How to Get a DD214: Fast, Free Ways for Veteran Families
If you are looking for a DD214 because a veteran in your family has died, we are sorry. You do not have to untangle this alone, and you probably do not have to do it all tonight. The DD214 is free to request, and in many burial cases the paperwork can be sorted out with help from a funeral director.
Table of Contents
- Quick Answer
- TL;DR
- What a DD214 Is and Why Families Need It
- Check the House First, Then the Easy Places
- Who Can Request a DD214
- How to Get a DD214: The Main Routes
- What Counts as Proof of Death
- When You Need It Fast
- You May Not Need the DD214 Yourself
- If the DD214 Is Lost or Damaged
- How the Records Fit Into Funeral Planning
- Our Perspective: Paperwork Should Never Be the Hard Part
- How Bravo Can Help a Veteran’s Family
- Keeping the DD214 Safe for Next Time
- FAQ
- Sources
Quick Answer
You can get a free copy of a DD214 from the National Archives, online, by mail or by fax. Veterans and their next of kin can ask. For a death, you will need to show proof of death, such as a death certificate, an obituary or a signed statement from a funeral director. If you are arranging a burial in a VA national cemetery, you may not need to request the DD214 yourself, because the VA can often verify eligibility when you apply.
TL;DR
- A DD214 (Report of Separation) is free from the National Archives. Veterans and next of kin can request it online through eVetRecs, or by mail or fax with Standard Form 180.
- Next of kin means a surviving spouse who has not remarried, a parent, a child, a sister or a brother.
- For a funeral, say so on the request and include proof of death so it can be handled as a burial case.
- Other discharge papers can work if the DD214 is missing. We cover which ones below.
- Bravo Family Mortuary coordinates VA burial benefits paperwork for veteran families at no additional charge. We are here whenever you are ready.
What a DD214 Is and Why Families Need It
The DD214 is the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It records when someone served, the branch, and the character of their discharge. It is the paper that most often proves a veteran’s service.
For a family, it matters at three moments:
- Burial or memorial items. The VA says that if you want burial in a national cemetery or memorial items, you need to show proof of honorable active military service.
- Scheduling a burial. When you call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office, the VA asks you to have the DD214 or other discharge documents of the veteran ready.
- Military honors. The Military OneSource flyer on requesting a DD Form 214 is written to help establish eligibility for funeral honors.
If you have never seen the document, that is very common. Many families did not keep it, or it sits in a box nobody can find. Neither is a failure on your part.
Check the House First, Then the Easy Places
Before you request anything, spend ten gentle minutes looking in these places:
- A fireproof box, filing cabinet or desk where important papers were kept
- With a will, insurance papers or a safe deposit box
- A folder from a past VA claim, home loan or benefits application
- The papers of an attorney or a veterans service officer who helped the family before
Some veterans also recorded their DD214 with a county recorder’s office years ago. It is worth a quick call to the county where they lived, though practices vary. If you find a copy, a clear photo or scan is a good first step. Keep the original safe.
Who Can Request a DD214
The National Archives allows requests from the veteran or from next of kin. By its definition, next of kin means:
- A surviving spouse who has not remarried
- A father or mother
- A son or daughter
- A sister or brother
If you are a niece, a friend, a grandchild or a partner who is not a legal spouse, you may not qualify to ask on your own. In that case, a qualifying relative can submit the request, or you can talk to a funeral director or a veterans service officer about the best route.
How to Get a DD214: The Main Routes
There is no single best route for everyone. It depends on how recently the person served, how urgent the situation is, and whether you are the veteran or the family.
| Route | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| National Archives online (eVetRecs) | Most next of kin | Free. ID.me identity verification is required to start a new request. |
| Mail or fax with SF-180 | Families who prefer paper or cannot verify online | Send to the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138, or fax 314-801-9195, per the National Archives. |
| milConnect | Some recently separated veterans | The VA notes the National Archives is its main path, and records not yet scanned will not appear in milConnect. |
| Through the VA at burial time | Families seeking a national cemetery burial | The VA can often verify eligibility directly when you apply. |
| Through your funeral director | Families who want help | A funeral director can often coordinate with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. |
Requesting online through eVetRecs
- Go to the National Archives veterans records page and choose the online request option.
- Verify your identity. The National Archives says users must verify through ID.me when submitting new requests and retrieving electronic responses. Have a phone and photo ID ready. It may ask for a live photo.
- Enter what you know about the veteran: full name used in service, branch, service number or Social Security number, and dates of service.
- Say that the veteran has died and that the copy is needed for a funeral or burial.
- Upload proof of death.
- Submit, and keep your confirmation number.
Don’t worry if you do not know every detail. Approximate dates and the last duty station still help the archive find a file. If the details are very thin, tell the funeral home so we can help fill gaps.
Requesting by mail or fax with SF-180
Standard Form 180 is the paper request. The National Archives explains how to obtain an SF-180 and says the online ordering form is also available. Fill in what you can, sign it, attach proof of death and send it to the address above. Because a signed form is involved, keep a copy of everything you send.
What Counts as Proof of Death
The National Archives needs proof of death before it releases records to next of kin. You can provide a death certificate, an obituary, or a signed statement from your funeral director. Without it, the request cannot be processed.
This matters if the death certificate is not yet issued. An obituary or a funeral director’s statement can stand in, so you do not have to wait. If Bravo is helping your family, we can provide that statement.
When You Need It Fast
If a funeral date is close, the pace of an ordinary request may not fit your plans. A few things help:
- Mark it as a burial case. The National Archives guidance points to using the emergency request option in the online system or identifying the request as a burial case for faster handling, per the National Archives.
