NAVTA Practice Test

Most states require a veterinary practice to keep medical records for ____ years.

1. Five

2. Seven

3. Ten

4. Twelve

The correct answer is: Seven

Most states regulations require veterinary practices to keep medical records for seven years. This is because the statute of limitations for veterinary malpractice lawsuits is generally six years and keeping records for seven years will ensure that records are available in the event of a legal dispute. Keeping records for less than seven years could pose a risk to the practice as they may not have the necessary records to defend themselves in a lawsuit. Keeping records for more than seven years may be unnecessary and could take up additional storage space and time. Therefore, seven years is the standard requirement for the majority of states.