Dd Form 1131 – Fill Out and Use This PDF

What Is the Cash Collection Voucher?

The Cash Collection Voucher is the standard Department of Defense document for recording cash receipts at disbursing offices. Finance clerks, unit treasurers, and contracting officers use it whenever cash changes hands in a military finance context. Common examples include sales proceeds from commissary or post exchange operations, refunds of excess travel advances, and recovered overpayments from vendors or service members.

The form creates a permanent paper record linking the cash received to the budget account that will hold the funds. Without it, a collection has no audit trail and cannot be posted to the disbursing officer's accounts.

Who Is Required to Use This Form?

Several categories of DoD personnel rely on the Cash Collection Voucher:

• Disbursing officers processing any cash receipt at a military finance office
• Unit finance clerks handling petty cash replenishment, canteen sales, or charity drive proceeds
• Contracting officers recording payments collected from vendors after contract disputes or audits
• Administrative staff documenting government property sale proceeds or miscellaneous income
• Activity treasurers managing unofficial fund collections that flow through the disbursing office

What Information Does the Form Capture?

The form has several required fields. Each one serves a specific accounting purpose:

• Collection Voucher Number - a sequential control number assigned by the disbursing office; used to track the receipt through the finance system
• Disbursing Office Symbol - the official symbol of the office receiving the funds, used in accounting entries and reports
• Receiving Office - the full name and address of the unit or activity that collected the money
• Collection Period - the specific dates during which the cash was collected, not the date the form is prepared
• Remitter Name - the person or organization submitting the payment; for military members, include rank and last four of Social Security Number
• Purpose of Remittance - a short, precise description of why the payment is being made
• Total Amount Collected - the verified dollar amount; must match the physical count before signing
• Accounting Classification - the Treasury Account Symbol or AMSCO code that identifies the receiving appropriation

Step-by-Step Instructions for Completing the Form

1. Identify the collecting unit. Enter the full name and mailing address of the office or unit that collected the cash in the header section. Use the official unit designation, not a nickname or abbreviation.
2. Get the disbursing office symbol. Your servicing finance office can provide the correct symbol. Enter it in the designated field; it routes the collection to the right accounts.
3. Assign a voucher control number. The disbursing office assigns unique sequential numbers to each voucher. Record this number in both the disbursing block and the receiving office block. Never reuse a number, even if a previous voucher was voided.
4. Enter the collection period. Record the exact start and end dates for the time the cash was physically in your possession. If the collection happened in a single day, both dates will be the same.
5. Identify the remitter. Write the full legal name of the individual or organization submitting the funds. For a refund from a service member, add the last four digits of the Social Security Number after the name. For a vendor payment, use the company legal name as it appears on the contract.
6. Describe the remittance purpose. Be specific. Write something like "refund of excess travel advance, TDY order 2025-0432" or "proceeds from sale of surplus office furniture, auction held 15 March 2026." Vague descriptions like "cash collection" will slow processing and may be returned for clarification.
7. Verify and record the total amount. Count the cash twice before entering the figure. Write the exact amount including cents. Any discrepancy between the written amount and the physical count must be resolved before the form is signed.
8. Add the accounting classification. If you are unsure which account to use, contact your finance office before signing. An incorrect accounting classification will cause a posting error that can take weeks to correct.
9. Obtain required signatures. The disbursing officer or authorized representative signs to acknowledge receipt. Depending on your installation's finance policy, a witnessing official or the unit commanding officer may need to countersign for collections above a set threshold.
10. Distribute copies. Give the original to the disbursing office, retain a copy for your unit records, and provide a copy to the remitter as a receipt. Attach a copy to any related disbursing reports or transaction records.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Blank accounting classification. Leaving this field empty stops processing. The disbursing office will return the form and the funds until the correct code is provided.
• Incorrect collection period. Using the form preparation date instead of the actual collection date creates a discrepancy in the audit trail. Use the real dates the cash was received.
• Duplicate voucher numbers. Reusing a control number from a voided voucher creates confusion in the disbursing ledger. The finance office will need to trace and reconcile both records.
• Estimated totals. Only enter a verified, physically counted amount. If you write an estimate and the actual count differs, the form must be reissued.
• Missing countersignature. High-value collections often require two authorized signatures. Check your installation's current finance regulation for the threshold before the disbursing officer signs alone.
• Vague purpose description. Short descriptions like "other" or "miscellaneous" will be challenged by auditors and may require a corrected submission.

Related Department of Defense Forms

If you regularly handle military financial documents, these related forms are often used alongside the Cash Collection Voucher:

• DD Form 1351-2 - Travel Voucher used by service members and civilians to claim reimbursement for official government travel
• DD Form 93 - Record of Emergency Data that designates beneficiaries for a service member's pay and benefits
• DD Form 2656 - Data for Payment of Retired Personnel, used when transitioning to retirement pay
• DD Form 2870 - Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information

For general cash tracking tools, see the cash drawer count sheet and the cash receipt template.

Frequently Asked Questions About DD Form 1131

What does DD stand for in the form designation?
DD stands for Department of Defense. Every form carrying this prefix is an official document issued, controlled, and maintained by DoD.

Is this form still actively required?
Yes. Disbursing offices throughout the military services continue to use the Cash Collection Voucher for cash receipt documentation. Always use the current edition date shown on the form header and verify with your finance office that you have the latest version.

Where do I turn in the completed voucher?
Submit the signed original to your servicing finance office or directly to the disbursing officer. Keep a copy for your unit files and provide one to the remitter. Attach a copy to any related disbursing or accounting reports for the period.

Can this form be completed online?
You can type directly into the form fields using FormsPal's online editor and print a completed copy. However, physical ink signatures from the disbursing officer and any required witnesses are still mandatory before the form is submitted to the finance office.

What happens if the collected amount does not match the written total?
The disbursing officer will not sign a voucher where the written amount and the physical cash count differ. Recount the cash and correct the form before bringing it to the finance office. If a discrepancy cannot be resolved, report it through your unit's chain of command.