Notifying the NPRC when someone dies
Family member is responsible for notifying the NPRC
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
When someone dies, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) must be notified. The family member is responsible for notifying the NPRC.
Notification 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.
Steps to take
Steps for notifying the NPRC and applying for survivor benefits:
1
Gather the information NPRC needs to locate the record:
- •Veteran's complete name used during service
- •Service number or Social Security number
- •Date and place of birth
- •Branch of service
- •Approximate dates of service (entry and separation)
- •Place of discharge and last unit (especially for records that may have been affected by the 1973 fire)
2
Submit the request through one of three methods:
- •Online — eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov (identity verification through ID.me required)
- •Mail — Standard Form 180 to National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138
- •Fax — Standard Form 180 to 314-801-9195
3
Include the required next-of-kin documentation with the request:
- •Proof of death — a copy of the death certificate, a letter from the funeral home, or a published obituary
- •Proof of the requester's relationship to the deceased veteran
- •Signed and dated request (signature must be in cursive and dated within the last year)
4
For burial-related requests, flag the request as expedited. Note "Burial" or "Natural Disaster" (when applicable) in the comments or include a cover letter explaining the time-sensitive purpose of the request.
5
Allow approximately 10 days for NPRC to receive and begin processing the request before checking status. Status can be checked at vetrecs.archives.gov or by calling 314-801-0800 (avoid peak hours 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT).
6
If the record may have been affected by the 1973 St. Louis fire (Army veterans discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960, or Air Force veterans discharged September 25, 1947 through January 1, 1964 with surnames alphabetically after James E. Hubbard), NPRC will attempt reconstruction using alternate sources such as VA claims files, state records, and pay documents.
Required Documents
- Veteran's full legal name used during service, service number or Social Security number, branch of service, and approximate service dates
- Veteran's date and place of birth
- Proof of death — a copy of the death certificate, a letter from the funeral home, or a published obituary
- Documentation establishing the requester as next of kin (marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other proof of relationship)
- Place of discharge and last unit assignment (helpful when the record may have been affected by the 1973 fire)
- Standard Form 180 (when not using eVetRecs), signed in cursive and dated within the last year
Timeline
NPRC processes roughly 4,000 to 5,000 requests per day. Allow approximately 10 days before checking status. Complex or fire-affected reconstruction requests can take 90 days or longer; routine next-of-kin requests for a DD Form 214 are typically faster, and burial-related requests can be expedited on a case-by-case basis.
Survivor benefits
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.
Eligibility: Next of kin of the deceased veteran. NPRC defines next of kin (for most service branches) as the un-remarried surviving spouse, child, parent, brother, or sister of the deceased veteran. The Army definition is the surviving spouse, eldest child, father or mother, eldest sibling, or eldest grandchild.
How to apply: Submit a request through eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov, or mail/fax Standard Form 180 to the NPRC in St. Louis. Include proof of death (death certificate or obituary) and proof of next-of-kin relationship.
Learn more →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.
Eligibility: Veteran (during their lifetime) or next of kin of a deceased veteran. Authorized representatives must provide proof of authority.
How to apply: Online via eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov, or by mailing/faxing Standard Form 180 to the NPRC. Archival OMPF copies (62+ years since separation) cost $25 for files of 5 pages or fewer and $70 for files of 6 or more pages.
Learn more →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.
Eligibility: Next of kin as defined by service branch. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard: un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister. Army: surviving spouse, eldest child, father or mother, eldest sibling, or eldest grandchild.
How to apply: Submit Standard Form 180 to the NPRC, indicating that you are requesting replacement medals and providing proof of next-of-kin relationship.
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
Next of kin can request a copy of the DD Form 214 from the National Personnel Records Center through the online eVetRecs system at vetrecs.archives.gov, or by mailing or faxing Standard Form 180 to NPRC at 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138 (fax 314-801-9195). Include a copy of the death certificate or obituary as proof of death and documentation of your relationship to the veteran. There is no fee for next-of-kin requests for a DD Form 214.
For Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard veterans, NPRC defines next of kin as the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister of the deceased veteran. For Army veterans, next of kin is the surviving spouse, eldest child, father or mother, eldest sibling, or eldest grandchild. Anyone else (more distant relatives, friends, or executors) generally cannot make a next-of-kin request.
Yes. NPRC offers expedited handling for burial-related requests. Flag the request by writing "Burial" in the comments field on eVetRecs or in a cover letter accompanying a Standard Form 180 submission. Calling NPRC at 314-801-0800 to alert customer service to the time-sensitive purpose can also help.
On July 12, 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed approximately 16 to 18 million Official Military Personnel Files. The fire destroyed roughly 80 percent of records for Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960, and approximately 75 percent of records for Air Force personnel discharged September 25, 1947 through January 1, 1964 with surnames alphabetically after James E. Hubbard. If the record was lost in the fire, NPRC reconstructs basic service information using alternate sources such as VA claims files, state records, and pay records. Include the place of discharge and last unit assignment to help with reconstruction.
Standard Form 180, "Request Pertaining to Military Records," is the official form for requesting military service records from the National Personnel Records Center. It is used by veterans, next of kin of deceased veterans, and other authorized requesters to obtain copies of the DD Form 214, the full Official Military Personnel File, medical and health records, and replacement medals. SF-180 must be signed in cursive and dated within the last year.
Next of kin can request replacement medals through NPRC by submitting Standard Form 180 and indicating that medals are needed. NPRC verifies the awards earned and forwards the request to the veteran's service department for issuance. For Army, Navy, and Marine Corps veterans, next-of-kin requests are handled at no cost regardless of when the veteran separated. For Air Force and Coast Guard veterans, next-of-kin requests are handled at no cost when the veteran separated less than 62 years ago; 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 families must obtain a copy of the Official Military Personnel File and purchase medals from commercial sources.
Next-of-kin requests for a DD Form 214 and basic service information from a non-archival record (within 62 years of separation) are free. Archival records — those for veterans separated 62 or more years ago — carry a fee of $25 for a complete file of 5 pages or fewer and $70 for a complete file of 6 or more pages.
After completing the notification process, eligible survivors can apply for 3 benefits through the NPRC. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements and application process.
Keep copies of all documents submitted to the NPRC. Original documents submitted for verification are typically returned after processing.
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