How long do I have to keep patient records in BC?

What is actually happening

Sixteen years, and the rule changed in April 2026.

British Columbia's Health Professions Act was repealed on 1 April 2026 and replaced by the Health Professions and Occupations Act. Every standard that existed under the old Act stopped being in force on that date. The College of Complementary Health Professionals put it plainly: all existing standards of practice, codes of conduct, handbooks and guidance are no longer in force.

The new Record-Keeping Standard requires records be kept for a minimum of sixteen years from the date of the last entry, or from the patient reaching the age of majority, whichever is later. The reasoning is BC's fifteen-year ultimate limitation period plus a year.

And it applies retroactively. The College's own FAQ says records in a practitioner's possession that did not meet the destruction requirements under the previous bylaws are now subject to the sixteen-year period. Anything you were entitled to destroy under the old seven or ten year rule, and have not destroyed, you must now keep.

This affects every licensee of that college, which covers chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists.

What you can do yourself

Two things. Stop any destruction schedule based on seven or ten years until you have checked the current standard.

Then be careful where you read. Superseded documents from the former colleges are still hosted on the current regulator's own website, and they still quote the old periods. Check the date on anything you rely on.

When to get help

If you have already destroyed records under the old schedule, that is worth raising with your college directly rather than worrying about it. The rule changed after the fact.

How we know

A · Verified

Checked 6 Sep 2026 · Review by Mar 2027

CCHPBC Professional Standard: Record-Keeping, in force 1 April 2026, clause 2.1, read directly. Retroactivity confirmed in the College's own Record-Keeping FAQ. Health Professions and Occupations Act and B.C. Reg. 130/2025 read at BC Laws.

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