🎖️ How to Fax an SF-180 to the NPRC
Fax a signed Standard Form 180 to the National Personnel Records Center at 314-801-9195. For an emergency burial outside a VA National Cemetery, fax it instead to the NPRC Customer Service Team at 314-801-0764 with the next of kin's signature and proof of death. On OverseasFax, select United States, type 3148019195, and a cover page plus a short form costs $2.99 for up to 3 pages.
📋 In This Guide
The NPRC Fax Numbers
The National Archives lists one fax number for routine Standard Form 180 requests and one for emergencies. For a routine request for military service records, fax the SF-180 to 314-801-9195. If you prefer to mail it, the address is National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138, or the address shown for your record type in the table on page 3 of the form, because not every record is held at the same place.
For an emergency burial request, when the veteran will not be buried at a VA National Cemetery, fax the SF-180 to the NPRC Customer Service Team at 314-801-0764, and include the next of kin's signature and proof of death. If the burial will be at a VA National Cemetery, please do not fax; call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 instead. The NPRC phone number for general questions is 314-801-0800.
The rule: use 314-801-9195 for a routine SF-180 and 314-801-0764 only for an emergency burial outside a VA National Cemetery, and check page 3 of the form to be sure your record is held at the NPRC.
When eVetRecs Is the Better Route
You do not have to fax at all. The National Archives also takes requests online through eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov, where your identity is checked through ID.me, and emergency requests can be made there too. Fax is a good choice when you have already filled in and signed the paper form, when you are next of kin and want to send a death certificate with it, or when you would rather not create an online identity account.
Who Signs and What Makes It Valid
The request must be signed and dated by the veteran or by the next of kin, and the signature must be dated within the last year. If you filled in a form more than a year ago and never sent it, please sign and date it again before you fax it. If you are next of kin of a deceased veteran, add a copy of the death certificate or other proof of death to the same fax.
Fill in as much of the service information as you can, such as full name used in service, branch, dates of service and service number, because the more the NPRC knows, the easier it is to find the right file. A clean scan to PDF makes the handwriting and numbers easier to read than a dark phone photo.
What to Put on the Cover Page and Each Page
On the cover page, write "National Personnel Records Center" and "SF-180 request attached" (or "Emergency burial request" for the Customer Service Team), the veteran's full name used in service, the branch, the approximate dates of service, your name and your relationship to the veteran, your phone number and email, and the total page count. For a burial request, add the funeral date and the funeral home's name and phone if you have them.
Then write the veteran's name and a page number such as "Page 2 of 5" on each page, including the death certificate. Leave the Social Security number off the cover page and give it only in the form field that asks for it.
Entering the Number and the Cost
Select United States, then type all 10 digits. Do not type a leading 1, because +1 is added for you, and the box removes a 1 typed at the start. The pay button turns on only when all 10 digits are in. The routine NPRC number is typed as 3148019195, and the emergency burial number as 3148010764.
A fax to a US number costs $2.99 for up to 3 pages and $0.99 for each extra page. If your cover page and filled-in form come to 4 pages, the cost is $2.99 + $0.99 = $3.98. With a one-page death certificate added, 5 pages comes to $4.97. You see the price before you pay.
Your Record and What to Do Next
There is no account, nothing is printed on your document, and if the fax cannot be delivered the full amount goes back to your card automatically. Delivery usually takes a few minutes. The confirmation email then shows the destination number, the page count and the time in US Eastern Time, which is your record of exactly when it was sent. Keep it, and if you need to ask about your request, call the NPRC at 314-801-0800 and give the date and time from that email.
If someone needs to fax you a form or a document while you wait, our sister service GetAFax.com gives you a private US fax number for 24 hours for $5, for up to 30 pages, and the faxes arrive in your email as a PDF. If you are arranging other paperwork after a death, see how to fax estate documents after a death. For VA benefits, see how to fax the VA, and for all US topics see the US fax guide.
Why send it here
One price for the whole fax, shown before you pay, and nothing added at checkout.
Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.
If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.
It works from anywhere in the US, in any browser, with no account.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is it to fax an SF-180 to the National Personnel Records Center?
Is there a free way to request my military records instead of faxing the SF-180?
Do I need an account to fax a military records request?
Where do I fax a Standard Form 180?
My dad just died and the funeral is this week, where do I fax his SF-180 for burial honors?
Who is allowed to sign a Standard Form 180?
I signed my SF-180 two years ago, can I still fax it to the NPRC?
Should I fax my SF-180 to the VA or to the NPRC?
What is the NPRC emergency fax number for burials?
How do I type the NPRC fax number online?
What is the NPRC mailing address for an SF-180?
Can the NPRC fax me back after I send my SF-180?
How do I know my SF-180 fax reached the National Personnel Records Center?
What happens if my fax to the NPRC fails?
Is it safe to fax an SF-180 with a Social Security number on it?
What should the cover page say on an SF-180 fax?
Does the NPRC need a death certificate with an SF-180 from next of kin?
What is the NPRC phone number for SF-180 questions?
Can a funeral home fax an SF-180 for the family?
Can I fax an SF-180 from my phone?
Related Guides
📖 Fax Estate Documents After a Death
📖 Fax Your Ballot as a Stateside Service Member
📖 How to Fax to the USA Online
📖 How to Fax From an Android Phone
📠 Ready to send?
No account needed · $2.99 for up to 3 pages · Delivered in minutes · Full refund if delivery fails
Fax your SF-180 →