To fill out DD Form 1172-2, the sponsor enters their identifying information in Section I, signs the declaration in Section II, and lists each dependent’s details in Section IV, using entries that match original source documents exactly. The completed form is then presented, along with identity and relationship documents, at a RAPIDS ID card office where the sponsor signs in front of a verifying official and the dependent’s ID card is printed on the spot.1U.S. Department of Defense. Next Generation Uniformed Services ID Card
Before You Start
DD Form 1172-2 is the application that links a military sponsor to each dependent in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and authorizes a Uniformed Services ID card. Without it, dependents cannot access TRICARE, the commissary, or base facilities.
You have two ways to complete the form. The paper version is available from the DoD Forms Management site, and you fill it out by hand or by typing into the PDF. The faster route is the ID Card Office Online (IDCO) portal at idco.dmdc.osd.mil, where the sponsor creates and digitally signs the form and submits it electronically to RAPIDS. The dependent then arrives at the office already loaded in the system.2Department of Defense. Instructions for Completion of DD Form 1172-2
Either way, the sponsor is the anchor of the form. Sponsors include active-duty members from every branch, National Guard and Selected Reserve members, and retirees entitled to retired pay.3Military OneSource. How to Get or Renew a Military ID Card for Spouses, Dependents, Veterans and Retirees Have your government-issued documents in front of you before you write anything: every entry on the form has to match them.
Section I: Sponsor Information
Section I identifies the sponsor. Fill each block using the codes and formats listed in the form’s instructions rather than freehand.
- Block 1: Sponsor’s full legal name, in the order last, first, middle.
- Block 3: Sponsor’s Social Security number or DoD ID number.
- Block 4: Status code. Common codes are “AD” for active duty and “CIV” for civilian.
- Block 5: Branch of service or organization.
- Block 6: Pay grade.
The status, branch, and pay-grade codes come from reference tables printed in the instructions. Copy them exactly.4U.S. Army. DD Form 1172-2 Instructions
Section II: Sponsor Declaration
Section II is where the sponsor certifies, under penalty of law, that everything on the form is true. Block 21 is a remarks field for referencing legal documents or noting special circumstances (a court order, a name change, a secondary dependency determination). Block 22 is the sponsor’s signature.
Read the certification carefully before signing. Signing Block 22 also commits the sponsor to reporting any change in their own or their dependents’ eligibility within 30 days. Missing that window can trigger recoupment of healthcare and benefit costs the dependent received after eligibility ended.5DoD Forms Management Program. DD Form 1172-2 The sponsor’s signature normally has to happen in front of the verifying official at the RAPIDS office. If that isn’t possible, the signature must be notarized in advance.
Section IV: Dependent Information
Section IV is where you list the people being enrolled. For each dependent, complete these blocks:
- Block 40: Dependent’s full legal name.
- Block 41: Gender.
- Block 42: Date of birth.
- Block 43: Relationship to the sponsor (spouse, child, parent, and so on).
- Block 44: Dependent’s Social Security number or DoD ID number.
- Blocks 45–49: Dependent’s current U.S. home address, including city, state, ZIP code, and country.
- Blocks 50 and 51: Eligibility effective and expiration dates.
If you’re enrolling a second dependent on the same form, Blocks 52 through 63 repeat these same fields.6Army G-2. Instructions for Completion of DD Form 1172-2
Names, dates, and numbers must match your source documents letter for letter and digit for digit. A birth certificate that spells a middle name in full but a Social Security card that abbreviates it is a common trip-up. Submitting false information on a federal form is a criminal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, punishable by a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
Documents You’ll Need at the Appointment
The form on its own doesn’t enroll anyone. You have to present it at a RAPIDS office along with two categories of paperwork: identity documents for each person receiving a card, and relationship documents linking each dependent to the sponsor.
Identity Documents
Bring two original, unexpired forms of ID, and at least one must include a current photograph. Acceptable primary documents include a U.S. passport or passport card, a permanent resident card (Form I-551), or a driver’s license issued by a state or U.S. territory. The DoD accepts both REAL ID and non-REAL ID driver’s licenses.8Department of Defense. List of Acceptable Identity Documents The second document can come from the primary list or a secondary list that includes a Social Security card, an original or certified birth certificate with an official seal, or a voter registration card.9National Institutes of Health. NIST FIPS 201-3 Approved Identity Documents for HSPD-12 PIV Issuance If you use two documents from the primary list, they cannot be the same type; two passports won’t work.
Relationship Documents
For a spouse, bring the original marriage certificate with a file number. If either party was previously married, also bring the final divorce decree, annulment, or death certificate ending the earlier marriage. For a child, bring the official birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), or an adoption record or letter of placement from a court or recognized agency.10TRICARE. Required Documents
Photocopies are not accepted. Relationship documents must be originals or certified copies. Any document in a foreign language needs a full English translation, and the translator must certify in writing that they are competent to translate and that the translation is accurate, giving their name, signature, address, and the date.11U.S. Department of State. Information about Translating Foreign Documents
Signing and Submitting the Form
Book an appointment through the Site Locator and Appointments tool on the IDCO portal.12DMDC. ID Cards and Access Some sites accept walk-ins, but slots at popular offices go quickly.
The sponsor normally has to attend so the verifying official can watch them sign the form. If the sponsor is deployed or otherwise unable to be there, the dependent can present a general power of attorney signed by the sponsor. A wet signature or a digital signature is acceptable.13U.S. Department of Defense. Getting Your ID Card The other option is to have the sponsor’s signature block notarized ahead of the appointment.
At the office, the verifying official reviews your documents, checks the DEERS record, and captures the dependent’s photograph and fingerprints. If everything lines up, the physical ID card is printed and encoded during the same visit, and the official activates the card’s chip before handing it to the dependent.
Special Cases to Note on the Form
A few dependent situations affect what you put on the form and what you bring with you.
A child’s eligibility normally ends at 21. It continues to age 23 only if the child is enrolled full-time at an accredited institution pursuing an associate degree or higher and the sponsor provides over 50 percent of their financial support. You need a letter from the school registrar confirming full-time enrollment.14MyNavy HR. ID Card Eligibility FAQ15Department of Defense. DoD Identity and Eligibility Documentation Requirements
An incapacitated adult child can be enrolled, but only if the incapacitation occurred before age 21 (or before 23 if they were a full-time student) and the sponsor provides over half their support.
Parents and parents-in-law are not automatically eligible. Before you can list one on DD Form 1172-2, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) must determine that the sponsor covers more than 50 percent of the parent’s living expenses and issue a secondary dependency approval letter. Bring that letter to the appointment.16Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Secondary Dependency – General Information Cite it in Block 21 when you complete the form.