To obtain school records, submit a written request to the school, district, or postsecondary institution that holds them, along with photo ID and any documents proving your relationship to the student. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), any public K-12 school and virtually every college or university that receives federal funding must give you access within 45 days.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 20 U.S. Code 1232g – Family Educational and Privacy Rights Private and religious schools that take no federal funds are not bound by FERPA, though many follow similar procedures on their own.
Who Can Ask for the Records
FERPA gives parents and legal guardians the right to inspect and review the education records of their minor children. Either parent has full rights unless a court order or custody agreement says otherwise.2U.S. Department of Education. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) The records covered are broad: transcripts, attendance logs, disciplinary files, health and immunization records, and special education documents like Individualized Education Programs.3U.S. Department of Education. What Is an Education Record
Once a student turns 18 or enrolls in any postsecondary institution at any age, they become an “eligible student” and the rights transfer to them.4U.S. Department of Education. Who Is an Eligible Student From that point on, the school generally needs the student’s written consent before releasing records to anyone else, parents included. One exception matters for families: if the student is claimed as a dependent on a parent’s federal tax return, the school may share records with those parents without the student’s consent.5eCFR. 34 CFR 99.31 – Under What Conditions Is Prior Consent Not Required
Anyone else — an employer, an attorney, a relative who is not a parent — needs a signed written release from the student (or parent, if the student is a minor). The release must identify the records to be disclosed, the purpose of the disclosure, and the recipient.6eCFR. 34 CFR 99.30 – Under What Conditions Is Prior Consent Required
What to Include in the Request
Most schools and districts publish a student records request form on their website or through the registrar’s office. If no form is available, a written letter works. Either way, be ready to provide:
- The student’s full legal name used while attending, date of birth, and the approximate years enrolled.
- A government-issued photo ID for the person making the request. The school has to confirm who you are before releasing anything.
- Proof of relationship, if you are a parent whose name does not appear in the school’s files. A birth certificate or guardianship order usually does it.
- The specific records you want: an official transcript, attendance history, disciplinary file, immunization record, or something else. Vague requests get slower service.
For postsecondary transcripts, many colleges and universities route requests through online services like the National Student Clearinghouse rather than through the registrar directly. Check the school’s website first to see which method they use.
How to Submit It and When You’ll Hear Back
Send your completed form and supporting documents through whichever channel the school accepts: mail, in-person delivery, or a secure online portal. If you plan to drop it off, call ahead to confirm office hours for records requests. Keep a copy of everything you submit.
FERPA requires schools to comply within a reasonable time, with a hard ceiling of 45 days from receipt of the request.7U.S. Department of Education. How Long Does an Educational Agency or Institution Have to Comply With a Request to View Records Some states set a shorter turnaround. In practice, schools using electronic systems often turn things around in a week or two, but plan for the full 45 days if you have a deadline.
Say up front how you want to receive the records: by mail, secure email, or in-person pickup. If they need to be sent directly to another institution, such as for a college application, mention that when you submit, because schools usually handle third-party transmissions differently from copies going to the student.
Inspection, Copies, and Fees
A detail that surprises many people: FERPA gives you the right to inspect and review your records, but it does not automatically require the school to mail you copies. Copies are required only when distance or other circumstances would make an in-person review impractical. A school cannot charge you just for searching for or retrieving a record. If it does provide copies, it may charge a reasonable processing fee, commonly $5 to $20 for a transcript. The fee cannot be set so high that it effectively blocks your access.8eCFR. 34 CFR 99.11 – May an Educational Agency or Institution Charge a Fee for Copies of Education Records
Records From a School That Has Closed
Tracking down records from a school that no longer exists is common and frustrating. When a K-12 school closes, its records usually transfer to the school district, so start with the district’s central records office. If the district itself has been dissolved or reorganized, contact your state department of education, which generally keeps a list of where records from defunct schools ended up.9U.S. Department of Education. Frequently Asked Questions – Student Records and Privacy
For a closed college or university, the Department of Education directs you to the state licensing or higher education agency in the state where the school operated. Many states maintain transcript archives for closed postsecondary institutions, with wide variation in quality: some run online lookups, others require a mailed request and take weeks to answer.9U.S. Department of Education. Frequently Asked Questions – Student Records and Privacy If the school was absorbed by another institution, the successor usually holds the records.
How Long Records Stick Around
FERPA does not set a minimum retention period. How long records exist depends on state law and school policy. As a rule of thumb, permanent academic transcripts (grades, credits, graduation status) are kept indefinitely by most schools. Attendance logs, disciplinary files, and health records are more likely to be destroyed on a schedule, often five to seven years after a student’s last attendance.
For colleges participating in federal student aid programs, separate federal rules require records tied to aid eligibility to be kept for at least three years after the end of the relevant award year. That covers documentation of satisfactory academic progress and program enrollment. If you need financial aid records long after the fact, they may already be gone.
The practical lesson: request older records sooner rather than later. Anything beyond a basic transcript is at higher risk of having been purged.
If the School Ignores or Refuses Your Request
If a school fails to provide access, drags past the 45-day window, or releases records without proper authorization, you can file a written complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO). You have 180 days from the date you learned of the violation to file.10U.S. Department of Education. How May a Parent or Eligible Student File a FERPA Complaint With the Department of Education
The complaint should lay out the specific facts: what you asked for, when, and how the school responded or didn’t. The Department encourages you to try to resolve the issue with the school first, but that is not a prerequisite.11U.S. Department of Education. File a Complaint – Protecting Student Privacy Only a parent (of a minor) or the student themselves (after rights transfer) can file. A third party cannot file for you.
Submit the FERPA complaint form by email to FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov or by mail to:
U.S. Department of Education
Student Privacy Policy Office
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202-852011U.S. Department of Education. File a Complaint – Protecting Student Privacy
The 180-day clock is firm. If you’ve made a clear request and heard nothing after a few weeks, start preparing the complaint rather than waiting for the school to come around.