Conscription is mandatory if:
- you have Estonian citizenship;
- you have completed at least 6 grades of school;
- your health meets the requirements for mandatory military service;
- you do not have a valid deferral;
- you have not been exempted from conscription;
- you do not have a legal basis for exemption from conscription.
A conscript who fails to appear for service may be fined up to 300 fine units or be detained.
Join the military service after school
The best time to start your conscription is right after graduating, when you have received your secondary or vocational education certificate. You are advised to contact the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments already in the second trimester of your final school year. Women can also volunteer for conscription.
When you turn 17, your information will be added to the military service obligation register, and you will receive a notification. This is purely informative – no action is required from you at this stage.
If you acquire Estonian citizenship at a later time, you will be notified after that. Again, no immediate action is required.
When you turn 18, male Estonian citizens become liable for military service. This means that between the ages of 18 and 27 you must enter conscription, provided there are no grounds for exemption.
The obligation for military service applies until the age of 60 (inclusive).
If you are unable to complete conscription due to religious or moral reasons, you can contribute to national defence by completing regular alternative service.
To replace conscription with alternative service, you must submit an application for regular alternative service via the military service website. The application must clearly and convincingly explain the reasons that prevent you from undergoing conscription. To assess the validity of the application, the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments has the right to make inquiries to the applicant’s educational institution or workplace, as well as to the religious organisation cited.
Primary alternative service placements include:
- Defence Forces jobs or service positions not related to military training (e.g. warehouse worker)
- Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (RKIK) (e.g. kitchen assistant)
- Rescue services
…or in some cases:
- Hospitals (care worker)
- Social service providers (personal assistant)
- Educational institutions with special education needs classes (support person)
After completing alternative service, you will be assigned to reserve alternative service, which means that you must later participate in training sessions organised by your service location based on mobilisation and continue to update or refresh your acquired skills and knowledge. In addition, the Defence Forces may call you to reserve alternative service to support additional training assemblies.i kutsuda sind reservasendusteenistusse ka selleks, et toetada lisaõppekogunemist.
Deferment means postponement of entering conscription for a specified period.
The grounds for granting a deferment are established in the Military Service Act, and a deferment can be granted in the following cases:
Education
- For acquiring secondary or vocational education. If you are studying in Estonia, the Estonian Defence Resources Agency grants the deferment automatically. If you are studying abroad, a separate application must be submitted.
- For acquiring higher education (including abroad), as well as studies at the Academy of Security Sciences, or in nursing or medical programmes.
Family-related reasons
- For supporting close dependents (children or relatives with disabilities).
Public service
- A deferment is valid as long as you are a member of a local government council, the Riigikogu, or the European Parliament.
Health reasons
In the case of a health condition, a deferment may be granted by a physician appointed by the Estonian Defence Resources Agency following a health assessment.
Application forms and further information can be found on the military service website.
Women who are Estonian citizens, aged 18–27 and with at least a basic education, have the opportunity to voluntarily enter conscription.
To do so, they must submit an application via the military service website.
Upon accepting the obligation for military service, it is important to consider that the obligation remains in effect until the age of 60, including the duty to participate in training exercises.
Conscription is worth considering for women who see military service as their calling or future career path.
After completing conscription, it is possible to immediately begin active service or enrol in the Estonian Military Academy, where one can earn an officer’s rank and an applied higher education degree by completing a three-year programme.
Training during conscription is conducted on equal terms for both women and men, with the only difference being in the physical fitness test standards.
Living arrangements during service depend on the military unit, but privacy for women is always ensured.
Women who have started conscription have the right to withdraw from service within 90 days of entry.
If the 90-day period passes and the woman continues her service, she is officially registered as a conscript in the Military Obligation Register.
When an employee enters conscription, the employer is obliged to preserve the employee’s job or position.
The employer is also required to grant the employee sufficient time to handle matters related to entering conscription — for example, attending a health assessment.
If you live abroad, you are still subject to the same obligations as any Estonian citizen, including compulsory military service.
However, there are some specific conditions that apply due to living outside of Estonia.
If, at the time of receiving the call for health assessment, you are listed in the Population Register as residing in a foreign country and you attend the assessment, you are entitled to a compensation of 70 euros to cover travel and meal expenses.
However, as Estonian legislation does not apply to foreign employers, they are not obliged to release you from work for the health assessment.
If you are a person liable for military service who has lived in a foreign country from birth or continuously for at least seven years, according to the Population Register, you must submit an application to the Estonian Defence Resources Agency in order to begin conscription.
This application must be submitted within five years of being entered into the Military Obligation Register.
If you do not submit the application yourself, you will be released from the obligation to serve.
You may also apply for exemption from military obligation if you have fulfilled equivalent service in another country (such as Finland), for example if you have:
Served in the armed forces as a professional soldier for at least 12 months.
Completed alternative civilian service;
Completed compulsory military service;
How far in advance must an employer be notified about conscription or alternative service?
In general, the principle of reasonable notice applies. This means the employer should be notified as soon as the decision to call up for conscription or regular alternative service has been received. No later than 30 days before the start of service, the agency will inform you of your exact reporting time and location — this is also the latest time to notify your employer.
However, an employer cannot refuse to release an employee for service or dismiss them, even if the employee notifies them only shortly before, such as one day in advance. Still, it is advisable for the employee to keep the employer informed early on, to maintain good working relationships.
According to the Employment Contracts Act (ECA) § 15(2) clause 8, if the employer has expressed interest, the employee must inform the employer of all important circumstances related to the employment relationship that are of legitimate interest to the employer.
Therefore, employers are advised to include notification rules in internal regulations.
On what basis should employment be suspended and for how long?
In the case of an employment contract, the basis is ECA § 19(5), which gives an employee the right to refuse to work while in conscription, alternative service, or reserve service. For public service, the official’s authority to exercise public power is suspended under the Public Service Act (PSA) § 83(4) during conscription or alternative service, and under § 83(5) during reserve training or mobilization.
It is reasonable to suspend the employment for the duration of service, without specifying a calendar date in the order or contract annex.
The employee is obliged to return to work as soon as the service ends.
Must the employee return to work immediately after completing service?
Yes, the employee must return to work immediately, unless a different agreement has been made with the employer.
By law, employment may only be suspended for the duration of conscription or alternative service.
In public service, this is recorded in an official order; in other cases, in an annex to the employment contract.
If the employee had unused vacation days before starting service, they can apply to take the leave immediately after service or at another convenient time.
Does annual leave expire during conscription or alternative service?
No, annual leave does not expire while the employee is in conscription or alternative service (ECA § 68(6)).
If vacation days remained unused prior to the service, they can be taken after returning to work.
If the vacation is not scheduled in the annual plan, a leave application must be submitted 14 days before the intended leave.
What if the employee does not return to work after completing service?
If the employee fails to return to work after conscription or alternative service, the employer may act according to internal work rules and applicable law, just as in any case of unjustified absence.
Is the employee required to disclose whether they have completed conscription or alternative service?
There is no obligation for the employee to disclose this, but those who have completed conscription are encouraged to mention the skills and experience gained during service in job interviews.
Employers generally appreciate disciplined team players with leadership experience and practical skills gained through military service.