How to Request a Copy of Your DD Form 214 or Military Service Records

Where to request your DD Form 214 or military service records

The National Archives and Records Administration, through the National Personnel Records Center and other records repositories, handles requests for many former service members' Official Military Personnel Files. Most veterans and eligible next of kin can request a DD Form 214 or other available service records online through eVetRecs or by submitting Standard Form 180.

If you are applying for VA benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs states that it will request your DD Form 214 when it receives your benefits application, so you do not need to request the DD214 separately from the National Archives solely for that VA application. For example, see the Helpydo guide on filing a VA disability compensation claim.

What records can you request?

A military personnel record request can cover more than a discharge document. Depending on the veteran, service period and repository, records may include:

• DD Form 214 or another separation document.
• Documents from the Official Military Personnel File, or OMPF.
• Service personnel records showing assignments and other military history.
• Information about medals and decorations contained in the personnel file.
• Certain military medical and health records.

The DD Form 214 is the modern Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Veterans who separated in earlier periods may have an equivalent separation form rather than a DD Form 214.

Information you should have before making the request

NARA needs enough identifying information to locate the correct service record. Provide as much of the following information as possible:

• The veteran's full name as used during military service.
• Service number.
• Social Security number, when applicable.
• Branch of service and dates of service.
• Date and place of birth, especially if the service number is unknown.

If you believe the file may have been affected by the 1973 NPRC fire, also provide the place of discharge, last unit of assignment and place of entry into service when known. These details can help NARA reconstruct service information from alternate sources.

Request your records online through eVetRecs

The National Archives offers eVetRecs for most veterans and eligible next of kin. To start a new request, eVetRecs requires you to sign in and verify your identity using ID.me.

Choose whether you are the veteran or eligible next of kin, enter the requested service information, identify the records you need and complete the authorization steps shown by the system. NARA may provide an electronic response when an email address is available, depending on the request and records involved.

Request records by mail or fax with SF-180

If you prefer a paper request, use Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records. NARA recommends SF-180 because it collects the information needed to locate the requested record.

The form includes a Records Location Table on page 3. Use that table to determine where to send the request based on the veteran's branch, separation date and type of record. Do not assume that every request belongs at the same address because not all military service records are stored at NPRC.

For records directed to the National Personnel Records Center, NARA lists:

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138

The NPRC fax number for ordinary military personnel records requests is 314-801-9195.

Who must sign and what next of kin must provide

Written requests for Federal non-archival records must be signed and dated as required by federal privacy rules. NARA states that such requests should be dated within the last year.

If the veteran has died, eligible next of kin requesting restricted records must submit proof of death. NARA accepts evidence such as a copy of the death certificate, a funeral-home letter or a published obituary.

For this purpose, NARA identifies next of kin as an un-remarried surviving spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, sister or brother.

How much does a DD Form 214 or military record request cost?

For veterans, eligible next of kin and authorized representatives, basic military personnel and medical information from Federal non-archival records is generally provided at no charge. NARA warns that private companies may charge for a DD Form 214 research service even though the National Archives itself generally provides these basic records without charge to eligible requesters.

Different rules apply once a military personnel file becomes archival. Records become archival and open to the public 62 years after the service member separates from military service. NARA currently lists the following copy fees for archival OMPFs ordered remotely:

• $25 for a routine OMPF of 5 pages or fewer.
• $70 for a routine OMPF of 6 pages or more; NARA says most OMPFs fall into this category.
• $0.80 per page, with a $20 minimum, for a Persons of Exceptional Prominence OMPF.

If a fee applies to a request, NARA states that it will notify the requester.

What changes after the record is 62 years old?

An Official Military Personnel File becomes an archival record 62 years after separation from military service. Separation for this rule can include discharge, retirement or death in service.

Once archival, the file is open to the general public and can be ordered by anyone, subject to NARA's copying fees. Records for people who separated less than 62 years ago remain Federal non-archival records and are subject to Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act restrictions.

Recently separated veterans may have another online option

VA states that some recently separated veterans can obtain military personnel records through the Department of Defense's milConnect service. As of the verification date, VA identifies milConnect access for veterans discharged after specific service-dependent dates, including Air Force after October 1, 2004; Army after October 1, 2002; Marine Corps after January 1, 1999; and Navy after January 1, 1995.

VA also notes that Marines with service from 1998 to the present and Coast Guard members with service from 2008 to the present may need to contact their personnel command. A request submitted to the National Archives can also be forwarded to the appropriate personnel command when necessary.

How long does a military records request take?

NARA does not publish one guaranteed completion time for every DD214 or military personnel records request. Processing depends on the complexity of the request, availability of the record and NPRC workload. Requests requiring reconstruction after the 1973 fire or extensive searches can take longer.

NARA advises requesters not to send a duplicate or follow-up request before 90 days have elapsed, because doing so may cause additional delay. This is different from checking the status of an existing case: NARA's status service says to allow about 10 days for the request to be received and processed before using the status checker.

What to do when the record is urgently needed

NARA provides an emergency process for situations such as an upcoming surgery or funeral. For an urgent request, identify it as an emergency in the appropriate section of eVetRecs or the purpose section of SF-180 and provide the reason for urgency. NARA lists 314-801-0764 for emergency requests sent to its Customer Service Team.

Using Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS or another express delivery service may get a paper request to NPRC sooner, but NARA states that this does not make the records request itself process faster.

Common mistakes that can delay or misdirect a request

• Submitting too little identifying information to distinguish the correct veteran.
• Using the general NPRC address without first checking the SF-180 Records Location Table for the correct repository.
• Forgetting the required signature and date on a written request for restricted Federal records.
• Failing to include proof of death when requesting a deceased veteran's restricted records as next of kin.
• Sending repeated requests before NARA has had time to process the original submission.
• Paying a private company for a basic DD214 request without first checking whether NARA can provide the record at no charge.

Using the record for VA benefits and other veteran needs

A DD Form 214 is commonly used to document military service, character of discharge and related service information. If your next step involves veteran benefits, Helpydo also explains how to request a VA home loan Certificate of Eligibility. Remember that VA says it can obtain your DD214 itself when processing a VA benefits application, so a separate National Archives request is not always necessary for that purpose.