How to Get a Copy of Your DD-214: Three Free Routes, What to Send, and How Long to Wait

A copy of your DD-214 costs nothing. The National Archives says most veterans and their next of kin "can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214," and it warns that companies charging for the same thing are selling "a free service." There are three routes: eVetRecs online, Standard Form 180 by mail or fax, and milConnect for recent separations. What is not settled is the wait. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) gives no number of days. It says it receives "approximately 4,000 - 5,000 requests per day" and asks you not to send a follow-up "before 90 days have elapsed, as it may cause further delays."

What the form is

The DD Form 214 is the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The Archives describes it as the report of separation "generally issued when a service member performs active duty or at least 90 consecutive days of active duty training." It carries the dates and places of entry and release, decorations and awards, and the separation information: the date and type of separation, character of service, the authority and reason, and the separation and reenlistment eligibility codes. Before January 1, 1950 the services used other forms, among them the WD AGO 53-55 and the NAVPERS 553.

Which route fits you

Sending the envelope by an express service does not move it up the line. The Archives says such requests "will only arrive at the NPRC sooner. They will not be processed any faster." To check on a request, NPRC's customer service line is 314-801-0800; staff answer from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT, and the busiest hours are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

What the request must contain

• The veteran's complete name as used in service
• Service number and Social Security number
• Branch of service and dates of service
• Date and place of birth, "especially if the service number is not known"
• The signature of the veteran or next of kin, and the date
• From the next of kin of a veteran who has died: proof of death, such as a death certificate, a letter from the funeral home or a published obituary

Next of kin, in the Archives' wording, is "the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran." Send copies, never originals: documents submitted with a request "will not be returned." Saying why you need the record (applying for veterans benefits, preparing to retire, researching your own history) is optional, and the Archives calls it "extremely helpful." If the reason is a VA disability claim, our VA disability claim guide covers the claim, and the VA Disability Calculator shows what a rating pays.

The 62-year rule and what it costs

A personnel record becomes archival, and open to the public, 62 years after the member left the service. The Archives calls it "a rolling date, the current year minus 62 years." Before that point there is generally no charge to the veteran, the next of kin and authorized representatives. After it, anyone may order the record, and the order is for a complete copy of the Official Military Personnel File at a flat fee.

If the record was in the 1973 fire

On July 12, 1973 a fire at NPRC in St. Louis destroyed "approximately 16-18 million" personnel files. The Archives estimates the loss at 80% of the files of Army personnel discharged from November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960, and 75% for Air Force personnel discharged from September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E. No duplicates or microfilm existed.

A request for one of those veterans still goes in the same way. NPRC rebuilds the service history from other sources, including VA claims files, state records, pay vouchers and Selective Service registration records. Add three details to the request: the place of discharge, the last unit of assignment and the place of entry into the service.

Fixing an error on a DD-214

• The Archives no longer issues the DD Form 215. Its page says that because DoDI 1336.01 requires the correction form to be created electronically, the National Archives "will no longer create a DD Form 215 to make corrections to the DD-214."
• An error or an injustice in the record: DD Form 149 to your service's board for correction of military records, generally "within three years after discovery" of the error. The board may excuse a late filing in the interest of justice.
• The discharge itself: DD Form 293 to your service's discharge review board, which can change a discharge not issued by a general court-martial. A veteran separated administratively under other than honorable conditions must file "within 15 years of the date of separation."

Still in uniform and planning the last months? The TAP timeline lays out the transition steps by date, and the Final Pay Calculator estimates the last paycheck.