Federal Law No. 28/2006 dated 13/08/2006.

Decision no. 15/2015 dated 25/03/2015

Decision no. 6/2016 dated 24/02/2016

Federal Decree-Law no. 13/2017 dated 18/09/2017

Federal Decree-Law No. 27 dated 04/09/2019

Federal Decree-Law no. 5/2021 dated 11/07/2021

Decision no. 15 dated 11/05/2022

In the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings stated beside them unless the context requires otherwise:

State: The United Arab Emirates.

Armed Forces: The State's Armed Forces.

Ministry: Ministry of Defence.

General Command: General Command of the Armed Forces.

Supreme Commander: Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Deputy Supreme Commander: Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Minister: Minister of Defence.

Chief of Staff: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

General Mobilization: A set of procedures through which the Armed Forces and all the State Forces and their resources are converted from the state of peace to the state of war to face a current or expected severe danger on the State, whether external or internal.

Partial Mobilization: A set of procedures through which some State Forces and their resources are prepared to face a current or expected danger on the State, whether external or internal, less severe than that indicated concerning the general mobilization.

Educational Institutions: Public and private entities and establishments involved in the education and training of all types and in its various forms and stages.

National Service: Service to be carried out by whomever is recruited for the sake of the country for a specified period of time according to the provisions of this Law.

National Service Card: A document showing the position of national service.

Alternative Service. A service alternative to the national service, carried out for a specified period of time for those not eligible for enrollment in the national service.

Military: A person having a military rank according to the laws and decrees in force at the authorities set forth in Article 6 of this Law and the like.

Conscript: Whoever is recruited to carry out national service.

Employee: Whoever occupies one of the positions stated in the federal or local budget.

Worker: Whoever works in the private sector against a fee of any type.

Student: Whoever studies or practices at an educational institution.

Reserve Service: Service to be carried out by reservists for the sake of the country for a specified period of time according to the provisions of this Law.

Reservist: Whoever shall perform reserve service.

Call: Calling for reservists in specified cases according to the provisions of this Law.

Reserve Service Card: A document showing the registration of the reservist in the reserve service.

Medical Committee: Military Medical Committee.

The national service shall be imposed on every male citizen. The female enrollment shall be optional with the consent of the guardians in accordance with the provisions decided under this Law, the regulations, decisions and instructions implementing the same.

Whoever is recruited for national service shall meet the following conditions:

1- Be a citizen of the State.

2- Be between eighteen and thirty years old.

3- Be medically fit.

4- The approval of the National and Reserve Service Committee is obtained.

The following categories shall be excluded from the provisions of Articles (2) and (3) of this Law:

a- Military officers working at the entities stated in Article (6) of this Law.

b- Military officers of the armed forces, or the Ministry of Interior, or entities and establishments of military system, whose service has terminated, and in which such officer has spent at least three consecutive years of service, on condition that he has been grouped in a specific profession or specialisation during his period of service.

c- Students admitted to colleges, institutes, schools, and military training centres at the armed forced or the Ministry of Interior, or at entities and establishments of military system, on condition of graduating therefrom.

d- Other categories and nationals who are excluded in accordance with the public interest requirements, or other considerations, provided that a decision from the Deputy Supreme Commander is issued.

1- The national service period for the male conscripts shall be as follows:

a- Three years for those with a qualification less than high school.

b- (11) Eleven months for the holders of high school degree or its equivalent or a higher degree.

2- The national service period shall be of (11) eleven months for the female conscripts.

3- The Deputy Supreme Commander may amend the national service period set forth in clauses 1 and 2 of this Article, as required by the public interest.

4- The national service period may be extended for the conscript as specified in the implementing regulation to this Law.

The national service shall be performed at the following entities:

1- The Armed Forces and the Ministry.

2- The Ministry of Interior.

3- The State Security Service.

4- The entities and institutions of military regime and others, determined by a decision of the Deputy Supreme Commander.

