Washington Free Recording of Military Discharges

RCW 73.04.030 requires each county auditor to "record upon presentation without expense" the discharge of any veteran residing in Washington. Under RCW 42.56.440 a discharge filed after June 30, 2002 is not a public record and is available only to the veteran, next of kin, a personal representative or someone holding the veteran's power of attorney, and a few others; for an older recording mixed in with other records, the veteran may record the Department of Veterans Affairs' "request for exemption from public disclosure of discharge papers", for which the auditor may charge no more than $7, and auditors must use a form to verify that anyone asking for a recorded DD-214 is entitled to it. RCW 73.04.040 makes a certified copy of the recorded discharge prima facie proof, for all purposes, of the veteran's service, citizenship, and place and date of birth. RCW 73.04.120 directs county clerks and auditors to give the legal representative, surviving spouse or domestic partner, child or parent of a deceased veteran free certified copies of marriage, divorce, annulment and similar records needed for a VA or other veterans' benefit claim, and to record such records from elsewhere free; the same goes to a serving member or dependents who need them for family allowances.