This page offers helpful tips for preparing DAR applications.  (See "Page 4" for a good one about the list of the patriot's children.)  If you have any questions about these tips, contact Debbie Duay.

General

Use legal size, 24 lb., acid-free paper.  The rag content no longer matters. 

Print the application on one side of 4 separate sheets of paper as it is quicker and easier to scan.  Documentation should also be on one side.  (Note: The preference for 4 separate sheets of paper rather than 2 pieces of paper printed front and back was announced at the 2010 Continental Congress.)

On the back of each piece of documentation, write the name of the applicant and the chapter code.  The ancestor's name and generation number are not necessary.

Use a red pencil to underline or indicate with an arrow pertinent information on supporting documentation.  Do NOT use a highlighter.

Submit only 1 copy of the application and documentation.

When submitting multiple applications at the same time (e.g., mother & daughter), submit only 1 copy of the documentation for the shared generations.

Do not submit unnecessary documents.  If you have a birth certificate, baptismal certificate, and a Social Security application that list the parents’ names, choose the best document to submit.

Do not submit DAR Record Copies.

For supplemental applications, do not resubmit the documents that were verified on the member's prior application.  For generations that were proven on a prior application, simply type NSDAR Record Copy #828766, Janice Ann Randolph Myers, patriot Jacob Hines.  Submit documents only for those generations that were not proven on the prior application.

Place the documents in order with the applicant’s generation on top. 

Do not staple or paper clip documents.  Do not place documents in plastic sleeves.  All documents are now scanned.  They should be submitted loose.  You may submit them loose in a manila folder.

You may mail the application by first-class mail. 

For faster processing, mail the application to:  RG Data Entry, Office of the Registrar General, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC  20006-5303

For a new member application, the chapter must submit a chapter check for $105.00 ($75.00 application fee and $30.00 dues).

For a supplemental application, the DAR member may write a personal check made out to Treasurer General NSDAR in the amount of $75.00. 

Page One

All signatures must be in BLACK INK ONLY.

For new member applications, the applicant, two officers (usually the Regent and Registrar), and two members in good standing who are familiar with the applicant must sign the application (no Associate members).  The two officers can sign again at the bottom as the two members in good standing if they are familiar with the applicant.  If either the Regent or Registrar is not available to sign as an officer, the First Vice Regent, the Treasurer, or the Recording Secretary may sign in her absence.  She should write her title below her signature. An officer (Regent, First Vice Regent, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, or Registrar) must witness the applicant signing the application.  Otherwise, the applicant must have her signature notarized.

For supplemental applications, only the applicant and the Registrar must sign.  (If the Registrar is absent, one of the other officers listed above may sign.)  It is not necessary for the applicant’s signature to be witnessed. 

Two DAR members may receive Member-for-Member credit for each application.  Hand write the second person's name and National number below the first.  When one member introduces the prospective member to the chapter and one member helps with the research, both members can claim Member-for-Member credit.  Likewise, if two people helped with the research, both should receive credit.  (NOTE:  No more than two people can receive credit.)  The DAR members receiving credit do not have to be members of the chapter. 

Page Two

NSDAR generally requires documentation to confirm at least one date (birth, marriage, or death) for EACH person in a generation.

Record dates in this format:  12 Jan 1980

Record places as city, county, and state:  Orlando, Orange, FL   Use the state abbreviation (e.g., OH, FL, GA, NY, etc.).

For a parent or grandparent that is NOT the line carrier, you may use his or her listing in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) to document his/her birth date, death date, and last residence.  For place of death, put "last res" before the city, county, & state as the SSDI documents last residence rather than place of death.

If you cannot locate a specific date/place of death for an ancestor, identify the last census record in which the individual appears.  For example, if an ancestor last appears in the 1880 census, list "after 1880" for the date of death and "liv 1880, city, county, state" for the place of death.  Include the census record with the supporting documentation.  NOTE:  Keep in mind that DAR wants at least one specific date (birth, marriage, or death) for each person in a generation.  If you cannot identify a date/place of death for an ancestor, you will need to provide either a marriage or birth record for him/her.

When a maiden name is not known, put a capital X  (e.g., Jane X).

For the patriot’s birth and death, use the information that is listed in the patriot's profile in the DAR Online Patriot Index.  Use DAR's spelling of the patriot's name on pages 2 & 4 of the application.

If the applicant has been married more than 2 times, you can record 3 marriages on the Adobe Reader-Enabled PDF application form.  The DARAPP Automated Application for Windows will only allow two marriages to be inputted.

Page Three

When submitting census records, include both the transcript page from Ancestry.com as well as the census image.  When citing census records, list census year, town, county, state, and the name of the person.  If the name is spelled incorrectly in the Ancestry.com census index, be sure to list the misspelling as well the correct spelling so the staff genealogist can find the record if necessary.

Page Four

For the patriot's residence, service, and source of service, use the information that is in the online DAR Patriot Index.  If the source of service is not listed, contact Debbie Duay with the patriot's name and ancestor number.

Unless you are proving a NEW patriot OR you have actual documentation that proves the other children of the patriot, do NOT list the other children of the patriot in the "Children of Revolutionary Ancestor" section.  Just list the child the applicant goes through, his/her date and place of birth, and his/her spouse.  In fact, NSDAR does not want you to list the other children when using another Record Copy as the source of the children.  (If you have been ordering Record Copies simply to get the list of the patriot's children, save your money.) 

However, you should list the other children of the patriot and include documentation about them with the application when proving a new patriot or when you have documentation concerning them.