Records retention

Retention rules look identical across regulators until you read them closely. The period is the easy part; what differs — and what decides whether a file can be destroyed — is when the clock starts, and each college words that trigger differently. A rule that runs from the last entry in a file behaves differently from one that runs from the last time you saw the client.

The matrix below gives each regulator’s period, its minor-client rule, and its own words for when the clock begins, with the verbatim standard and the date we last checked it. Where the governing instrument is a college standard rather than a statute, the row says so — that distinction changes who enforces it and how.

3 records traced and verified for Records retention, across 1 jurisdiction. Every row below carries its own source and last-verified date.

Records retention — obligations by jurisdiction and profession, each sourced to its primary text and dated to the last check against it.
Jurisdiction	Applies to	The rule	Status	Last verified	Source & citation
Ontario	Psychologist	Retain individual client service records for at least 10 years after the service recipient turns 18, or after the last professional contact — whichever comes later. Organizational service records: at least 10 years after the organizational client's last contact. Registrants who are health information custodians must also arrange for the security and maintenance of records in case of expected or unexpected incapacity or death, and inform the College of those arrangements before ceasing to provide services.	In Force	2026-07-31	Standards of Professional Conduct (CPBAO), s. 9.4 (Record Storage and Retention) Show statutory text "9.4 Record Storage and Retention — Individual Client Service records must be retained for a minimum of 10 years after the service recipient reaches the age of 18 or after the last professional contact, whichever comes later; Unless otherwise required by law, organizational service records must be maintained for at least ten years following the organizational client's last contact." — CPBAO, Standards of Professional Conduct, s. 9.4 (in force 2024-07-01) Regulatory model clinician_restriction Authority basis licensure Enforcement body College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario Enactment date not traced Effective date 2024-07-01 Penalties — Consent required No Documentation required Yes Confidence high Regulation O. Reg. 195/23 (Professional Misconduct), Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021 Record ID ca-on-retention-psychology
Ontario	Psychotherapist	Where the registrant is custodian of the clinical record, retain it for at least 10 years from the date of the last interaction with the client, or 10 years from the client's 18th birthday — whichever is later. Registrants who are health information custodians must give the College up-to-date information about who would take custody of records on their death or long-term inability to act, and must maintain records securely for the Standard 5.1 period even after closing a practice, unless transferred to another custodian. Pre-planned closure or relocation generally requires at least 30 days' notice.	In Force	2026-07-31	Professional Practice Standards (CRPO), Standard 5.1 (Clinical Records) — Retention Show statutory text "Retention — Where the RP is the custodian of the clinical record, they retain the record for at least 10 years from the date of the last interaction with the client, or for 10 years from the client's 18th birthday, whichever is later. For example, if a child is age seven at the time of last interaction, the record would be kept until the client's 28th birthday." — CRPO, Professional Practice Standards, Standard 5.1 Regulatory model clinician_restriction Authority basis licensure Enforcement body College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario Enactment date not traced Effective date not traced Penalties — Consent required No Documentation required Yes Confidence high Record ID ca-on-retention-psychotherapy
Ontario	Clinical social worker	Store and preserve each client record securely for at least 10 years from the date of the LAST ENTRY or, if the client was under 18 at that date, at least 10 years from the day they turned (or would have turned) 18. Retain longer where required by law or an employer's policy, and retain longer on reasonable judgment where future access may be needed — the Standard names minors, sexual abuse, and current or future litigation. Dispose only after the period elapses, and in a way that does not compromise confidentiality. On ceasing practice, either keep maintaining the records or transfer them to another registrant or regulated professional who first agrees in writing to comply with Principle IV.	In Force	2026-07-31	Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (OCSWSSW), Principle IV, Interpretation 4.2.2 Show statutory text "4.2.2 College registrants shall ensure that each client record is stored and preserved in a secure location for at least ten years from the date of the last entry or, if the client was less than eighteen years of age at the date of the last entry, at least ten years from the day the client became or would have become eighteen." — OCSWSSW, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Principle IV, Interpretation 4.2.2 (effective 2023-09-08) Regulatory model clinician_restriction Authority basis licensure Enforcement body Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers Enactment date not traced Effective date 2023-09-08 Penalties — Consent required No Documentation required Yes Confidence high Record ID ca-on-retention-social-work

Records retention — obligations by jurisdiction and profession, each sourced to its primary text and dated to the last check against it.

