AbstractA systematic procedure is proposed for inclusion of Stueckelberg fields. The procedure begins with the involutive closure when the original Lagrangian equations are complemented by all the lower order consequences. The Stueckelberg field is introduced for every consequence included into the closure. The generators of the Stueckelberg gauge symmetry begin with the operators generating the closure of original system. These operators are not assumed to be a generators of gauge symmetry of any part of the original action, nor are they supposed to form an on shell integrable distribution. With the most general closure generators, the consistent gauge invariant theory is iteratively constructed, without obstructions at any stage. The Batalin–Vilkovisky form of inclusion of the Stueckelberg fields is worked out and the existence theorem for the Stueckelberg action is proven.