The national service shall include training periods, military and security exercises for conscripts on weapons, military or security operations specified by the regulations and decisions implementing this Law.

The implementing regulations to this Law shall determine the alternative service to the national service, the terms and conditions of enrollment and the entities in which these services are performed.

Every male citizen who reached the eighteen years of age and who is not more than thirty years old on the date of entry into effect of this Law, may apply to the competent authorities of national service, specified by the General Command, within thirty days from the date of his notification, to determine his position of the recruitment according to the provisions of this Law and to the regulations and procedures in force.

No male citizen between eighteen and thirty years old whose name was announced shall be allowed to leave the country without obtaining the permit of the competent authorities or submitting a certificate showing his position of the military recruitment.

No student shall be allowed to join a higher education institution inside or outside the State after reaching eighteen years of age, unless he obtained the National Service Card or a certificate showing his position of the military recruitment.

The federal and local government authorities and private sector shall allow their employed national citizens, who meet the admission requirements, to join the national service. The said authorities, either civil or military, and from the private sector, shall commit not to appoint male nationals, who meet the national service admission requirements in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of this Law, unless they have the national service card or any certificate that designates their position on the national service.

1- The following shall be permanently exempted from national service:

a- Whoever is proved not to be medically fit according to a decision by the Medical Committee.

b- The only son to his father, mother or both of them, provided this is proved in the official papers of the competent authority at the State.

2- The following shall be temporarily exempted from national service:

a- The son who is breadwinner for his father, mother or both of them, provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

b- The only breadwinner for his father who is unable to earn money, provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

c- The only breadwinner for his mother if she is widowed, divorced an irrevocable divorce or in case her husband is unable to earn money, provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

d- The only breadwinner for his brother(s) who is/are unable to ear money, for his unmarried or unemployed sister(s), provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

e- The only breadwinner for some of his ascendants or descendants who are severely disabled or suffer from illnesses that prevent them from supporting themselves, provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

f- Whoever is responsible for the support of the beneficiaries of a martyr pension or the like, provided this is proved by a decision from the competent authority at the State.

g- The oldest beneficiaries of the sons of those missing because of war, police or security operations and the like according to the provisions of this Law, until the position of those missing is specified. In case they have no sons, then the oldest beneficiaries of their brothers.

h- The persons convicted in a freedom-restricting sanction or those held in custody throughout the period of the sanction or custody.

i- Whoever is proved not to be medically fit on a temporary basis according to a decision by the Medical Committee.

3- Whoever removes the reason of temporary exemption shall apply to the competent authorities within thirty days from the date of removal of the reason to be treated according to the provisions of this Law.

4- As an exception to the provisions of this Law, whoever has temporary exemption shall be subject to national service until reaching the age of forty.

5- The implementing regulations to this Law shall determine the competent authorities at the State to apply the provisions of this Article.

1- The national service shall be postponed, during time of peace, for the students of educational institutions in the State or their equivalent abroad, until they acquire the qualification degree for which the national service was postponed, and that is in any of the following cases:

a- The ages shall not exceed twenty-nine years, for the students of universities, colleges, institutes and training centres, in which the period of study or training is equal to two years or more.

b- If the student has reached the age of eighteen years, but has not completed high school study, and still attending morning study classes.

c- If the student has been granted a scholarship inside the State or abroad, after the termination of the basic training period of the national service. And he may be required to re-reconduct the basic training period after the termination of study.

2- If the age of the student in the final stage has reached the maximum limit set forth in Paragraph (a) of Clause 1 of this Article, then his recruitment shall continue to be postponed until the end of this stage and for one time only. The said student shall not be exempted from joining the national service even if he exceeds the age specified according to the provisions of this Law

3- The Armed forces shall specify, in agreement with the educational institutions, the method and mechanism for notification of recruitment competent authorities, of the names of students or trainees and all that is related to their position on the study or training, until they acquire the degree or reach the maximum age indicated.

