Release Of Information Form
Use a Release Of Information Form template to make your document workflow more streamlined.
What a release of information form does
A Release Of Information Form is written permission for a person or organization to disclose defined records to a named recipient. It normally identifies the individual, the records or information covered, the purpose, the recipient, and the authorization period. The signer reviews that scope and signs with intent. In the United States, ESIGN and UETA can support electronic execution when consent, attribution, and record access requirements are met. HIPAA-covered disclosures require additional privacy controls, and excluded documents such as wills or certain court filings may follow separate rules.
Who uses this release information form
Healthcare providers
Healthcare providers use Release Of Information Form to record a patient’s permission, identify the recipient, limit the records disclosed, and document the purpose and expiration of authorization. HIPAA workflows require careful access control and retention planning when the form contains protected health information.
Business and legal teams
Law firms, insurers, employers, and records departments use the form when an individual authorizes disclosure of specified records. signNow supports reusable templates, assigned fields, electronic signatures, and audit trails for controlled delivery and later verification.
Who benefits from release information forms
The form helps organizations document permission before disclosing defined records, from a single client request to a controlled enterprise workflow.
Solo healthcare practices use the form to document a patient’s authorization, define the records and recipient, and send a signed release without requiring an office visit for every request. Regional law firms use release forms to obtain client permission before sharing specified records with insurers, experts, opposing counsel, or another authorized representative, while preserving the signed authorization. Enterprise health systems use templates, delegated sending, and access controls to manage high-volume releases across departments, keeping authorization language consistent and supporting HIPAA-governed disclosure workflows.
These tasks are executed by both individual contributors and centralized administrators depending on organizational policy and required controls.
Features that support release information workflows
Release Of Information Form workflows combine structured authorization, secure signing, controlled delivery, and evidence preservation for sensitive disclosures.
Clear authorization
Capture the individual’s authorization, recipient, information scope, purpose, and expiration in one structured document, reducing ambiguity about what records may be disclosed and to whom.
Required fields
Place signature, date, initials, and acknowledgment fields directly on the release form so each required approval is completed before the document is distributed.
Digital delivery
Send the completed release form to multiple parties without printing or scanning, while preserving the signed version for the originating organization and authorized recipient.
Reusable template
Use a reusable template for recurring releases, standardizing authorization language and reducing manual re-entry when patients, clients, or employees submit similar requests.
Audit evidence
Connect signing activity with an audit trail that records actions, timestamps, and document history, supporting later review of how the release was executed.
Protected information
Handle sensitive health or personal information through signNow controls that support HIPAA workflows when a business associate agreement is required and appropriate safeguards are configured.
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How a release form moves through signNow
A release workflow starts with the authorization document and ends with a signed, reproducible record linked to its signing history.
Upload form: Upload the blank release form. Check fields: Auto-detect fields and verify authorization details. Send request: Assign signers and send securely. Preserve evidence: Store the completed form with its audit trail.
Recommended release-form workflow setup
Choose controls that match the information disclosed, signer identity requirements, and retention rule governing the completed release form.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | Email verification with SMS OTP |
| Signature type | Typed or drawn electronic signature |
| Audit trail | Retain the completed history and certificate |
| Document retention | Six years for HIPAA records under 45 CFR 164.530(j) |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest |
What the release form audit trail records
The audit trail preserves technical evidence around the release form, helping reviewers connect signer activity with the final authorized disclosure.
Signer authentication:
Timestamp capture:
Document hashing:
Sealing record:
History capture:
Audit export:
When a release form carries legal weight
A Release Of Information Form can support admissible business records when the signer shows intent, consents to electronic records, can be identified, and the record remains accessible and reproducible under ESIGN and UETA. Those frameworks exclude wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, certain court orders, and specified family-law documents.
Record-keeping practices for release forms
A documented retention, export, and access process helps preserve the release form and evidence supporting each disclosure.
Set the retention period by record type
Export the signed file and audit trail
Limit access to authorized personnel
Archive records securely and document disposal
State rules and document exclusions
May require separate notarization
Not valid for testamentary documents
Court filing rules still apply
State recording may reject it
Verify the governing state law
Security controls for release forms
TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256:
HIPAA with required BAA:
SOC 2 Type II certified:
ISO 27001 certified:
ESIGN and UETA compliant:
GDPR compliant controls:
Troubleshooting release information forms
Resolve release-form issues by checking signer assignment, authorization scope, electronic-consent requirements, plan limits, and the applicable privacy framework.
Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, mobile apps, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR support. It is suitable for many release workflows, while HIPAA use requires a business associate agreement and appropriate configuration.
Business Premium includes bulk send, which helps distribute the same release form to multiple authorized recipients. Business does not include bulk send according to the plan details, so recurring high-volume workflows may require the Premium tier.
If a signer cannot complete a release form, verify the recipient email, resend the invitation, or provide a signing link. Confirm that required fields are assigned to the correct signer and that the document has not been withdrawn or completed.
A release form can be signed electronically when the signer demonstrates intent, consents to electronic records, can be attributed to the signature, and the record remains accessible and reproducible. ESIGN and applicable UETA rules govern the transaction, subject to statutory exclusions.
Consumer-facing records may require an ESIGN disclosure explaining the right to paper records, electronic access, and withdrawal procedures under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c). Healthcare organizations should also evaluate HIPAA requirements and use a BAA where applicable.
The Business plan is listed at $8 per user per month with annual billing and includes 100 signature invites per user per year. Paid plans include unlimited users, but subscription plans may charge overage fees after included invites.
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