NATF 85 National Archives (NARA) Order for Copies of Federal Pen

OMB Control No. 3095-0027 Expires 08-31-2023

NATIONAL ARCHIVES (NARA) ORDER FOR COPIES OF
FEDERAL PENSION OR BOUNTY LAND WARRANT APPLICATIONS

Expedite your order; submit it online at

eservices.archives.gov/orderonline

We receive orders more quickly when you submit them online. We will send you an e-mail confirming that we
have your request and you will be able to track the order online at no additional cost.
Order reproduction service using this form is available ONLY from Archival Operations Washington D.C., Form 85 – Pension,
National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ORDER

The success of our search depends on the completeness and accuracy of the information you provide in blocks 2-17 on this
form. Often there are many files for veterans of the same or nearly the same name. If there are three or fewer files for men with
the same name as the individual in whom you are interested, we will examine the relevant files and compare their contents with
the information that you have provided us. If the veteran's identity seems obvious, we will furnish you a copy of the file we think
is the correct one. Please note that each NATF Form 85 is handled separately.
We cannot make a file-by-file check to see if the information in the numerous files matches that provided for the veteran in
whom you are interested. In such cases, we suggest that you visit the National Archives and examine the various files, or hire
a professional researcher to examine the files for you. We do not maintain a list of persons who do research for a fee; however,
many researchers advertise their services in genealogical periodicals, usually available in libraries.

USE NATF FORM 86 TO OBTAIN COPIES OF MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM
Use a separate NATF Form 85 for each file that you request. You must complete blocks 1 – 6 or we cannot search for the file.
Print your name (last, first, MI) and address in the box provided at the bottom of the form. This serves as your mailing label.
We destroy requests without return addresses. Please enter the Card Validation Code, found on your card, in the space
provided on the form (three or four digits). We will make reproductions of records that relate to your request. We accept Master
Card, VISA, American Express, and Discover credit cards. Do NOT send cash or check. Forms with incomplete Credit Card
information will be destroyed. Make a copy of the completed form for your records. Mail it to: Archival Operations
Washington D.C., Form 85 – Pension, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20408-0001. Please allow up to 90 days for processing your order. If you provide your email address, we will
send you an email with your order number. You can track the status of your order at our website,
eservices.archives.gov/orderonline. We cannot provide digital certifications.
RETURN POLICY: Due to various factors, it is occasionally difficult for NARA to make a legible reproduction. NARA will notify
customers and ask for approval to proceed if we anticipate a reproduction of questionable legibility. As a result, NARA does not
provide refunds except in special cases. If a customer requests a refund, we review the order to determine if we properly notified
the customer of the questionable nature of the original and if the product is a true representation of the original. If the product
is a true representation of the original, we will not issue a refund. If you feel we processed your order incorrectly or it contains
errors, please contact us within 30 days of your delivery date to have your issue verified. Once we verify the issue, we will
correct the error and resend the documents. If we cannot correct the error, you will receive a refund.

ELECTRONIC TRANSFER: Electronic transfer allows you to download your files from a site, as opposed to having them
mailed to you. You will be sent a link for the download. Click the link and download the file to a location of your choosing.
Download speeds will vary based upon file size and your internet connection. A valid email address is necessary for
electronic transfer. Total file transfers can be up to 5 GB. However, files of that size are typically separated into multiple,
smaller files. Files will be available for 30 days from date of upload; downloads of the files should take place within that
period. To ensure electronic receipt of your order, please add electronic.delivery@nara.gov to your trusted senders list.
In some cases, certain email applications will move your reproduction orders to your spam box. Please monitor your
spam box while awaiting your order.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TRUST FUND BOARD

NATF Form 85 (rev. 10-2019)

