{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-2910.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-2910.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-2910.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-2910.4.html"}],"law_id":60811,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60811,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.4","catch_line":"Health record retention","history":"2018, c. 718.","full_text":"Practitioners licensed under this chapter shall maintain health records, as defined in \u00a7 32.1-127.1:03, for a minimum of six years following the last patient encounter. However, such practitioners are not required to maintain health records for longer than 12 years from the date of creation except for (i) health records of a minor child, including immunizations, which shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18 or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter regardless of the age of the child or (ii) health records that are required by contractual obligation or federal law to be maintained for a longer period of time. Health records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the patient or his personal representative are not required to be maintained beyond such transfer or provision.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":222314,"text":"Practitioners licensed under this chapter shall maintain health records, as defined in \u00a7 32.1-127.1:03, for a minimum of six years following the last patient encounter. However, such practitioners are not required to maintain health records for longer than 12 years from the date of creation except for (i) health records of a minor child, including immunizations, which shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18 or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter regardless of the age of the child or (ii) health records that are required by contractual obligation or federal law to be maintained for a longer period of time. Health records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the patient or his personal representative are not required to be maintained beyond such transfer or provision.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13730,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12759,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:43","permalink":{"id":241935,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13730,"identifier":"1","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12759,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medicine and Other Healing Arts","identifier":"29","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241933,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12759,"identifier":"29","token":"54.1\/III\/29","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":63078,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2900","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-2900\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2900","metadata":false},{"id":83528,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2901","catch_line":"Exceptions and exemptions generally","url":"\/54.1-2901\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2901","metadata":false},{"id":59538,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2902","catch_line":"Unlawful to practice without license","url":"\/54.1-2902\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2902","metadata":false},{"id":64698,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2903","catch_line":"What constitutes practice; advertising in connection with medical practice","url":"\/54.1-2903\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2903","metadata":false},{"id":79048,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2904","catch_line":"Biennial renewal of licenses; copies; fee; lapsed licenses; reinstatement; penalties","url":"\/54.1-2904\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2904","metadata":false},{"id":62466,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2905","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2905\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2905","metadata":false},{"id":80090,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2906","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2906\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2906","metadata":false},{"id":77034,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2908","catch_line":"Reports of disciplinary action against health professionals; immunity from liability; civil penalty","url":"\/54.1-2908\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2908","metadata":false},{"id":86961,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2909","catch_line":"Further reporting requirements; civil penalty; disciplinary action","url":"\/54.1-2909\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2909","metadata":false},{"id":58482,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2910\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910","metadata":false},{"id":56508,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.01","catch_line":"Practitioner information provided to patients","url":"\/54.1-2910.01\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.01","metadata":false},{"id":65429,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.1","catch_line":"Certain data required","url":"\/54.1-2910.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.1","metadata":false},{"id":79576,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.2","catch_line":"Posting of disciplinary information","url":"\/54.1-2910.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.2","metadata":false},{"id":71219,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.3","catch_line":"No requirement to participate in third-party reimbursement programs","url":"\/54.1-2910.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.3","metadata":false},{"id":83500,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.3:1","catch_line":"Medicaid recipients; treatment involving prescription of opioids; payment","url":"\/54.1-2910.3_1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.3_1","metadata":false},{"id":60811,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.4","catch_line":"Health record retention","url":"\/54.1-2910.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.4","metadata":false},{"id":54729,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.5","catch_line":"Pediatric sexual assault patient services; requirements","url":"\/54.1-2910.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.5","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83500,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.3:1","catch_line":"Medicaid recipients; treatment involving prescription of opioids; payment","url":"\/54.1-2910.3_1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.3_1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":54729,"structure_id":13730,"section_number":"54.1-2910.5","catch_line":"Pediatric sexual assault patient services; requirements","url":"\/54.1-2910.5\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-2910.4\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 2018. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?181+ful+CHAP0718\">718<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":58930,"section_number":"32.1-127.1:03","catch_line":"Health records privacy","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-127.1_03\/"}],"permalink":{"id":241997,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60811,"identifier":"54.1-2910.4","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.4","url":"\/54.1-2910.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-2910.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/1\/54.1-2910.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Health record retention","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-2910.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Practitioners licensed under this chapter shall maintain health records, as defined in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Health records privacy\" href=\"\/32.1-127.1_03\/\">32.1-127.1:03<\/a>, for a minimum of six years following the last patient encounter. However, such practitioners are not required to maintain health records for longer than 12 years from the date of creation except for (i) health records of a <span class=\"dictionary\">minor<\/span> child, including immunizations, which shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18 or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter regardless of the age of the child or (ii) health records that are required by contractual obligation or federal <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> to be maintained for a longer period of time. Health records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the patient or his personal representative are not required to be maintained beyond such transfer or provision.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHEALTH RECORD RETENTION (\u00a7 54.1-2910.4)\n\nPractitioners licensed under this chapter shall maintain health records, as\ndefined in \u00a7 32.1-127.1:03, for a minimum of six years following the last\npatient encounter. However, such practitioners are not required to maintain\nhealth records for longer than 12 years from the date of creation except for (i)\nhealth records of a minor child, including immunizations, which shall be\nmaintained until the child reaches the age of 18 or becomes emancipated, with a\nminimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter\nregardless of the age of the child or (ii) health records that are required by\ncontractual obligation or federal law to be maintained for a longer period of\ntime. Health records that have previously been transferred to another\npractitioner or health care provider or provided to the patient or his personal\nrepresentative are not required to be maintained beyond such transfer or\nprovision.\n\nHISTORY: 2018, c. 718.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}