Madison County Recorder (Rachel Fisher): Military Discharge Records Recorded Free and Kept from the Public

The office. Rachel Fisher, Madison County Recorder, 1 N Main St, Room 40, London OH 43140; phone 740-852-1854, fax 740-845-1776; "Hours of Operation Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Please note that we stop recording at 3:30 pm." The free recording. The Recorder's Military DD214 information sheet: "In Ohio you can record your DD Form 214 in your county recorder's office. Register your DD Form 214 with your County Recorder as soon as you separate from the Service. After you record your discharge papers, they can be easily retrieved if you need additional copies. There is never a fee for recording a military discharge record or for certified copies for authorized parties. The Madison County Recorder's Office encourages Veterans to have their military discharge papers (DD214) recorded in the Recorder's Office. You must present an original or a certified DD214 for recording." The confidentiality. "Military discharges have restricted public access. ORC 317.24 allows authorized parties to request copies of recorded military discharges. Proper identification MUST be present to view and receive copies. Authorized parties include: The person who is subject of the Discharge; County Veterans Service Officer; Person with Power of Attorney for the Veteran; An Executor or Administrator of the Veteran's Estate; A funeral director." And: "Copies of 214's must be requested in person at the Madison County Recorder's Office by an authorized individual. Please have identification with you such as a driver's license. A recorded discharge document is not a public record for a period of seventy-five (75) years after the date of recording. If you are not an 'authorized party' a copy of any DD214 may only be made available to you in redacted form. Including only name, rank, date of birth, date of discharge and type of discharge. Unauthorized persons will also be subject to a two-dollar ($2) per page charge." The lost-DD214 route. "If you have lost your DD214 and have never recorded it, the Madison County Veterans Service Commission can direct you in obtaining a copy. The Veteran's Service Office is located in the Madison County Courthouse. The phone number is 740-852-0676." The fee schedule. The Recorder's page prices recording at 39.00 dollars for the first two pages and 8.00 dollars for each additional page - "Effective January 1, 2025, recording fees for most documents will increase by $5.00 due to the passage of SB 94 by the Ohio Legislature ... See ORC 317.32" - and the schedule names no discharge line at all, the free recording resting on the sheet above rather than on a fee line.