VA Form 10-5345a is the written request you use to get copies of your own medical records from a VA health care facility. Fill in your name, date of birth, mailing address, the facility that treated you, the record types and date range you want, sign and date it, and send it to that facility’s Release of Information office. The VA then has 30 days to send the records or issue a written denial.
When to Use the Form (and When Not To)
Before printing anything, sign in to your VA.gov account. The VA lets you view, print, and download portions of your medical records online, including lab and test results, vaccine and allergy records, and care summaries and notes.1Veterans Affairs. Review Medical Records Online If a recent lab result or visit summary is all you need, that route is faster than the form.
Use Form 10-5345a when you want a complete package, older records, imaging reports, or records from a specific date range that the online portal does not show. The current version, revised July 2021, is a fillable PDF on the VA’s website, and blank copies are available at any VA facility’s Release of Information office.2Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-5345a – Individuals’ Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information
What to Put on the Form
The form asks for less than most people expect. There is no Social Security Number field. You provide:
- The name and city of the VA hospital or clinic where you received care. Each facility manages its own records, so this tells staff which archive to search.
- Your full name (last, first, middle), exactly as it appears in your medical file.
- Date of birth.
- The mailing address where you want the records sent.
- Your signature and the date. Sign in ink. A missing or undated signature is the most common reason a form comes back unprocessed.
The VA states that the information on the form is technically voluntary, but incomplete or inaccurate details will keep staff from locating your records.2Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-5345a – Individuals’ Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information Even a minor mismatch between the name or date of birth you enter and what the VA has on file can trigger a rejection.
Choosing Record Types and Dates
Specify what you want and the treatment period it covers. A vague request for your entire history will still be processed, but a narrower date range moves faster because staff can pull exactly what you need. You can also choose paper copies or electronic media such as a CD or digital file. Electronic delivery is usually quicker and easier to store.
Records Protected Under 38 U.S.C. 7332
Some categories of VA medical records carry extra confidentiality protections under federal law: records related to drug abuse, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, HIV infection, and sickle cell anemia.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 38 U.S. Code 7332 – Confidentiality of Certain Medical Records Even though these are your own records, the VA will not include them unless you check the boxes on the form authorizing their release. If you skip those boxes, the protected portions are withheld or redacted. No one calls to ask if you meant to check them.
If Someone Else Signs for You
A guardian, power of attorney holder, or other personal representative can sign the form on your behalf. The form includes a space to indicate the authority under which the request is made.2Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-5345a – Individuals’ Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information Attach a copy of the legal document showing that authority so the Release of Information office can verify it.
Care at More Than One Facility
If you were treated at more than one VA location, submit a separate Form 10-5345a to each facility.4Veterans Affairs. How To Get Your Medical Records From Your VA Health Facility Records offices at one facility cannot pull files from another. Keep a log of which form went where so follow-up is straightforward.
Where to Send It
The signed form goes to the Release of Information office at the VA facility that holds your records. Three options work:
- Mail it to the facility’s medical records office.
- Fax it, which usually shaves a few days off transit.
- Hand-deliver it, if you live nearby or have an upcoming appointment.
To find the correct address and fax number, go to the VA facility locator at va.gov/find-locations, open your facility’s page, and look under “Other services” for “Access your health records.”4Veterans Affairs. How To Get Your Medical Records From Your VA Health Facility Sending the form to the wrong facility is a common source of delay.
How Long the VA Has to Respond
Federal privacy regulations give the VA 30 days from the date it receives your signed form to either send the records or issue a written denial explaining why. If the facility cannot meet that window, it can take a one-time 30-day extension, but only after sending you a written notice with the reason and a new expected completion date.5eCFR. 45 CFR 164.524 – Access of Individuals to Protected Health Information Sixty days is the outer limit.
Most veterans get their records by mail. If you asked for electronic delivery, you may receive a secure download link or a CD instead.
If the 30-day mark passes with no records and no extension notice, contact the Release of Information Coordinator or Patient Advocate at the facility. They can track your request in the VA’s internal system. Keep a copy of the signed form and any confirmation you received; it makes those calls shorter.
If Your Request Is Denied
The VA can deny a records request in limited circumstances, such as when a clinician determines that releasing certain psychotherapy notes could cause substantial harm. A denial, in whole or in part, must come in writing, explain the reason, describe your right to a review, and tell you how to file a complaint.5eCFR. 45 CFR 164.524 – Access of Individuals to Protected Health Information You can ask for the denial to be reviewed by a different VA official who was not involved in the original decision. The facility’s Privacy Officer or Patient Advocate can walk you through that process.
Don’t Confuse It With Form 10-5345
Form 10-5345a is strictly for you to request copies of your own health information.2Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-5345a – Individuals’ Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information If you need the VA to send your records to a private doctor, attorney, or insurance company, use VA Form 10-5345, which authorizes disclosure to a third party.6Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-5345 The wrong form comes back with a request to resubmit on the right one.
Requesting a Deceased Veteran’s Records
Form 10-5345a is built for individuals requesting their own information, so a next of kin or personal representative asking for a deceased veteran’s records needs more than the form alone. Facilities typically ask for proof of death (a death certificate, a funeral home letter, or a published obituary), a valid government-issued photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license, and documents establishing legal authority, such as a will or executor paperwork for a personal representative, or a marriage license or birth certificate for next of kin.7Veterans Affairs. Medical Records Office Call the Release of Information office at the facility that treated the veteran to confirm exactly what it needs before mailing anything.