The national service for the citizens who did not join the service at the entities set forth in Article (6) of this Law shall be postponed to subsequent years according to the rules and regulations issued by the Chief of Staff or his representative in this regard, and they shall not be exempted from national service even if they exceed the decided age according to the provisions of this Law, provided that they do not exceed the age of forty.

1- The period of national service for conscripts appointed during their period of national service at the Ministries, government departments, authorities, federal and local public institutions and the private sector shall be considered as spent in the service of these authorities. This period shall be counted within the period of seniority and entitlement of the decided increases.

2- If the conscript was appointed, after expiry of the period of national service, at the Ministries, government departments, authorities, federal and local public institutions and the private sector, his period of national service shall be added to his actual service specified for the purposes of bonus, retirement pension and other rights and privileges arising from the job and profession.

3- The Armed Forces shall bear the costs of joining the service set forth in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article according to the rules and regulations in force at the Armed Forces.

1- The conscript may be separated from the national service or alternative service in case he was convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or dishonesty or in case he was sentenced to a disciplinary sanction due to indecent acts that affect the reputation of the Armed Forces or the entities of service thereof, or in any other case determined in the Implementing Regulation of this Law, and after that he shall be replaced to perform service again.

2- The Implementing Regulation of this Law determines the conditions and controls that shall be met for the separation from the national service or alternative service, and for replacement.

Every conscript after expiry of his national service shall be transferred to reserve service and shall be subject to the rules and provisions of reserve service stated in this Law.

1- The following conditions shall be met for joining the reserve service:

a- Be a citizen of the State.

b- Be between eighteen years old and sixty years old for officers and fifty-eight years for individuals.

c- Be medically fit.

d- The approval of the National and Reserve Service Committee is obtained.

The reserve shall be formed of the following categories:

1- The military persons and employees whose service was terminated, of the entities set forth in Article (6) hereof.

2- The conscripts who terminated the national service.

3- The citizens required to join the reserve as constructed by the Armed Forces.

4- The civil volunteers who wish to join the reserve service and approved by the Armed forces.

1- Enrollment to reserve service shall be mandatory for those stated in Clauses 1, 2 and 3 and optional for those stated in Clause (4) of Article (19) hereof.

2- The reserve service shall be joined in case the conditions of enrollment to reserve service are met according to this Law, the rules, regulations, orders and instructions implementing the same.

3- The persons referred to in Article (19) of this Law shall fill the form prepared for joining the reserve service and shall always update their data according to the rules determined by a decision from the authorities set forth in Article (6), each within his own competence.

The reserve service shall be according to the following phases:

1- First reserve phase.

2- Second reserve phase.

3- Third reserve phase.

The Chief of Staff shall determine the periods, functions and duties of every reserve phase and the ages of service in these phases.

1- The reserve shall be called in the following cases:

a- For training or exercise purposes.

b- To join the reserve qualification sessions.

c- To conduct experiments on the measures taken for general or partial mobilization.

d- In cases of general or partial mobilization, war, declaration of martial law or any threat to the State.

e- Any other case estimated by the Deputy Supreme Commander.

2- The calling and its extension, postponement and completion in the cases set forth in paragraphs (a and b) of Clause 1 by the entities set forth in Article (6) of this Law shall be according to the competence of each, in the cases set forth in paragraphs (c) and (e) by a decision from the Deputy Supreme Commander or his representative and in the case set forth in paragraph (d) by a decision from the Supreme National Security Council.

1- The Ministries, government departments, authorities, federal and local public institutions and the private sector shall allow their employees and workers subject to the reserve to join the reserve service upon issuance of the order of their call and return after the period of their call, provided that a proof of their joining the reserve service during their call period is submitted.

2- Whoever is called shall join the service of the authority in which he is recruited or that determined by the authority set forth in Article (6) of this Law, according to the case, immediately upon issuance of the order of his call.

3- The Chief of Staff shall issue the regulations related to the execution of the calling order.

The reservists shall be considered officially notified of the calling order to join the specified authority, by the means and methods that are adequate to achieve the same and determined by the Armed forces.

