May 13, 2024), amending Miss. Code Ann. § 41-9-69, § 73-43-11, § 73-9-13)
- mental health: If a physician determines that releasing psychiatric or psychological records directly to the patient would be harmful to the patient's mental health or well-being, the physician need not release them to the patient and must instead release them to the patient's legal representative on request.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10)
If a provider doesn't comply
No state private right of action for records access was found. Physicians who violate the Board's records rules are subject to Board discipline; HIPAA has no private right of action — file with HHS OCR.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10)
Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure
physicians · (601) 987-3079
HIPAA violations by any covered entity, within 180 days
How to request your records in Mississippi
- 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 Mississippi hospital's records office, or browse hospitals in Mississippi.
Common questions about Mississippi medical records
How long does a Mississippi provider have to give me my records?
Mississippi has no fixed state deadline; Board rules require physicians to provide copies within a reasonable period of time. HIPAA-covered providers must act within 30 days, with one 30-day extension if they notify you in writing.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 45 CFR 164.524)
How much can a Mississippi provider charge for copies?
Up to $20 for pages 1–20, $1 per page for the next 80 pages, and 50 cents per page after that, plus up to 10% for postage and handling and $15 for retrieving off-site archived records. The fees must also comply with HIPAA.(Miss. Code Ann. § 11-1-52)
Can a Mississippi doctor refuse to release my records because I owe money?
No. Board rules say records may not be withheld because of an unpaid bill for medical services, though the doctor may require reasonable copy costs to be paid in advance.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10)
How long are medical records kept in Mississippi?
Hospitals must keep complete records at least 10 years from discharge. Physicians must keep records at least 10 years from the last treatment under a Board rule effective January 1, 2026.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 2024 Miss. SB 2873 (approved May 13, 2024), amending Miss. Code Ann. § 41-9-69, § 73-43-11, § 73-9-13)
Can a parent get a minor's records in Mississippi?
Yes. Hospitals and physicians must provide records of an unemancipated minor under 18 to a parent or guardian on request, without the minor's permission.(30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10, 2024 Miss. SB 2873 (approved May 13, 2024), amending Miss. Code Ann. § 41-9-69, § 73-43-11, § 73-9-13)
Where can I complain about a Mississippi doctor who won't release records?
Contact the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure at (601) 987-3079. HIPAA complaints can be filed with the HHS Office for Civil Rights within 180 days.(Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure — Contact)
Sources
Checked against official sources on November 3, 2026.
- Miss. Code Ann. § 11-1-52 — Medical records copy charges (FindLaw mirror, current as of Jan. 1, 2025) (official text via a public mirror)
- 30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2635, Ch. 10 — Board of Medical Licensure — maintenance, production and release of medical records
- 2024 Miss. SB 2873 (approved May 13, 2024), amending Miss. Code Ann. § 41-9-69, § 73-43-11, § 73-9-13 — Hospital, physician and dental record retention (enrolled text) (official text via a public mirror)
- Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure — Contact — Board contact page
- 45 CFR 164.524 — HIPAA Privacy Rule — access of individuals to PHI