ARCHIVE // LV // TIME-SERIES
Military service age and obligation
Latvia — 21 years of data
Historical Values
| Year | Value |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004) |
| 2006 | 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004) |
| 2007 | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2006) |
| 2008 | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2006) |
| 2009 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009) |
| 2010 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009) |
| 2011 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009) |
| 2012 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009) |
| 2013 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2012) |
| 2014 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2012) |
| 2015 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2012) |
| 2016 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2012) |
| 2017 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2016) |
| 2018 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2016) |
| 2019 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2017) |
| 2020 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2017) |
| 2021 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007); under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2021) |
| 2022 | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007) (2022) note 1: in July 2022, the Latvian Government announced that it was reinstating mandatory military service for men aged 18-27 (women voluntarily) beginning in July 2023; service would be for one year in the Land Forces or alternatively in internal affairs, health, or welfare structures note 2: as of 2019, women comprised about 16% of the military's full-time personnel |
| 2023 | 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 2007) (2023) note 1: in 2023, the Latvian Parliament approved a plan to reinstate mandatory military service for men aged 18-27 (women voluntarily) beginning in 2024; service would be for 12 months in the Land Forces or alternatively in internal affairs, health, or welfare structures note 2: as of 2022, women comprised about 16% of the military's full-time personnel |
| 2024 | 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 12 months mandatory military service for men 18-27 years of age (2024) note 1: conscription was reintroduced in 2024 note 2: as of 2024, women comprised about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel |
| 2025 | mandatory military service for all men 18-24; men and women 18-27 may volunteer for military service; service length 11 months in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or 5 years in the National Guard as a whole, with a minimum of 21 days of individual training and a maximum of 7 days of collective training each year (2026) note 1: conscription was reintroduced in 2024 note 2: as of 2024, women comprised about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel |