Military Discharges

Stokes County began recording Military Discharges in 1943 in the Register of Deeds Office. Our office currently has nine volumes of discharges. Access to these records are restricted, pursuant to North Carolina G.S. 47-113.2., as follows:

All military discharge documents filed on or after January 1, 2004, shall be considered a public record, but for confidential safekeeping and restricted access to such documents, these documents will be filed with the registers of deeds in this State. These documents are exempt from public inspection and access except as allowed in subsections (b) and (m) of this section.

(b) Definitions:

(1) Authorized party. – Four categories of authorized parties are recognized with respect to access to military discharge documents under subsection (e) of this section:

  1. The subject of the document or the subject's widow or widower.
  2. Agents and representatives of the subject authorized in writing:
  3. By the subject or subject's widow or widower in a notarized authorization,
  4. By a court to represent subject, or
  5. By the subject's executor acting on behalf of a deceased subject.
  6. Authorized agents of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or a court official with an interest in assisting the subject or the deceased subject's beneficiaries to obtain a benefit.
  7. Agents or representatives of the North Carolina State Archives.

Additionally, in accordance with NC G.S. 47-113.2, NC Military Discharges shall be made private and access to such records will be restricted for a term of 80 years.

If you are a veteran and would like to record your DD-214 Discharge, you can do so in the Register of Deeds Office. There is no fee for recording a military discharge.