If an application for conscientious objection is rejected, the procedure is not over. The Conscientious Objection Act (KDVG) provides for an objection procedure and for access to the administrative court. This guide explains why applications are rejected, how an objection is structured and what applies to screening and call-up while the procedure runs.
Short answer: You can lodge an objection (Widerspruch) against the rejection. Section 9(1) KDVG refers to Sections 68 ff. of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure (VwGO) for this. The deadline is stated in the notice on legal remedies in your decision, so read it at once. After that, a court action is possible, but an appeal on points of fact and law is excluded (Section 10(2) KDVG). Last updated: November 2026.
Key points
- The Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions decides on the application (Section 2(1) KDVG).
- An application is rejected, among other reasons, if the grounds are not sustainable, the application remains incomplete or doubts about the truth of the statements are not removed (Section 7 KDVG).
- For the objection, Sections 68 ff. VwGO apply unless the KDVG provides otherwise (Section 9(1) KDVG). The specific deadline is in the notice on legal remedies.
- The application prevents neither registration nor screening (Section 3(1) KDVG). From the application onwards, a call-up to basic military service is permitted only after an unappealable rejection (Section 3(2) KDVG).
- In a state of tension or defence, shorter deadlines apply: the objection must then be lodged within one week (Section 11(1) no. 3 KDVG).
Why is an application for conscientious objection rejected?
The law lists the grounds for rejection. Under Section 5 KDVG, an application is recognised if it is complete, the grounds establish a right to conscientious objection and there are no doubts about the truth of the statements. If one of these requirements is missing, rejection under Section 7 comes into question. The Federal Office rejects, among other cases, where screening was refused, where an incomplete application was not completed within one month of a request, where the grounds given are not sustainable, or where doubts about the truth of the statements remain.
| Ground for rejection (Section 7 KDVG) | What lies behind it | What helps in an objection |
|---|---|---|
| Screening refused | The application does not replace screening | Show that you attended, or catch up on the screening |
| Application incomplete, not completed within one month | CV or statement of the grounds of conscience is missing | Submit the missing documents in full and explain the cause |
| Grounds not sustainable | From the Federal Office’s view, the decision of conscience is not set out with reasons | Set out the grounds of conscience in more detail and more personally, attach statements by third parties |
| Doubts about the truth of the statements | Contradictions or gaps that were not removed | Explain the contradictions specifically, name persons who can give information |
If you do not appear at a scheduled hearing, the Federal Office decides on the basis of the file (Section 7(2) KDVG). How an application is built properly is explained in Applying for conscientious objection: step by step and Conscientious objection application: template and reasons.
How do you lodge an objection?
The objection is the formal remedy against the rejecting decision. Section 9(1) KDVG provides that Sections 68 ff. of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure apply to it unless the KDVG provides otherwise. Form and deadline therefore follow from this general procedural law and from the notice on legal remedies enclosed with the decision. The KDVG itself names no separate objection deadline for the normal case. What counts is therefore what your notice says and when you received the decision.
- Note the date on which the decision reached you and read the notice on legal remedies in full.
- Lodge the objection in writing, state the file reference and send it in a provable way, for example by registered mail, to the office named in the notice.
- Give reasons: address each ground for rejection in the decision.
- Attach new documents, statements and the names of persons who can give information (Section 2(3) KDVG).
- Keep copies of everything, including proof of dispatch.
If you are not yet an adult, your legal representative can also act independently in the objection procedure (Section 9(2) KDVG). Churches and religious communities may represent applicants free of charge (Section 8 KDVG). According to the Bundeswehr page, information on conscientious objection is provided by the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (page as of 10 March 2026). In addition, advice centres offer support with objections.
What applies in a state of tension or defence?
In a state of tension or defence, deadlines and effects change. The period for a written statement can be shortened to two weeks, and the objection must be lodged within one week of notification (Section 11(1) nos. 2 and 3 KDVG). In addition, the bar on call-up does not apply then (Section 11(1) no. 1 KDVG). This is not a description of the present situation but the law’s rule for an emergency.
What happens after the objection?
If the objection fails, you can bring an action before the administrative court. For court proceedings, Section 10(1) KDVG applies Sections 8 and 9(2) accordingly, that is, representation by churches and the role of the legal representative. An appeal against judgments of the administrative court is excluded, as is a complaint against other decisions, with exceptions for refusal of leave to appeal on points of law and for decisions on the legal route (Section 10(2) KDVG). The time limit for an action is not in the KDVG; it follows from the notice on legal remedies in the objection decision. Because remedies are restricted, support from a lawyer or an association before the court is particularly sensible.
What applies to screening and call-up during the procedure?
The application prevents neither registration nor the duty to attend screening (Section 3(1) KDVG). The Bundeswehr confirms that an application does not exempt you from the questionnaire and screening. From the application onwards, a call-up to basic military service is permitted only once the application has been rejected without further appeal or withdrawn (Section 3(2) KDVG), with exceptions for people already called up or who can be called up at short notice. According to the federal government, the new military service remains voluntary (page as of 5 December 2025), so no call-up is pending at present. The sequence between screening and decision is covered in Conscientious objection after screening: the procedure in detail.
What does recognition mean?
If the application or objection succeeds, recognised conscientious objectors perform civilian service instead of military service in a state of tension or defence (Section 1(2) KDVG). In peacetime there is no civilian service. Where the debate stands is explained in Civilian service 2026: will it return or stay suspended? (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Who decides on the application and the objection?
The Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions decides on the application (Section 2(1) KDVG). The application itself is filed in writing or recorded at the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr. In the objection procedure, the rules of the VwGO apply.
Do I have to attend an oral hearing?
If doubts exist, a written statement can be followed by a non-public oral hearing (Section 6 KDVG). If you do not appear, the Federal Office decides on the basis of the file (Section 7(2) KDVG).
Can I still be screened after the rejection?
Yes. The duty to attend screening exists regardless of the application. The Bundeswehr states that an application does not exempt you from screening.
Is advice available?
Churches and religious communities may represent applicants in the procedure free of charge (Section 8 KDVG). In addition, there are advice centres and lawyers who specialise in the procedure.
What to do now
- Note the date of receipt and read the notice on legal remedies at once.
- Check which of the grounds for rejection in Section 7 KDVG is named.
- Lodge a written objection in good time and give reasons on every point.
- Get advice, for example through a religious community, an advice centre or a lawyer.
- Keep attending the questionnaire and screening, because the application does not exempt you from them.
Related guides
- Military service and studies 2026: the overview
- Applying for conscientious objection: step by step
- Conscientious objection application: template and reasons
- Conscientious objection after screening
- Conscientious objection: why applications are rising in 2026
Sources: Kriegsdienstverweigerungsgesetz (KDVG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German); Neuer Wehrdienst: Musterung, bundeswehr.de, page as of 10 March 2026 (in German); Questions and answers on the new military service, Federal Government, 5 December 2025 (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