OMB Control No. 3095-0027 Expires 08-31-2023

TYPES OF RECORDS THAT CAN BE ORDERED WITH THIS FORM
FEDERAL PENSION APPLICATION FILES

Full Pension Application File - Civil War (1860) and Later, ($80 up to 100 pages + $.70 per additional page); Pre Civil War ($55):
Pension application files generally are most useful to those who are doing genealogical research and contain the most complete
information regarding a soldier's military career. We suggest that you first request reproductions of a soldier's pension file. You should
request reproductions of a bounty-land warrant file or a military record only when no pension file exists. If the veteran's service was during
the Revolutionary War, bounty-land warrant applications have been consolidated with pension application papers. You can obtain both
files by requesting the pension file only. Military service records rarely contain family information. Use NATF Form 86 to obtain
reproductions of military service records.
Pension application files, based on Federal (not State or Confederate) service before World War I, usually include an official statement
of the veteran's military service, as well as information of a personal nature. Pension files for the Civil War and later can be very large
and average more pages than pension files for previous wars so the National Archives Trust Fund sets a page limit on these
items. If the file requested exceeds the page limit the researcher will receive the first block of pages along with a quote for the
remaining pages. The customer must return the quote with payment to receive the remainder of the file. Pensions based on
military service for the Confederate States of America were authorized by some Southern States but not by the Federal Government until
1959. Inquiries about State pensions should be addressed to the State archives or equivalent agency at the capital of the veteran's State
of residence after the war. See the special notes below about Confederate pensions.
Pension Documents Packet ($30): The pension documents package will contain, to the extent that these documents are present in the
file, 8 documents that contain genealogical information about the pension applicant. Not all of these documents will be found in every file.
The package will include any of the following items that are in the file: (1) declaration of pension, (2) declaration of widow's pension, (3)
Adjutant General statements of service, (4) questionnaires completed by applicants (numbered forms), (5) "Pension Dropped" cards, (6)
marriage certificates, (7) death certificates, (8) discharge certificate. We will not provide a count of the remaining pages; if you wish to
obtain a full pension file after reviewing the pension documents packet, you will need to order the complete file. If the entire pension file
is no more than 10 pages, we will mark the order "Complete file provided."

BOUNTY-LAND WARRANT APPLICATION FILES

Bounty-land warrant application files ($30) are based on Federal (not State) service before 1856. Documents in a bounty-land warrant
application file are similar to those in a pension application file. In addition, these files usually give the veteran's age and place of residence
at the time the application was made. For a copy of the surrendered Bounty-Land Warrant, you will need to submit a request on NATF
Form 84, National Archives Order for Copies of Land Entry Files.

SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT CONFEDERATE PENSIONS

The following Southern State Archives have Confederate pension records. For links to State Archives websites and links to online
finding aids please go to the Confederate pension page on our website at www.archives.gov or you can write to the addresses below
for more information.
Alabama Department of Archives & History, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104
Arkansas History Commission & State Archives, One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201
Florida State Archives, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
Georgia Department of Archives & History, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260
Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives, Kentucky State Archives, 300 Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY 40601
Louisiana State Archives, 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-2137
Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Charlotte Capers Building, 100 South State Street, Jackson, MS 39201
Missouri State Archives, State Information Center, 600 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
North Carolina State Archives, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Oklahoma Department of Libraries, State Archives, 200 N.E. 18th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
South Carolina Department of Archives & History, South Carolina History Center, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223
Tennessee State Library & Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243
Texas State Library & Archives Commission, 1201 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78711-2927
The Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219-8000

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
Collection of this information is authorized by sections 2108, 2116, and 2307 of Title 44 U.S. Code. Disclosure of the information is voluntary; however, we will be unable to
respond to your request if you do not furnish your name and address and the minimum required information about the records. The information is used by NARA employees to
search for the record; to respond to you; to maintain control over information requests received and answered; and to facilitate preparation of internal statistical reports. If you
provide credit card information, that information is used to bill you for copies.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT
A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. The
OMB Control No. for this information collection is 3095-0027. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be 10 minutes per response. Send comments
regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to National Archives and Records Administration
(ISP), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED
IN THE FORM INSTRUCTIONS.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TRUST FUND BOARD

NATF Form 85 (rev. 10-2019)

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TRUST FUND BOARD NATF Form 85 (rev. 10-2019)

OMB Control No. 3095-0027 Expires 08-31-2023

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ORDER FOR COPIES OF FEDERAL PENSION OR BOUNTY LAND WARRANT
APPLICATIONS (See Instructions page before completing this form)
SECTION A. 1. INDICATE BELOW THE TYPE OF FILE TO BE SEARCHED (Check ONE box only)
If we locate the file you identify below, we will make copies as indicated. There is no charge for an unsuccessful search.
Full Pension Application File-Civil War, 1860 and Later: The cost for copies
is $80 for the first 100 pages and $.70 per additional page (see Instructions).
Full Pension Application File Pre-Civil War: The cost for copies is $55.
1.