- Call in the right window. The National Personnel Records Center is typically easiest to reach on weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Central Time. That is 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in San Diego. The center’s public number listed in search results is 314-801-0800.
- Ask your funeral director first. We deal with these requests regularly and can often shorten the steps.
An ordinary request can take weeks, so if you are not rushed, there is no harm in starting early and in calm conditions. If you are rushed, the next sections may remove the need for the DD214 altogether.
You May Not Need the DD214 Yourself
If your goal is burial in a VA national cemetery, the VA says you often do not need to request the document yourself. The VA can often verify eligibility directly when you submit your application, and the scheduling office may help locate records once a funeral director is involved.
For San Diego families, that usually means Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery or Miramar National Cemetery. Our guide to veteran funeral honors in San Diego walks through how the timing works.
If the DD214 Is Lost or Damaged
A lost DD214 is a replacement request, and it follows the same free National Archives process above. If it is urgent, there are other options too. The VA accepts a list of other discharge documents for eligibility. Examples include:
- DD13, Statement of Service
- DD217
- DD303, Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
If you have any of these, show them to your funeral director before spending time chasing a new DD214.
One caution. Because the request is free, you do not need to pay a website for it. If a site asks for a fee to “expedite” a government record, step back and use the National Archives or VA pages directly, or ask us.
How the Records Fit Into Funeral Planning
Veteran paperwork can feel like one more weight at an already heavy time. It helps to see where it fits:
- First, the immediate needs. The veteran is in our care, and the family can take time before decisions are made.
- Then the documents. We gather the DD214 or an accepted alternative, a death certificate and proof of relationship.
- Then eligibility and scheduling. We coordinate with the VA and the National Cemetery Scheduling Office.
- Then the service. Burial, cremation or a memorial, with military honors where eligible.
To see how benefits stack up, these guides cover the money side: VA burial benefits in California, the VA burial allowance, VA cremation benefits, and the free VA headstone. If a flag is part of the service, read about burial flag etiquette.
Our Perspective: Paperwork Should Never Be the Hard Part
We are an independent, family-owned funeral home on Rainier Avenue in San Diego, and we serve veteran families across the county every day, in English and Spanish. What we see most often is this: people who just lost someone are asked to hunt for a document at the exact moment they have the least energy for it.
So we do the chasing. We coordinate VA burial benefits paperwork for veteran families at no additional charge. We tell families plainly that the DD214 is free from the government, that alternatives exist, and that the VA can often verify service on its own. No one should pay a stranger for a form or feel behind because a box could not be found.
We also believe a family should know the cost of a service before anything else. Our prices are published, with no hidden fees, and you can complete arrangements online at any hour through our secure PartingPros portal, with no sales pressure. If a veteran in your family wanted a particular kind of farewell, we will help you honor it.
— Steve Olsher
How Bravo Can Help a Veteran’s Family
Our military and veteran funeral services include coordination of benefits paperwork. Two optional add-ons are listed on that page: a Final Farewell Private Viewing at $295 and a Witness Cremation at $595. You can see our full list, with every price, on our pricing page. A few examples:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Immediate Burial | $2,995 |
| Natural Burial | $3,995 |
| Direct Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) | $4,200 |
| Memorial Ceremony + Cremation | $5,495 |
| Traditional Burial | $6,499 |
| Traditional Cremation & Ceremony | $6,995 |
Some fees can apply, including $5 per mile beyond 30 miles and a $695 weekend and holiday services surcharge. Our general price list has the full details.
If you are a veteran thinking ahead, you can also make a plan now and put the DD214 somewhere your family can find it. See our pre-planning options. We are here whenever you are ready.
Keeping the DD214 Safe for Next Time
If you are a veteran, or you are helping one, a few small steps spare your family this search:
- Request a fresh copy now, while you are well. It is free.
- Make a few paper copies and one digital copy, stored securely.
- Tell a trusted relative where the original is.
- Add the location to your funeral pre-plan.
A DD214 can contain a Social Security number, so share it only with people and offices you trust.
FAQ
Can I get a copy of my DD214 online for free?
Yes. The National Archives provides copies free to veterans and next of kin through its online eVetRecs system, as well as by mail and fax. You will need to verify your identity through ID.me for a new online request. If a website asks for payment, it is not the government service.
How can I get a copy of a DD214 right away?
The quickest options depend on the case. Some recent veterans can find a scanned copy through milConnect, if their records have been digitized. For a funeral, mark the request as a burial case with the National Archives, or ask your funeral director to help with the VA burial process, which can often verify service without a new copy.
I lost my DD214. How do I get a replacement?
Request a free replacement from the National Archives with eVetRecs or SF-180. Include your full name, branch, service dates and service number or Social Security number if you have them. If you need proof of service quickly, other documents such as a DD13 or DD303 may be accepted by the VA.
Can anyone look up a DD214?
No. The National Archives releases records to the veteran or to defined next of kin, and for a deceased veteran it requires proof of death. Spouses who have not remarried, parents, children, sisters and brothers qualify.
Do I need a DD214 to bury a veteran in a national cemetery?
You need proof of eligible service, and the DD214 is the usual document. The VA also accepts other discharge documents and can often verify eligibility itself when you apply. A funeral director can help you with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office.
Sources
- Request Military Service Records, National Archives
- Request Military Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180, National Archives
- eVetRecs Help, National Archives
- Request your military service records, including DD214, Veterans Affairs
- Complete list of discharge documents, Veterans Affairs
- Schedule a burial for a Veteran or family member, Veterans Affairs
- How to Request a DD Form 214, Military OneSource