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Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide

How to apply for access to personal data held by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Updates to this page

From:
Ministry of Defence
Published:
9 November 2016
Last updated:
22 April 2024
Show all updates

  1. Added: 'Medical records for deceased service personnel'.

  2. Update to the British Army Records statement and the link to information on records that have been transferred to The National Archives.

  3. Updated information about accessing personal data and service records.

  4. Added: link to information on records that have been transferred to The National Archives.

  5. Added information about Records of Service for Deceased Service Personnel: requesters will no longer be required to pay the administration fee from 1 April 2023.

  6. Update to the British Army Records statement

  7. Added an update on delays caused by COVID-19.

  8. Updated the coronavirus statement.

  9. Updated the coronavirus (COVID-19) announcement.

  10. Updated COVID-19 announcement.

  11. Added coronavirus update.

  12. Added section: Data protection rights for data subjects.

  13. First published.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is transferring around 9.3 million service records to The National Archives. The transfer is expected to complete in 2027.

More information on records that have been transferred to The National Archives.

Requests for service records

Due to a significant backlog, you may experience a delay in receiving a response from the department. We are working hard to reduce this as quickly as possible.

Please do not submit more than 5 applications every month.

Information about how to:

  • apply for your own records (Subject Access Request)
  • apply for service records of deceased service personnel
  • apply for Home Guard service records
  • apply for RAF casualty files
  • apply for information about potentially hazardous exposure (Special Subject Access Request)

A short guide to finding out how to get a copy of military service records is available.

Information on making a complaint about how your request was handled.

Obtain your own records

Subject Access Request (SAR).

Data protection

Exercise other data protection rights.

Records of deceased service personnel

Medical records for deceased service personnel

Home Guard records

RAF casualty files

Potential hazardous exposure

Including information for Porton Down volunteers.

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