The reservist shall have the same rank he had upon termination of his service, as specified by the implementing regulations to this Law.

The reserve service shall be terminated in any of the following cases:

1- If the reservist reaches the age of sixty for the officers and fifty-eight for individuals. The period of service may be extended upon his request if he meets the conditions prescribed in this Law.

2- If he is proved not healthily fit to perform reserve service.

3- If he poses a threat to the State security.

4- Recommendation of the Committee set forth in Article (33) of this Law.

5- If he loses the nationality of the State.

The Armed forces shall offer basic training to all conscripts in the Armed Forces, provided that they are distributed after completion of the basic training period on the authorities set forth in Article (6) of this Law, according to the capacity of the Armed Forces and to the rules laid down by the Armed forces in coordination with these authorities, through the Committee stipulated in Article (33) of this Law.

The text of Article 28 was replaced by virtue of Article 1 of Federal Decree-Law No. 27 dated 04/09/2019, to read as follows:

1- The Ministries, government departments, authorities, federal and local public establishments, and the private sector shall maintain the job or occupation of its employees or workers conscripted or recruited, or any equivalent job or occupation, until the termination of the national service or recruitment period. The occupation or job of the conscript or recruited person may be filled temporarily during this period.

2- The employee shall be paid by his employment entity, throughout the national service period or recruitment period, the salaries, allowances, remunerations, promotions, salary increases and accessories as if he was actually carrying out his job. The period of his employment in his original occupation or job shall be considered continuous. The period of national service and the recruitment period shall be calculated within the period specified for the purposes of gratuity or retirement pension and other rights and privileges arising from the occupation or job.

3- The employee in the private sector shall be paid, throughout the period of his national service or recruitment period, a monthly remuneration in the following manner:

a- The employment entity shall pay for the employee, the comprehensive monthly salary, including all allowances and remunerations as if he is actually carrying out the job.

b- The armed forces shall bear, towards the employment entity, a percentage of the comprehensive monthly salary of the employee, according to the annual schedule issued by the armed forces, for the various business sectors, in accordance with the public interest requirements. The armed forces shall specify the payment method of the amount to the concerned employment entity, provided that this amount does not exceed the maximum limit set out in the schedule, regardless of the amount of the salary received by the employee.

c- The period of service of the employee in his original occupation or job shall be considered continuous. The national service period and the recruitment period shall be assessed within the period specified for the purposes of gratuity, or retirement pension and other rights and privileges arising from the job or occupation.

4- A monthly reward shall be paid to the conscripts and recruited persons from among liberal professionals or individual entrepreneurs, provided that the Implementing Regulation specifies the controls and conditions necessary to be fulfilled for the payment of the said reward.

1- A federal decree shall determine the financial bonuses of the conscripts and reservists.

2- Notwithstanding the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, the persons called for the purposes of general mobilization shall be paid the financial entitlements decided for them according to the said Federal Decree-Law No. (3) of 2009.

1- The employees and workers, during the period of carrying out the national service or the period of their call, shall be subject to the provisions of the Laws of Retirement, Pensions and Social Insurance to which they are subject at their employers in case of injury, death or loss.

2- The conscript or reservist not subject to the Laws of Retirement, Pensions and Social Insurance in force at the State shall be subject to the laws of benefits and retirement pensions applicable at the authority where the national service or reserve service is carried out, in case of his injury, death or loss during the performance of his service. He shall be treated as an employee or military person according to the profession's degree or military rank granted at these authorities at light of the educational qualification obtained by him.

3- The provisions of the Laws of Benefits and Retirement Pensions in force at the authorities indicated in Article (6) of this Law shall be applied, according to the case, on the conscript or reservist, in case of martyrdom or injury during military operations.

The regulations and decisions issued in implementation to the provisions of this Law shall determine the certificates and forms granted concerning national service and reserve service as well as the conditions and controls necessary for the same.

