Veterans Records Disclosure is a set of four King County Recorders Office forms, VET 1 to VET 4, that a veteran uses to control who may see military discharge papers filed with the County Auditor. Eligible people use one of them to ask for access to or copies of those papers. The forms cover an exemption from public disclosure, designating people who may have access, revoking and re-designating them, and requesting access to exempt papers. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original at the agency's address.
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What is VET 1, VET 2, VET 3, VET 4?
Veterans Records Disclosure is the King County Recorders Office PDF that bundles four forms, VET 1 through VET 4, used under RCW 42.17.310 to restrict, designate or obtain access to a veteran's military discharge papers filed with the County Auditor.
Each form does a different job:
- VET 1, Request for Exemption from Public Disclosure of Discharge Papers: the veteran exempts discharge papers from public disclosure. The form is for papers recorded prior to July 1, 2002 and commingled with other records.
- VET 2, Request for Disclosure of Discharge Papers: the veteran names individuals who, in addition to next of kin, may access or copy the papers. It is for papers recorded prior to July 1, 2002 and not commingled with other records, and for papers recorded after July 1, 2002.
- VET 3, Revocation and Re-designation of Disclosure of Discharge Papers: the veteran revokes an earlier Request for Disclosure, identified by county and auditor's file number, and designates new individuals.
- VET 4, Request for Access / Copy of Exempt Discharge Papers: a person eligible under RCW 42.17.310 declares, under penalty of perjury, that they may access or copy the named veteran's papers.
The forms are filed against the auditor's reference numbers of the papers concerned. VET 1 prints a recording fee; VET 2, VET 3 and VET 4 print none. The PDF is not a request for the discharge papers' contents on its own and it has nothing to do with taxes or other county records.
Who needs to file VET 1, VET 2, VET 3, VET 4?
Veterans whose discharge papers are filed with the County Auditor are the main group. They sign VET 1, VET 2 or VET 3 to decide who may see the papers: VET 1 to exempt commingled papers recorded prior to July 1, 2002, VET 2 to designate individuals in addition to next of kin, and VET 3 to revoke an earlier designation and name new people.
VET 4 is for the person seeking access or copies. Under RCW 42.17.310, as the forms quote it, papers may be released only to:
- the veteran;
- the veteran's next of kin, defined on the form as a widow or widower who has not remarried, son, daughter, father, mother, brother and sister;
- a deceased veteran's properly appointed personal representative or executor;
- a person holding the veteran's general power of attorney;
- individuals the veteran designated on the forms above.
A widow or widower who has remarried, and relatives not on that list, can obtain the papers only if the veteran designated them. The requester signs VET 4 and states their relation to the veteran, declaring under penalty of perjury that they are eligible.
When to file VET 1, VET 2, VET 3, VET 4
File a form when the veteran wants to change who may see the discharge papers, or when an eligible person needs access or copies; no due date is printed on any of the four forms. Which form applies depends on when and how the papers were recorded. VET 1 covers papers recorded prior to July 1, 2002 and commingled with other records. VET 2 covers papers recorded prior to July 1, 2002 and not commingled, and papers recorded after July 1, 2002. VET 3 is used whenever the veteran wants to end an earlier Request for Disclosure and name new designees. VET 4 is used when an eligible person asks for access. The form text uses both "prior to June 30, 2002" and "prior to July 1, 2002", so confirm with the Recorders Office if your papers were filed near that date.
How to fill out VET 1, VET 2, VET 3, VET 4
Pick the form that matches your purpose
Use VET 1 to exempt papers recorded before July 1, 2002 and commingled with other records, VET 2 to designate individuals, VET 3 to revoke and re-designate, or VET 4 to request access or copies.
Enter the Name & Return Address
In the Name & Return Address block at the top of the form, type the name and address to which the recorded form should be returned, on the three lines provided.
Enter the veteran's name
On VET 1, VET 2 and VET 4, write the veteran's Last Name, First Name and MI. VET 3 instead identifies the veteran by the signature block at the bottom.
Name the designees
On VET 1 and VET 2 list up to three designees by Last Name, First Name and MI; on VET 3 there are four lines; on VET 4 enter the one designee requesting access.
List the auditor's reference numbers
On VET 1 and VET 2, enter the Auditor's Reference Number(s) of the discharge papers. On VET 4, enter the AFN Designating Access and the AFN Accessed Discharge Paper(s).
Identify the earlier request on VET 3
Enter the county and the auditor's file number of the Request for Disclosure you revoke, then the county and file number(s) of the discharge papers the new designees may access.
Have the veteran sign
On VET 1 and VET 2, the veteran signs at Signature of Veteran. On VET 3, the veteran signs and enters the date.
Sign VET 4 and state your relationship
On VET 4, the person requesting access signs and enters Relation to Veteran, confirming they are eligible under RCW 42.17.310.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, file numbers and signatures, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and submit it as described under How to submit.
How to submit VET 1, VET 2, VET 3, VET 4
The PDF prints no mailing address, online portal or appointment rule, so ask the King County Recorders Office, which publishes the forms, how to record them and how to pay. What the forms do show: each one has a Name & Return Address block with three lines for the address to which the form is returned; the forms refer to filing with the County Auditor and to recording; VET 1 carries a recording fee, payable as the Recorders Office directs, and the current amount comes from that office; and VET 2, VET 3 and VET 4 print no recording fee. Forms must be printed legibly or typed, and VET 1, VET 2 and VET 3 must carry the veteran's signature before they are submitted. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using VET 1 for papers that are not commingled or were recorded after July 1, 2002; VET 2 is the form printed for those papers.
- Leaving the Name & Return Address block blank, so the recorded form has no address to return to.
- Submitting VET 1, VET 2 or VET 3 without the veteran's own signature.
- Listing next of kin as designees on VET 2, which is for individuals in addition to next of kin.
- Assuming any relative counts as next of kin; the form lists widow or widower who has not remarried, son, daughter, father, mother, brother and sister.
- Signing VET 4 without entering your Relation to Veteran or leaving out the declaration of eligibility under RCW 42.17.310.
- Omitting the county or the auditor's file number of the earlier request on VET 3, so the request being revoked is not identified.
- Filling out the form illegibly; each form says to print legibly or type.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Veterans Records Disclosure form?
It is a King County Recorders Office PDF that holds four forms, VET 1 to VET 4, under RCW 42.17.310. A veteran uses them to exempt, release or revoke access to discharge papers filed with the County Auditor, and eligible people use VET 4 to ask for access or copies.
Which form do I need: VET 1, VET 2, VET 3 or VET 4?
VET 1 exempts commingled papers recorded before July 1, 2002. VET 2 designates people for non-commingled papers recorded before that date and for papers recorded after it. VET 3 revokes an earlier designation and names new people. VET 4 requests access or copies.
Who can see a veteran's discharge papers filed with the County Auditor?
The veteran, next of kin, a deceased veteran's properly appointed personal representative or executor, a person holding the veteran's general power of attorney, and individuals the veteran designated. Next of kin means a widow or widower who has not remarried, son, daughter, father, mother, brother and sister.
Is there a recording fee for these forms?
VET 1 prints a recording fee; VET 2, VET 3 and VET 4 print none. The form does not say how it is paid, so ask the King County Recorders Office for the current amount and the accepted payment methods before you submit.
Who has to sign each form?
The veteran signs VET 1, VET 2 and VET 3, and VET 3 also carries a date. On VET 4 the person asking for access signs and states their relation to the veteran, declaring under penalty of perjury that they are eligible under RCW 42.17.310.
How do I cancel someone's access to my discharge papers?
Use VET 3, Revocation and Re-designation of Disclosure of Discharge Papers. You identify the earlier Request for Disclosure by county and auditor's file number, revoke it, and list the individuals you now designate. The veteran signs and dates it.
What goes in the Auditor's Reference Number boxes?
The reference number or numbers under which the discharge papers were filed with the County Auditor. VET 4 asks for two entries: the AFN Designating Access and the AFN Accessed Discharge Paper(s).
Can I fill out the Veterans Records Disclosure form online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not connected to King County, and does not file or record the form; you submit it through the Recorders Office's channels.
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