How do I request my medical records in Tennessee?

Under your federal right of access (HIPAA, 45 CFR § 164.524), you can get a copy of your own records from a HIPAA-covered provider or health plan in Tennessee. Send a written request, and the free letter on this page works, to the provider's Health Information Management or Release of Information office, or use their patient portal if they have one.

How long does a provider in Tennessee have to send my records?

Within 10 working days of a written request. Either way, HIPAA's right of access (45 CFR § 164.524) requires a covered provider to act within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension if they tell you in writing why and when. Acting on the request is what the rule requires; it does not guarantee the records land on day 30.

How much can a provider in Tennessee charge for copies of my records?

For paper copies, up to $25 for records of 5 pages or less and 50 cents per page after that, plus actual mailing cost. For your own records in electronic format the fee is limited to HIPAA's cost-based rule. A $20 flat certification fee applies if you request certification. HIPAA separately limits what a covered provider may charge for your own copy to a reasonable, cost-based fee covering copying labor, supplies, postage if you ask for it mailed, and any summary you agreed to. Searching and retrieving are not on that list. Whichever rule protects you more is the one to cite. That federal cap covers copies for you. When you direct records to a third party, a 2020 federal court ruling took the cap off, and state limits are what remain.

Is this records-request letter free?

Yes. The generator builds a HIPAA records-request letter you can download and print for free. Nothing you type is saved or sent to anyone but you.

Medical records request

How to request your medical records in Tennessee

You have a federal right to a copy of your own medical records, in Tennessee and everywhere else. Below is how that right works, what Tennessee adds on top of it, and a free letter you can fill out and send.

Your federal right (applies in every state)

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR 164.524), you can get a copy of your own medical records without giving a reason. The rule binds HIPAA covered entities, which is most doctors, hospitals, and health plans. It must act on your request within 30 days and may take one 30-day extension if it tells you in writing why and when. It may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee covering copying labor, supplies, postage if you ask for it mailed, and any summary you agreed to.

Two limits worth knowing. Psychotherapy notes and material prepared for a lawsuit sit outside the right, and access can be denied on the narrow grounds the rule lists, some of which you can have reviewed. And the fee cap covers copies for you. When you direct a provider to send records to someone else, a 2020 federal court ruling (Ciox Health v. Azar) took that cap off, so state limits are what remain.

What Tennessee adds

Response time: Within 10 working days of a written request.
Copy fees: For paper copies, up to $25 for records of 5 pages or less and 50 cents per page after that, plus actual mailing cost. For your own records in electronic format the fee is limited to HIPAA's cost-based rule. A $20 flat certification fee applies if you request certification.
The law: Tenn. Code § 63-2-102 (costs of reproduction); access deadline in Tenn. Code § 63-2-101

HIPAA sets a floor, not a ceiling. A Tennessee rule that gives you greater access, a faster deadline or a lower fee, is not preempted, so it stands alongside the federal right. State caps can also carry limits of their own: some apply only to certain kinds of provider, some price electronic copies differently, and some do not apply when a third party is asking. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the specifics with your provider's records office.

Source

Who it covers: Health care providers licensed under Title 63; workers-compensation records follow a separate schedule.

These figures are what the source said when we read it on September 9, 2026. Many states adjust their caps every year, so confirm the current amount before you argue one.

Requesting records in Tennessee — common questions

How do I request my medical records in Tennessee?: Under your federal right of access (HIPAA, 45 CFR § 164.524), you can get a copy of your own records from a HIPAA-covered provider or health plan in Tennessee. Send a written request, and the free letter on this page works, to the provider's Health Information Management or Release of Information office, or use their patient portal if they have one.
How long does a provider in Tennessee have to send my records?: Within 10 working days of a written request. Either way, HIPAA's right of access (45 CFR § 164.524) requires a covered provider to act within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension if they tell you in writing why and when. Acting on the request is what the rule requires; it does not guarantee the records land on day 30.
How much can a provider in Tennessee charge for copies of my records?: For paper copies, up to $25 for records of 5 pages or less and 50 cents per page after that, plus actual mailing cost. For your own records in electronic format the fee is limited to HIPAA's cost-based rule. A $20 flat certification fee applies if you request certification. HIPAA separately limits what a covered provider may charge for your own copy to a reasonable, cost-based fee covering copying labor, supplies, postage if you ask for it mailed, and any summary you agreed to. Searching and retrieving are not on that list. Whichever rule protects you more is the one to cite. That federal cap covers copies for you. When you direct records to a third party, a 2020 federal court ruling took the cap off, and state limits are what remain.
Is this records-request letter free?: Yes. The generator builds a HIPAA records-request letter you can download and print for free. Nothing you type is saved or sent to anyone but you.

Records rules in another state?

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