Jurisdiction

Applies to

The rule

Status

Last verified

Source & citation

Ontario

Psychologist

Retain individual client service records for at least 10 years after the service recipient turns 18, or after the last professional contact — whichever comes later. Organizational service records: at least 10 years after the organizational client's last contact. Registrants who are health information custodians must also arrange for the security and maintenance of records in case of expected or unexpected incapacity or death, and inform the College of those arrangements before ceasing to provide services.

In Force

2026-07-31

Standards of Professional Conduct (CPBAO), s. 9.4 (Record Storage and Retention)

Show statutory text

"9.4 Record Storage and Retention — Individual Client Service records must be retained for a minimum of 10 years after the service recipient reaches the age of 18 or after the last professional contact, whichever comes later; Unless otherwise required by law, organizational service records must be maintained for at least ten years following the organizational client's last contact." — CPBAO, Standards of Professional Conduct, s. 9.4 (in force 2024-07-01)

Regulatory model: clinician_restriction
Authority basis: licensure
Enforcement body: College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario
Enactment date: not traced
Effective date: 2024-07-01
Penalties: —
Consent required: No
Documentation required: Yes
Confidence: high
Regulation: O. Reg. 195/23 (Professional Misconduct), Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021
Record ID: ca-on-retention-psychology

Ontario

Psychotherapist

Where the registrant is custodian of the clinical record, retain it for at least 10 years from the date of the last interaction with the client, or 10 years from the client's 18th birthday — whichever is later. Registrants who are health information custodians must give the College up-to-date information about who would take custody of records on their death or long-term inability to act, and must maintain records securely for the Standard 5.1 period even after closing a practice, unless transferred to another custodian. Pre-planned closure or relocation generally requires at least 30 days' notice.

In Force

2026-07-31

Professional Practice Standards (CRPO), Standard 5.1 (Clinical Records) — Retention

Show statutory text

"Retention — Where the RP is the custodian of the clinical record, they retain the record for at least 10 years from the date of the last interaction with the client, or for 10 years from the client's 18th birthday, whichever is later. For example, if a child is age seven at the time of last interaction, the record would be kept until the client's 28th birthday." — CRPO, Professional Practice Standards, Standard 5.1

Regulatory model: clinician_restriction
Authority basis: licensure
Enforcement body: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Enactment date: not traced
Effective date: not traced
Penalties: —
Consent required: No
Documentation required: Yes
Confidence: high
Record ID: ca-on-retention-psychotherapy

Ontario

Clinical social worker

Store and preserve each client record securely for at least 10 years from the date of the LAST ENTRY or, if the client was under 18 at that date, at least 10 years from the day they turned (or would have turned) 18. Retain longer where required by law or an employer's policy, and retain longer on reasonable judgment where future access may be needed — the Standard names minors, sexual abuse, and current or future litigation. Dispose only after the period elapses, and in a way that does not compromise confidentiality. On ceasing practice, either keep maintaining the records or transfer them to another registrant or regulated professional who first agrees in writing to comply with Principle IV.

In Force

2026-07-31

Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (OCSWSSW), Principle IV, Interpretation 4.2.2

Show statutory text

"4.2.2 College registrants shall ensure that each client record is stored and preserved in a secure location for at least ten years from the date of the last entry or, if the client was less than eighteen years of age at the date of the last entry, at least ten years from the day the client became or would have become eighteen." — OCSWSSW, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Principle IV, Interpretation 4.2.2 (effective 2023-09-08)

Regulatory model: clinician_restriction
Authority basis: licensure
Enforcement body: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Enactment date: not traced
Effective date: 2023-09-08
Penalties: —
Consent required: No
Documentation required: Yes
Confidence: high
Record ID: ca-on-retention-social-work