Military Discharge Recording

General Information

Our office records military discharges in association with the Chester County Veterans' Affairs Office. This process safeguards a veterans' documents in case of loss, misplacement or natural disaster so as to not risk the interruption or discontinuation of benefits for themselves and/or their families. After recordation, any hard copies containing sensitive information are destroyed and the digital images of these important documents are kept in a secure database on our server. This ensures that only the serviceperson, his or her immediate family*, or authorized military personnel or veterans' agencies will have access to these recorded documents at a later date. Military discharges are the only documents we maintain that are not made a part of the public record.

Recording Your Military Discharge Document
To record your military discharge, visit our office at 313 West Market Street, Suite 3302, West Chester, PA and we will assist you in getting your discharge properly recorded. Veterans should bring their DD-214 and/or other military discharge document(s) as well as a current photo identification card (such as a Pennsylvania Drivers’ License or U.S. Passport) in order to record their discharge papers and verify identity. The Recorder of Deeds does not charge veterans a fee for this service. Veterans who resided in another county/state when they were discharged may have had their DD-214 recorded in that county/state, however, it is recommended that the veteran also record the DD-214 in the county where the veteran currently resides.

See also Veteran ID & Discount Program
Obtaining a Certified Copy of a Previously Recorded Military Discharge

If your military discharge has already been recorded in our office and you now require a certified copy, please email [email protected], call (610) 344-6330 or visit our office (313 West Market Street, Suite 3302, West Chester, PA). Please note that we will only have a copy of your military discharge documents if you directly recorded them with our office and require verification of identity (serviceperson, immediate family*, or authorized military personnel or veterans' agency) to receive a certified copy.

If you are a veteran living in Chester County and have lost or misplaced your discharge documents prior to recording them with our office, you may request your military service records from the U.S. National Archives or your Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard service records from the PA Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA).

Veteran ID & Discount Program

We also offer Veterans who record their discharge documents a county-issued photo ID card and membership to our Veteran Discount Program with over 100 participating local businesses. Click here for more information.

*Immediate family members may access these records in the absence or death of the veteran is defined as a spouse, siblings, children and parents.