Harnett County Register of Deeds: Free DD-214 Recording and Copies

The State requires every register of deeds to record discharges and give certified copies free; see the North Carolina entry. The Harnett County Register of Deeds, 305 W. Cornelius Harnett Blvd., Suite 200, Lillington 27546, records DD-214s, keeps them "on file for a lifetime" with restricted access, and gives a certified copy free of charge. A veteran asks in person with a government-issued ID, or by post with a notarised request and a copy of that ID. It has forms both for presenting a discharge for recording and for requesting a copy. Where the FAQ is narrower than the statute. The FAQ says recorded discharges are "only available to the Veteran or legal spouse when the Veteran passes". G.S. 47-113.2 also lets these people obtain copies: an agent authorised in a notarised writing by the veteran or the widow or widower, by a court or by the executor; agents of the State veterans agency, VA, the Department of Defense or a court official helping with a benefit; and the State Archives. The office's own forms list them, so a service officer, funeral home acting on a notarised authorisation, or executor should use the form and not be turned away by the FAQ. The forms still name the "Division of Veteran Affairs", now the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.