Liquid Web is a managed hosting provider that offers virtual private servers, dedicated servers, private cloud infrastructure, and managed hosting services.
With Liquid Web, organizations can host websites and business applications using scalable infrastructure, security controls, backups, and around-the-clock technical support.
Is Liquid Web HIPAA compliant? Yes, based on our research, Liquid Web is HIPAA compliant.
What changed this year?
As of July 2026, our review did not identify any publicly disclosed changes to Liquid Web’s HIPAA related policies or BAA availability. Its current terms continue to require a BAA when customer data includes protected health information (PHI), while its dedicated server page continues to advertise HIPAA-ready infrastructure with a signed BAA.
Will Liquid Web sign a BAA?
Yes, Liquid Web will sign a BAA. The requirement can be reviewed in its Terms of Service.
Liquid Web does not appear to publish the full standard BAA on its public website, so customers must obtain and review the agreement directly from Liquid Web before placing PHI in a hosting environment.
What does the Liquid Web BAA cover?
The Liquid Web BAA covers PHI that is handled through an applicable HIPAA-compliant service environment. Its terms state, “if Customer Data includes PHI, the parties shall enter into a business associate agreement (‘BAA’) with respect to such PHI.”
According to Liquid Web’s public terms and HIPAA hosting materials, its HIPAA arrangement includes:
- PHI and electronic protected health information hosted in the applicable service environment
- Designated HIPAA-compliant hosting services
- HIPAA-ready dedicated or private cloud infrastructure
- Hosting environments for electronic health records, patient portals, billing systems, and other healthcare applications
- Technical safeguards such as encryption, access controls, monitoring, and backups
Customers should review the full BAA to confirm its precise provisions concerning permitted uses of PHI, incident reporting, subcontractors, and the return or destruction of PHI.
What does the Liquid Web BAA exclude?
Liquid Web’s BAA does not make every hosting plan or customer configuration HIPAA compliant. Its terms place responsibility on the customer to ensure that it is using the appropriate HIPAA-compliant services and to notify Liquid Web when its service environment will contain PHI.
Liquid Web also explains that “using HIPAA compliant hosting is not a blanket guarantee of compliance.” Compliance remains a shared responsibility: Liquid Web secures the contracted hosting infrastructure, while the customer remains responsible for its applications, access permissions, software configuration, workforce practices, risk assessments, and use of PHI.
Organizations should therefore not assume that an ordinary Liquid Web account, or a service without a signed BAA, is covered simply because Liquid Web operates HIPAA-audited infrastructure.
Conclusion
Liquid Web can be HIPAA compliant when a customer uses a designated HIPAA compliant hosting service and signs a BAA. A standard hosting plan without the appropriate configuration and executed BAA should not be used to store or process PHI.
Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
FAQS
What is a BAA?
A BAA is a legally binding contract establishing a relationship between a covered entity under HIPAA and its business associates. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the proper protection of PHI as required by HIPAA regulations.
What is HIPAA?
HIPAA establishes national standards for the privacy and security of certain health information.
HIPAA is designed to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ health information and to ensure that healthcare providers and insurers can securely exchange electronic health information. Violations of HIPAA can result in significant fines and penalties for covered entities.
Who does HIPAA apply to?
HIPAA applies to covered entities, which include healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. It also applies to business associates of these covered entities. These are entities that perform certain functions or activities on behalf of the covered entity.
