Missing your DD214? Start with the official National Archives request process, rather than paying a records-retrieval company. If you are applying for VA benefits, VA says it will request your DD214 when it receives your application. You do not need to request it separately through the Archives for that application.
By Freedom Through Veteran Assistance. Sources checked November 5, 2026. This guide explains records-request routes; it does not determine benefits eligibility.
Choose the request that fits your situation
VA’s military records instructions explain the National Archives online, mail and fax options. They also describe Defense Department access for certain service periods. Follow the current official instructions for your branch rather than assuming every veteran uses the same portal.
For a benefits application already underway, ask the receiving office what it still needs from you. A missing document and an application deadline are separate issues. Do not assume a records request extends a deadline. Our veteran legal-help guide explains how to find accredited benefits assistance.
What if the office asked for VA treatment records?
Ask which document it needs. For a copy of records from care you received at a VA health facility, start with that facility’s Release of Information office. If a specialist needs a scan, ask whether to bring the images, the written report or both. Our guide to getting VA MRI and X-ray images explains the request and how to confirm the office can open the files. VA records instructions checked November 13, 2026.
Request a copy online through the National Archives
The National Archives military records page links to eVetRecs. Its current process requires identity verification through ID.me for new requests and electronic responses. Starting an online request does not mean your complete file is immediately available to download.
Use the official page to enter the request system. Gather the service details requested there, identify the particular document you need, and retain your request confirmation. If you need more than a separation document, describe that need clearly instead of assuming a DD214 request includes every record.
Use Standard Form 180 if you need a paper route
Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, can be used for separation documents, orders, endorsements and military medical records. Download the form from the official page and read its instructions before completing it.
The form’s routing chart matters: the correct destination depends on the branch, separation date and record type. Follow that chart for mailing or faxing rather than copying an address from an unrelated veteran’s request. Keep a copy of what you submit and the delivery information.
Check costs and avoid duplicate requests
The Archives generally provides basic non-archival records free to veterans, authorized representatives and eligible next of kin. Archival records, which become public 62 years after separation, have different fees. Check the official cost section before assuming every historical file is free.
Processing time varies. The Archives asks people not to send a follow-up request before 90 days because duplicates can cause delays; its page also provides a status-check route. For an urgent burial or emergency need, follow its dedicated emergency instructions instead of relying on ordinary processing.
Protect the records you receive
A DD214 can contain sensitive identifying and service information. As a practical precaution, keep an original digital copy in secure storage and share only what the receiving program actually requires. Use that program’s official document channel. Do not put a DD214 in a public comment or send it with a routine FTVA link-correction message.
If you are helping a relative, check the official access rules before requesting records on their behalf. Being a family member does not automatically provide unrestricted access to every file.
Make the next call useful
Ask the office requesting your DD214: Which document or copy do you need? Can you obtain it directly? What should I do while the request is pending? Where can I submit it securely? Write down the answers and any actual deadline.
For other assistance, browse FTVA’s veteran resources or our health-care starting guide. Read how we review resources. FTVA is not the records custodian, and these links do not establish a partnership with the agencies.