State medical records law
Nevada medical records laws
How do I get my medical records in Nevada, and what can a provider charge?
A Nevada records custodian must make your records available within 10 working days of your request (20 working days if the records are kept outside Nevada). Paper copies cost actual copying cost up to $0.60 per page plus postage, and no administrative or service fee of any kind is allowed; X-rays and similar records may be billed at reasonable cost. Electronic copies cost no more than $40 or $0.60 per page, whichever is less. Copies supporting a Social Security or needs-based benefit claim are free.
- Response deadline
- 10 business days
- Copy fees
- $0.60/page
- Retention — all custodians of health care records (providers)
- At least 5 years after the record is received or produced (longer if federal law requires); records of a person under 23 may not be destroyed
How Nevada differs from federal HIPAA
- Much faster: 10 working days (20 if records are out of state) vs. HIPAA's 30 days plus extension.
- Hard cap of $0.60/page with no administrative or service fee.
- Electronic copies capped at $40.
- Free copies for Social Security and needs-based benefit claims.
- Records of anyone under 23 cannot be destroyed.
How long a provider has to respond
A Nevada records custodian must make your records available within 10 working days of your request (20 working days if the records are kept outside Nevada).(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061)
What a provider can charge
Paper copies cost actual copying cost up to $0.60 per page plus postage, and no administrative or service fee of any kind is allowed; X-rays and similar records may be billed at reasonable cost. Electronic copies cost no more than $40 or $0.60 per page, whichever is less. Copies supporting a Social Security or needs-based benefit claim are free.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061, Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.062)
- Paper copies
- $0.60 per page (photocopies)
- Electronic copies
- For electronically maintained records, the lesser of $40 or $0.60 per page; non-government custodians may charge a $5 minimum.
- When copies are free
- Free when records are needed to support a Social Security or other needs-based benefit claim or appeal (with documentation); due within 30 days and cannot be denied for inability to pay. A second copy for the same claim may cost up to $0.60/page.
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
- All custodians of health care records (providers): At least 5 years after the record is received or produced (longer if federal law requires); records of a person under 23 may not be destroyed(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.051)
Minors and sensitive records
- Minors: Nevada custodians may not destroy the health care records of anyone under 23, even if the 5-year period has passed. A parent or guardian of a patient who died as a minor may inspect the records.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061, Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.051)
If a provider doesn't comply
No state private right of action for denied patient access was found in NRS 629.061; it grants custodians immunity for disclosures made in accordance with the section. HIPAA has none — file with HHS OCR or the licensing board.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061)
Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners
physicians (MDs) and other Board licensees
HIPAA violations by any covered entity, within 180 days
How to request your records in Nevada
- 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 10 business 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 Nevada hospital's records office, or browse hospitals in Nevada.
Common questions about Nevada medical records
How long does a Nevada provider have to give me my records?
Nevada law requires the custodian to make your records available within 10 working days of your request, or 20 working days if the records are kept outside Nevada.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061)
How much can a Nevada provider charge for paper copies?
No more than $0.60 per page plus postage, and no administrative or service fee of any kind. X-rays and similar records may be billed at reasonable cost.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061)
How much do electronic copies cost in Nevada?
If the records are kept electronically, the fee may not exceed $40 or $0.60 per page, whichever is less; non-government custodians may charge a $5 minimum.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.062)
Are copies free if I'm applying for Social Security disability?
Yes. Records needed to support a Social Security or needs-based benefit claim or appeal must be provided free (with documentation of the claim) within 30 days, and cannot be refused because you can't pay.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061)
How long are medical records kept in Nevada?
Custodians must keep health care records at least 5 years after they are created or received, and may not destroy the records of anyone under 23.(Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.051)
Where can I complain if a Nevada provider won't release my records?
You can file online with the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners (for physicians) or with the HHS Office for Civil Rights within 180 days.(Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners)
Sources
Checked against official sources on November 3, 2026.
- Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.061 — Inspection; copies and related charges; use in public hearing; immunity
- Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.062 — Electronic copies of health care records; fees
- Nev. Rev. Stat. § 629.051 — Retention of records (amended through 2025)
- Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners — File a Complaint
- 45 CFR 164.524 — HIPAA right of access