Obtain information about yourself held by MOD
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-06)

Information and forms to request personal data held by the MOD for current or former civilian staff or members of the armed forces.

What is held

Most personal data held by the MOD will relate to current or former civilian staff or members of the armed forces. The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 18), which incorporates UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR), gives the rights of access for living individuals (including foreign nationals) to personal data held about them by any organisation.

The MOD does not currently charge for requests made under data protection laws, although in certain circumstances, requests for unstructured manual data may attract a fee. DPA 18 does not give private individuals access to personal data about other people or non-personal data.

How to apply

To make it easy for you to exercise your right under the Data Protection law, the MOD gives you different options to request your personal data from them.

Using one of MOD’s forms will make it easier to process your request.

Apply online
- Civilian personnel, ex-civilian personnel or ex-servicepersons should use this online form (https://submit-a-data-protection-request.service.mod.uk/start).
- Current servicepersons should download and complete the MOD xx-xxxx-xxxx (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/military-service-records-form) and email or hand it into your local unit.
Note: These forms are not mandatory. MOD will also accept requests made in other ways (e.g., by post or email).

By post or email

Download and complete the Subject Access Request (SAR) form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/military-service-records-form).

Please state clearly the information you require and send it, with the necessary proof of identification requested, to the relevant address on the form.

Note: This form is not mandatory. MOD will also accept requests made in other ways, for example, by telephone.

The MOD Privacy Notice

For more information on how the MOD process your personal information please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-notice/mod-privacy-notice).

Further information about service records held by MOD

Information held by MOD on Royal Navy (RN), Royal Marines (RM), British Army and Royal Air Force (RAF) service records.

Royal Navy and Royal Marine service records

The RN Disclosure Cell holds service records for Commissioned and non-commissioned officers (both RN and RM) from 1924 onwards. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

Please see the Royal Navy website (https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/) for further details about other service records that are held by the National Archives.

British Army service records

The Army Personnel Centre Historical Disclosures Section holds army service records for officers whose service ended after April 1922 and soldiers whose service ended after January 1921. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

RAF service records

The RAF Disclosures section holds service records for non-commissioned and commissioned RAF personnel dating back to 1920. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

Service records that reflect World War 1 service only are held by the National Archives.

Related links

MOD data subject rights form 7779 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-subject-data-rights-form-7779)

Data Protection: rights for data subjects (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-protection-rights-for-data-subjects)