A conscription assessment notice (Musterungsbescheid) is the written administrative act in which the military registration authority records the result of your medical and aptitude screening (Musterung). Once you have received it, deadlines start to run, above all the two-week objection period. This checklist explains what the notice means legally and which steps make sense now.
In short: You can file an objection against a Musterungsbescheid within two weeks of service of the notice, in writing or recorded at the authority that issued it (section 33(1) of the Military Service Act, WPflG). An objection against the Musterungsbescheid has suspensive effect (section 33(2) WPflG). Last updated: November 2026.
Key points at a glance
- The Musterung decides which conscripts who have not yet served are available for military service (section 16(2) WPflG).
- The objection period is two weeks from service of the notice. What counts is the date of service, not the date on the letter.
- An objection against the Musterungsbescheid has suspensive effect, an objection against the later call-up notice does not (section 33(2) and (4) WPflG).
- The Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management decides on the objection (section 33(3) WPflG).
- Anyone who is not fit for service is not called up (section 9 WPflG).
What is a Musterungsbescheid and what is the legal background?
The Military Service Act (Wehrpflichtgesetz, WPflG) provides that conscripts who have not yet served are assessed before they are called up (section 16(1) WPflG). The assessment decides which of them are available for military service. Findings on suitability for particular roles in the armed forces may also be made (section 16(2) WPflG). That suitability assessment does not apply to conscripts who have applied for recognition as conscientious objectors.
The Musterungsbescheid is an administrative act of the military registration authorities. The objection rule in section 33(1) WPflG refers to such acts. What findings your notice contains and which instruction on legal remedies it carries is stated in the notice itself. Read it in full before you react.
Who is assessed and when?
According to the Bundeswehr (page dated 10 March 2026), the obligation to attend the assessment applies to men liable for service from the 2008 birth cohort onwards. Earlier cohorts are not currently planned. Male persons can be assessed as early as six months before turning 18 (section 16(3) WPflG). Women take part in the assessment voluntarily. According to a reply from the federal government (Bundestag printed paper 21/6256), only the 2008 cohort is to be summoned from mid-2027.
How the assessment itself works is described in Musterung 2026: procedure, duration and what to bring. Who exactly is assessed is explained in Musterung from birth cohort 2008: who has to attend.
What does the assessment behind the notice involve?
The Bundeswehr describes the procedure as one that is usually completed within a day. It consists of several parts:
- a medical examination covering, among other things, hearing, eyesight, blood pressure, fitness for exertion, and back and joints
- a test (CAT) with a personal interview
- the allocation step (Einplanung)
- a security check after the allocation
- the result and advice on the day of the assessment
The notice documents the decision that comes out of this procedure. If you have medical findings that matter for the examination, they should be available to the procedure before the notice is issued. Once the notice reaches you, an objection helps if you consider a finding to be wrong.
Which deadline applies to an objection?
The objection must be filed within two weeks of service of the notice. It must be made in writing or recorded at the authority that issued the administrative act. The deadline is also met if you file the objection with the authority that has to issue the objection decision (section 33(1) WPflG).
A worked example (assumption): the notice is served on you on Monday, 4 January 2027. Under the general rules for calculating deadlines, the two-week period then ends on Monday, 18 January 2027. Check the date of service against the envelope or the proof of service, and use the instruction on legal remedies in the notice as the binding statement of deadline and addressee.
| Point | Rule | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Two weeks from service | Section 33(1) WPflG |
| Form | In writing or recorded at the authority | Section 33(1) WPflG |
| Decision on the objection | Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management | Section 33(3) WPflG |
| Suspensive effect for the Musterungsbescheid | Yes | Section 33(2) WPflG |
| Suspensive effect for the call-up notice | No | Section 33(4) WPflG |
What applies once the notice becomes final?
If the Musterungsbescheid becomes final because you do not object or the objection fails, the assessment finding is binding for the rest of the procedure. Against a later call-up notice only a remedy is then admissible that asserts a violation of rights by the call-up notice itself (section 33(5) WPflG). Errors in the assessment can no longer be challenged through the call-up notice. The deadline against the Musterungsbescheid is therefore more important than it first appears.
What does the notice mean for your studies?
The Musterungsbescheid is not yet a call-up. Whether and when you are called up is a separate step. For students, the question of deferral (Zurückstellung) is relevant, covered in Applying for deferral from military service because of studies. The full overview is in Military service and studies 2026: the overview.
If you have made a decision of conscience against service with a weapon, the application for recognition as a conscientious objector is a separate route. It changes the suitability assessment within the Musterung, as section 16(2) WPflG shows. The process is described in Applying as a conscientious objector, step by step and Conscientious objection after the Musterung: the process.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to act against the Musterungsbescheid?
Two weeks from service of the notice. The objection must be filed in writing or recorded at the authority that issued the notice. The instruction on legal remedies in your notice is decisive.
Does an objection have suspensive effect?
For the Musterungsbescheid, yes (section 33(2) WPflG). For the call-up notice, no (section 33(4) WPflG). That is a key difference between the two notices.
Who decides on my objection?
The Federal Office for Bundeswehr Personnel Management decides on objections against the Musterungsbescheid and against the call-up notice (section 33(3) and (4) WPflG).
What happens if I do not turn up for the assessment?
The consequences of not attending are described in Missed the Musterung: what happens if you do not attend. Before staying away, clarify whether you have a valid reason and contact the competent office early.
Will I be called up if I am ill?
Anyone who is not fit for service is not called up (section 9 WPflG). Whether that applies to you follows from the medical examination during the assessment. Submit any existing medical findings to the procedure.
How to proceed
- Note the date of service and calculate the end of the two-week period. File the notice and the envelope together.
- Read the notice in full and check the instruction on legal remedies for deadline, form and address.
- Decide whether to accept the notice or file an objection. Draft the objection in writing and keep proof of receipt ready.
- If needed, clarify deferral because of studies or the route of conscientious objection and collect the documents required.
Related guides
- Military service and studies 2026: the overview
- Musterung 2026: procedure, duration and what to bring
- Applying for deferral from military service because of studies
- Applying as a conscientious objector, step by step
- Missed the Musterung: what happens if you do not attend
Sources: Section 33 WPflG, special rules for the objection procedure (current version); Section 16 WPflG, purpose of the Musterung (current version); Section 9 WPflG, unfitness for service (current version); Bundeswehr, new military service: Musterung (page dated 10 March 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