F

M

D

D

Y

Y

#

Bounty-Land Warrant Application: The cost for copies is $30.
Reference Number: Enter the date you fill out the form (example –
MMDDYY = 012319). Enter the number of the request being submitted in
the last two boxes. If you are submitting four forms and this is your
second, you would enter 02. A completed reference number example is:
01231902.

Reference Number:

M

Pension Documents Packet: (See Instructions.) The cost for copies is $30.

#

REQUIRED MINIMUM IDENTIFICATION OF VETERAN - MUST BE COMPLETED OR YOUR ORDER CANNOT BE SERVICED
2. VETERAN (Give last, first, and middle names)
4. STATE FROM WHICH HE
SERVED

3. BRANCH OF SERVICE IN WHICH HE SERVED

5. WAR IN WHICH, OR DATES BETWEEN WHICH, HE SERVED

ARMY
 If service was Civil War, UNION
SERVICE ONLY. See Instructions.

NAVY

MARINE CORPS

6. KIND OF SERVICE

VOLUNTEER

REGULAR

PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF KNOWN
7. UNIT IN WHICH HE SERVED (Name of regiment or number,
company, etc., name of ship.

8. IF SERVICE WAS ARMY, ARM IN WHICH HE SERVED

10. PENSION/BOUNTY LAND FILE NO.

11. IF VETERAN LIVED IN A HOME FOR SOLDIERS, GIVE LOCATION (City and
State)

INFANTRY

13. DATE OF BIRTH

14. PLACE OF BIRTH (City, County, State, etc.)

15. DATE OF DEATH

16. PLACE OF DEATH (City, County, State, etc.)

18. Your

CAVALRY

If other, specify:

ARTILLERY

9. RANK

OFFICER

ENLISTED

12. PLACE(S) VETERAN LIVED AFTER
SERVICE

17. NAME OF WIDOW OR OTHER CLAIMANT

completed order is available either as a paper reproduction or as .pdf. Delivery of .pdf files can be done via USPS on
CD/DVD or through NARA’s electronic transfer system. Check one box below for selection*.

Paper Copies

CD/DVD

Electronic Transfer** email address: __________________________________

* If no selection is made, paper copies will be generated; a certified copy cannot be generated of a .pdf
** Download speeds will vary based upon file size and your internet connection. A valid email address is necessary for electronic transfer.

SECTION B. THIS SPACE IS FOR OUR REPLY TO YOU

We were unable to search for the file you requested above. No payment is required. Your request is returned because:
SECTION A.1 IS NOT CHECKED and we are unable to determine which type of file you are requesting.
MORE THAN ONE FILE IS CHECKED IN SECTION A 1. Except for Revolutionary War service, these are two different files and
must be searched separately.
REQUIRED MINIMUM IDENTIFICATION OF VETERAN WAS NOT PROVIDED. Please complete blocks 2 (give full name), 3, 4, 5,
and 6 and resubmit your order.
MORE THAN ONE VETERAN'S NAME appears in Block 2.
THE FILES YOU REQUESTED ABOVE ARE NOT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES. There are no bounty land
warrant applications for service after 1855. We do not have pensions based on Confederate service. Please see the instruction sheet
for this form or the attached leaflets or information sheets.
SECTION C. CREDIT CARD INFORMATION AND YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS (REQUIRED)

CREDIT CARD TYPE: _______________________
(see Instructions for credit cards we can accept)
Card Validation Code
(See Instructions):

Signature:

Exp.
Date:

Day Time Phone (Required):

e-mail Address (Preferred):

First Name, MI

Last Name

Street

(check here if
shipping address
is same as billing
address)

Street
City

State

ZIP or Postal Code

Country (if not USA)

Billing
Address

Shipping
Address

Last Name

First Name, MI

Street
Street
City

State

ZIP or Postal Code