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Responsible for the service Centre for Non-Military Service

Applying for non-military service

  • Permit or other obligation
  • Nationwide
  • Public service

If conviction-related reasons prevent you from performing the military service, you may apply for non-military service. The period of non-military service is 347 days and the service begins with a four-week training period at the Civilian Service Centre. The rest of the service is performed in work service at a service location which is useful to society and which you obtain.

After accepting the ...

Do the following

You can submit the non-military service application in the call-up at the earliest. Your application is processed by the Defence Forces regional office. Submit the filled and signed non-military service application

  • to the call-up board if you apply for non-military service in the call-up
  • to the Defence Forces regional office if you have already been to a call-up and have not yet started the military service
  • to the commander of the concerned military unit if you apply for non-military service during the military service
  • to a Finnish embassy or consulate if you live abroad
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To whom and on what terms

You can apply for non-military service

  • if you are an under 31-year-old person liable for military service and have been to a call-up
  • if you have performed more than 30 days of women’s voluntary military service.

Deadline

The application to non-military service must be made at the latest during the year when you turn 30.

Period of validity

When you have been approved as a person liable for non-military service, the liability to perform the non-military service will end at the end of the year during which you turn 30. After that, you belong to the civil reserve until the year when you turn 50.

The service is provided by

Centre for Non-Military Service

Responsible for the service

Centre for Non-Military Service
Text edited by: Centre for Non-Military Service
Updated: 22/2/2024