Your Own Medical Records
Va. Code 32.1-127.1:03 — a written request, and an answer within 30 days
In Virginia, a request for copies of or electronic access to health records is in writing, dated and signed by the requester. It identifies the information requested, includes evidence of the requester's authority, and says whether the records are wanted in electronic or paper form. The provider accepts a photocopy or fax of the signed request as if it were the original.
| Within 30 days of the request, the provider | When |
|---|---|
| Within 30 days of the request, the providerFurnishes copies or electronic access | WhenThe requester is authorized to receive them |
| Within 30 days of the request, the providerSays the information does not exist or cannot be found | WhenIt cannot locate it |
| Within 30 days of the request, the providerNames the provider that keeps the record, if known | WhenIt does not keep the record itself |
| Within 30 days of the request, the providerDenies the request | WhenOn the grounds the section allows, such as a clinician's written statement of likely danger, or unproven authority or identity |
Records are provided electronically only as federal health information law allows, and a provider is not required to produce an electronic format that is not reasonably available without added cost, that would let the records be modified, or that could compromise their integrity.
The rules for a denial on clinical grounds, the review a person may request after one, and the copy charges allowed are in the section and in other sections and are not reproduced in full here. Whether a refusal was proper is a question for a court and for a licensed Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 32.1-127.1:03 — Health records privacy
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.