National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
Death notification, 3 survivor benefits, and required documents
OverviewWhen someone dies
National Personnel Records Center — Customer Service
Phone314-801-0800
Toll-Free1-866-272-6272
Fax314-801-9195
Mailing Address
National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT (closed weekends and federal holidays). Peak call times are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT.
Verified Jul 2026
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) repository that holds Official Military Personnel Files for discharged and deceased veterans of all service branches. Families need a copy of the veteran's DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) from NPRC before claiming most VA burial benefits, headstones or markers, military funeral honors, or burial in a VA national cemetery. NPRC accepts expedited requests from next of kin and processes roughly 4,000 to 5,000 record requests every business day.
Death notification
NPRC does not receive death notifications and does not pay direct benefits. Families contact NPRC to obtain a copy of the deceased veteran's DD Form 214 and Official Military Personnel File, which are then used to apply for VA burial benefits, headstones and markers, military funeral honors, and burial in a VA national cemetery. The fastest path for families is the online eVetRecs system at vetrecs.archives.gov; mail or fax requests use Standard Form 180. Next-of-kin requests for burial-related purposes can be flagged for expedited processing — contact NPRC directly when calling or noting the request.
Deadline: As soon as possible after death — DD Form 214 is typically required before VA burial benefits, military funeral honors, or interment in a VA national cemetery can be arranged
Survivor benefits
The NPRC offers 3 benefits for surviving family members.
DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
A copy of the veteran's DD Form 214 is the document most families need from NPRC. It establishes character of service and is required by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cemetery Administration before approving burial benefits, headstones or markers, presidential memorial certificates, military funeral honors, and burial in a VA national cemetery. NPRC provides copies to next of kin at no cost.
Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)
The complete OMPF includes service history, awards and decorations, training records, medical and health records, and separation documents. Next of kin can request a full OMPF copy to establish eligibility for awards, benefits, or to document service history. Files for veterans separated 62 or more years ago are considered archival and carry a fee schedule; non-archival OMPFs are free to next of kin.
Replacement Medals and Awards
NPRC does not issue medals itself; it verifies the awards a veteran earned and forwards the request to the appropriate service department for issuance. The process and cost of a next-of-kin request depend on the service branch and on whether the record is archival (62 or more years since separation). For Army, Navy, and Marine Corps veterans, next-of-kin requests are handled through NPRC at no cost regardless of how long ago the veteran separated. For Air Force and Coast Guard veterans separated less than 62 years ago, next-of-kin requests are also handled at no cost; for Air Force and Coast Guard veterans separated 62 or more years ago (archival records), NPRC does not accept next-of-kin medal requests, and the next of kin must obtain a copy of the OMPF and purchase medals from a commercial source.
When someone dies
Notifying the NPRC after a death
6-step process, 6 required documents, and 3 survivor benefits.
View details →Frequently asked questions
NPRC processes roughly 4,000 to 5,000 requests per business day. NPRC asks requesters to allow about 10 days for the request to be received and entered before checking status. Routine next-of-kin requests for a DD Form 214 are typically faster than complex archival or reconstruction requests, which can take 90 days or longer.
eVetRecs is NPRC's online system for requesting military service records, located at vetrecs.archives.gov. Veterans and next of kin can submit new requests and check the status of existing requests through the system. Users must verify their identity through ID.me before submitting a new request or retrieving a response.
National Personnel Records Center — Customer Service
Phone314-801-0800
Toll-Free1-866-272-6272
Fax314-801-9195
Mailing Address
National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT (closed weekends and federal holidays). Peak call times are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT.
Verified Jul 2026