An authority shall be established at the Armed forces under the name "National and Reserve Service Authority" serving as the supreme body supervising the national and reserve service affairs according to the provisions of this Law.

A joint committee of the authorities set forth in Article (6) of this Law shall be formed under the name "National and Reserve Service Committee". Its formation, tasks and functions shall be specified in a decision issued by the Chief of Staff.

The competent authorities shall submit all the data required for the implementation of the provisions of this Law to the Armed forces and shall bring the citizens required to be conscripts or reservists and arrest the violators of the same.

Each of the authorities set forth in Article 6 of this Law shall prepare a register under the name "Register of National and Reserve Service" stating the names of the persons to join the national and reserve service, provided that these authorities update its data continuously in favour of the National and Reserve Service System at the Armed forces.

1- Any person who without a lawful excuse, fails to submit himself to the competent recruitment authorities or who fails to complete his recruitment procedures during the specified period, or who fails to join the specified course, shall be sentenced to imprisonment and a fine of not less than one hundred thousand (100,000) dirhams and not exceeding five hundred thousand (500,000) dirhams, or either one of these two penalties.

The imposition of such penalty shall not prevent his admission to the national service even if he exceeded the specified age.

If the penalty is less than six months, then it shall be executed in one of the military camps allocated for this purpose at the armed forces.

2- Any person who is compelled to join the national service or attempts to evade such service by way of fraud, or self-injury to render himself medically unfit for the national service, or by submitting false documents, and which has resulted in exclusion, exemption or postponement of the national service or shielded him unlawfully from such service, shall be sentenced to temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than five hundred thousand (500,000) dirhams, and not exceeding one million (1,000,000) dirhams, or either one of these two penalties.’ The imposition of such penalty shall not prevent his admission to the national service even if he exceeded the specified age.

The imposition of such penalty shall not prevent his admission to the national service even if he exceeded the specified age.

Any reservist who fails, without a lawful excuse, to respond to the call by virtue of paragraphs (a, b, c and d) of Clause (1) of Article (22) of this Law shall be subject to imprisonment for a period not less than one month and not exceeding one year. The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than three years and not exceeding ten years if he was called by virtue of paragraph (d) of the same said Clause.

Whoever violates any other provision of this Law and its regulations shall be subject to imprisonment, a fine or one of these penalties.

1- The military judiciary shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the offences related to national and reserve service as prescribed in the present Law.

2- The sanctions prescribed in the present Law shall not prevent the imposition of any harsher penalty provided for in any other law.

1- For the matters which do not have any specific provisions in this Law and without contradicting the provisions thereof, the conscripts and reservists throughout the period of national and reserve service as well as the calling period shall be subject to the laws, decisions, regulations, instructions and orders in force at the Authority in which they serve and set forth in Article (6) of this Law.

2- In exception to the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, the Armed Forces, in case the conscripts and reservists committed any indecent acts that affect the reputation of the Armed Forces or the entities where they serve, may impose any disciplinary sanctions in force at the Armed Forces, unless the entities where they serve imposed sanctions thereon.

3- Taking into consideration the provisions of Clause (2) of this Article, the conscripts or reservists at the Armed Forces shall be sanctioned by the military chiefs or officers as per the powers entrusted thereto for imposing disciplinary sanctions.

In exception to the provisions of this Law, the Armed Forces may call any persons whose reserve service has ended, according to the provisions of Clause (1) of Article (26) of this Law, in case there is a need for human forces at the Ministry or in case of declaring public mobilisation or as per the Martial Law or in case of any danger threatening the State, and they shall be subject to the provisions prescribed in this Law and other laws in force.

The Gregorian calendar shall be followed in the application of the provisions of this Law.

Without prejudice to the competence of any other authorities stated in this Law, the Deputy Supreme Commander shall issue the regulations and decisions necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Law within one hundred and eighty days from the date of entry into effect of this Law.

The said Federal Law No. (28) of 2006 shall be cancelled, as well as any provision violating the provisions of this Law.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into effect on the day following the date of publication thereof.