How to Fill Out and Submit DA Form 4137: Custody and Disposition

To fill out DA Form 4137, work top to bottom in permanent ink: identify the category of property, complete the header fields, describe each item precisely, log every custody transfer with paired signatures, and close the form with a final disposition entry. The current edition (dated 1 Jul 76) is available from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil. The first designated Army law enforcement official to handle the item initiates the form. If a private discovers something and hands it to an MP who then gives it to a CID agent, the MP starts the paperwork, not the private.

Choose the Right Reason Obtained

The “Reason Obtained” field takes one of three entries, and the choice governs how the item is stored and disposed of later.

EVIDENCE — items tied to a suspected crime or UCMJ violation. Contraband is noted specifically, for example “found controlled substance.”¹
FOUND PROPERTY — abandoned or unattended items discovered on a military installation with no identifiable owner.
SAFEKEEPING — items taken into custody to protect the owner’s interests, such as belongings of a hospitalized service member.²

Complete the Header Fields

The top of the form ties the property to a case, a person, and a place.

MPR/CID Sequence Number. The report sequence number the receiving activity’s evidence custodian assigns for tracking.
CRD Report/CID ROI Number. The report number from the activity conducting the investigation, which links the form to the case file.¹
Name, Grade and Title of Person From Whom Received. The individual who turned over the property. If the item came from a crime scene with no one handing it over, annotate “CRIME SCENE” or “FOUND” and check the “Other” box.
Location Address. The full address, with ZIP code, of the person from whom evidence was obtained. Write “NA” if not applicable.
Where Obtained. The physical location of the find or seizure. If found on a person, enter that person’s rank, name, and location. A sketch may be included.
Reason Obtained. One of the three categories above.
Time/Date Obtained. Alpha/numeric military format. A single moment reads “1500, 15 Sep 26.” A collection span reads “1500–1600, 15 Sep 26.”²

Describe Each Item Precisely

This is where most errors happen. Vague entries are the fastest way to get evidence excluded. Each item gets its own item number, and that number must match the number on the physical evidence tag attached to the item.

The “Description of Articles” field requires model, serial number, condition, and any unusual marks or scratches.³ “Electronics” will not survive a defense challenge. Write something like “black Samsung smartphone, model Galaxy S24, serial number XXXXXXXX, cracked upper-right corner of screen, minor scratches on rear casing.” Note where you marked the item for identification and what you put on it: your initials, the date, and the time.

Never estimate or list monetary value. For jewelry or similar items, describe the color, size, and shape of stones or metal rather than guessing at the material. When identical items are found together and already grouped upon receipt, list them under a single item number (“20 white pills”) rather than tagging each one. After the last entry, write “LAST ITEM” in capital letters, centered on the page, and draw solid lines from those words to both margins so no one can add entries later.²

Log Every Custody Transfer

The chain of custody section is a chronological log of every handoff. Each row records the item number, the date, the releasing party’s signature, the receiving party’s signature, and the purpose of the transfer.³

The releasing party signs first, confirming they are giving up control. The recipient then signs to acknowledge possession and responsibility. Both signatures and the physical handoff happen at the same time. Signing an hour before or after the actual exchange creates a documented gap that opposing counsel will exploit.

In the “Purpose of Change of Custody” column, state the specific reason: movement to the Evidence Property Room, transfer to a laboratory for analysis, presentation in court, or return to the owner. If the person from whom property was originally seized refuses to sign, enter the person’s name and grade and annotate “REFUSED TO SIGN.” If the person cannot sign because of injury or incapacitation, annotate “UNABLE TO SIGN.” When the item came directly from a crime scene rather than a person, annotate the first “Released By” entry as “NA.”²

Close the Form With Final Disposition

Once the item is no longer needed for an investigation or legal proceeding, the final disposal authority signs a statement releasing it for disposition.³ The form provides three options:

Release to owner or other. The item goes back to the rightful owner or transfers to another named individual or unit.
Destroy. The item is physically destroyed. The “Witness to Destruction of Evidence” section must then be completed, with the witness recording printed name, organization, and signature to confirm they personally observed the destruction.
Other. Any alternative disposition, with a written explanation.

The Final Disposal Authority block requires the authorizing official’s signature, printed name, grade, title, and date. Nothing on the form is destroyed or released without that signature.

Distribute the Completed Copies

When all signatures are in place and the property is secured, three copies go out. The original stays with the property in the Evidence Property Room as the master record. A duplicate is filed in the master case file so investigators can reference the seized items without pulling the original. If property was taken from a specific individual, that person receives a copy as a formal receipt. All copies are stored according to the Evidence Property Room’s standard operating procedures so they remain available for audits, appeals, and later legal proceedings.

If the Evidence Is Going to a Lab

Transfer to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory follows the same signature procedures on DA Form 4137, but additional paperwork is required. The submitting agent prepares a DD Form 2922 (Forensic Laboratory Examination Request) and includes it with the evidence. For firearms and fired cartridge casings, DoD policy requires submission to USACIL within five workdays of seizure, and any delay must be documented in the investigation report.⁴ Detailed submission procedures and packaging requirements are on the USACIL Customer Resource page, which requires Common Access Card authentication.⁵

1
Integrated Publishing. DA Form 4137 Evidence Property Custody Document
2
Integrated Publishing. Completing DA Form 4137
3
Army Real. DA Form 4137 Evidence/Property Custody Document
4
Executive Services Directorate. DoD Instruction 5505.20
5
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory